Enslaved by a Rebel [Sold! 2] (Siren Publishing Everlasting Classic ManLove) (7 page)

“There are foreign bacteria all around us here.” Ranic’s hands left Jarrett’s chest, so he knew he was pointing at the land around them. “We carry enough of our own to fight them off.”

It made sense, but Jarrett worried that eventually all his bacteria would die and then he’d be slowly taken over by the new bacteria. But then again, neither one of them were experts in intergalactic travel. Surely, if people—or aliens—did it all the time, then it must be safe. He knew just on Earth someone could go from one country to another and have issues with bacteria that were irritating but not deadly. Perhaps the same was true out here.

“I think you would adapt. Travelers journey all over the universe, but I’ve never heard of anyone succumbing to foreign bacteria.” Ranic lowered his upper half so they were pressed close again. “There are issues with air, temperature, edibles, but those are issues that can be addressed in other ways.”

“So basically you’re saying I’m a worrywart.”

“Yes. But it is sweet that you worry about me, so I am not upset.”

“Good.” Jarrett kissed him and then wrapped his arms around his shoulders. “Then I will stop worrying until I have something worth getting in a twist over.”

They fell to kissing and teasing one another until the moon started to rise over the water. Through the Aeirall atmosphere, the moon was deep pink, almost fuchsia, and it turned the blue sand purple and purple water amethyst.

“I’ve never seen anything so stunning.” It was smaller than Earth’s moon, and it wasn’t all the way full. A tiny crescent was still dark, which made it look oblong and interesting.

Sitting side by side, they watched it rise until it was quite high in the sky. As it went up, the brightness of it dimmed the surrounding stars until only the moon was visible.

“I wish I had a camera.”

“A device to record this? Why?” Ranic weaved their fingers together and then apart again, just as he had in bed. It was such a curious motion that was at once soothing yet arousing.

“To remember this moment.” Because Jarrett thought it was one of those romantic events that he wanted to remember forever.

“Just close your eyes and there it is.”

Jarrett laughed and then turned to look at Ranic. The reflected light had turned him a stunning shade of golden purple.

“Why do you do that?”

“What?”

“Each time you stroke your hand over my shoulder you look at your fingers.”

“Oh, that.” Jarrett shook his head, laughing at his own folly. “Each time I touch you I think I’ll get sparkles on my hand. Isn’t that silly?”

“No.” Ranic straddled his body and settled lightly against his crossed legs. “If you are very nice to me, I can give you a handful of sparkles.”

It didn’t take Jarrett long to figure out what he meant. “I think I’d like sparkles all over my belly.”

“I can do that, too.” Ranic moved closer until his cock was rubbing gently against Jarrett’s stomach.

Just as he had in the water, Jarrett teased his fingers along his back and then down into the crevice of his ass. He did this very slowly so as not to make Ranic think he was just going to pounce. Besides, teasing him was almost like playing a musical instrument. A touch here, a kiss there, a gentle nibble—each move caused Ranic to utter a different noise. All of it was the music of sex, and each note lifted Jarrett higher. As much as he wanted to bury himself in Ranic, he also wanted to delay the moment. Anticipation was the most powerful aphrodisiac in the universe no matter the species.

“Please. Now. I do not wish to delay anymore.” Ranic squirmed desperately against Jarrett and then reached under, grasped Jarrett’s cock, and angled it toward his body.

“Whoa. No.” Jarrett lifted him off his lap and almost laughed at the furious look on Ranic’s face. “Don’t get angry with me. If I would have tried to enter you just then, you’d be howling in pain.”

Ranic frowned and then cast a dubious eye at Jarrett’s prick. “It’s not that big.”

“Ooh, what a burn!” Jarrett did laugh this time then fished around in the basket. “It’s not the size, my good sir, but the fact that we didn’t have any lube.”

“Oh.” Ranic looked down and then back up. If he was wired differently, he probably would be blushing. Hell, maybe he was and Jarrett just couldn’t tell because he was glowing purple and gold. “Are you angry with me?”

“That you’re desperate to get my cock in you? No way.” Jarrett crawled toward him until he had him pinned on the blanket. “I like that you’re all frantic and horny.”

“Horny?” Ranic didn’t have eyebrows, but he had mobile ridges of flesh above his eyes, and they drew together when he was perplexed.

“It’s a slang term for extremely aroused.”

“Ah. I like passionate better than horny.”

“Then passionate you shall be.” Jarrett slid between his legs, balancing his weight on his arms. He gently kissed Ranic’s neck.

“I can put that on for you.” Ranic grabbed for the lube, but Jarrett tucked it out of reach.

“Don’t be in a hurry.”

“But I’ve waited a lifetime.”

“I know.” Jarrett kissed the tip of his nose. “That’s why a few moments more aren’t going to matter.”

“But—”

“I want to make this so good for you.”

“It already is.” Ranic frowned, and then his gaze softened. “What was your first time like?” When Jarrett didn’t answer, Ranic relaxed against the blanket. “It’s okay. I understand if you want to rewrite your history while writing mine.”

“I like that way of looking at it.” Jarrett smiled and nuzzled Ranic’s upper body.

“Will you tell me?”

“My first time? Well, it wasn’t horrible, but it wasn’t like this.” Jarrett looked around again and realized they basically had the place to themselves for miles. “It was just fast. We were drunk, and he wouldn’t even look at me after. And it hurt a lot more than I thought it would. It’s probably why I didn’t like that probe on stage.” Ever since then Jarrett had been firmly in the camp of giving but not receiving.

“I’m sorry.”

“Me, too.” Jarrett lowered himself down a bit more, but he was still careful to keep the bulk of his weight off Ranic by using his arms. They were the same size, but he still felt bigger since he was on top. “I just want you to always look back at this day, no matter how old we get or how long we’re together, and remember how special it was.”

“I will.” Ranic reached up and twined his fingers in Jarrett’s hair. “I will always smile when I think of this day.”

“Even when I’m all old and doddering, you’ll remember me here in the prime of my life?”

“I will.”

Jarrett froze for a moment, thinking of a dozen totally irrelevant thoughts such as how Ranic would age, if they would grow apart if they aged differently, or if they couldn’t make things work, or if they somehow grew disenchanted with one another. There were so many things that could happen. So many things that could go wrong. He’d never really tried to make it work before. He’d never really invested himself and swore to do all he could to stay together through thick and thin. The way Ranic said
I will
made Jarrett think of wedding vows and saying
I do
. It was madness. Surely, they could legally be married somewhere in the universe, but they really didn’t know one another. He hadn’t even had sex with him yet. Not all the way, at any rate. Wanting to get married first was the height of crazy.

“Call me crazy.” Jarrett peered down at Ranic’s open face. In his eyes, he saw a future. If he could literally take the plunge and learn to scuba dive against all his misgivings because he felt the truth in his bones, then this could be right, too.

“Do you really wish for me to call you crazy?”

“No. I want you to call me husband.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means I want—no, I need—to do something before we can go further with this.”

“This
is
crazy.” Ranic clutched Jarrett’s hand. Oddly, Jarrett’s hand was cold while Ranic’s hand was hot. It was the exact opposite of how they normally were. Jarrett said it was nerves, and even though Ranic hadn’t been subjected to nerves before, he wasn’t surprised to find he was now. Since meeting Jarrett, he’d found himself experiencing all kinds of new and mostly wonderful things.

“What did I tell you?” Jarrett lifted their bound hands and kissed the back of Ranic’s.

“On the beach, you told me to call you crazy, but then you wished for me to call you husband. Now I am not so sure that I can do this.” Ranic stood on the threshold of not only the chapel, but also a major life change. He already knew he wanted to be with Jarrett, and he would do what he had to do to make that happen, but this was strangely intimidating. “This isn’t like breaking the taboo of sex with another male. This is like that times—times—times a very big number.”

Jarrett cupped his chin and turned his head so they were staring into one another’s eyes. “If you don’t want to make this commitment to me, you must say so now. Don’t do this to please me if it’s not what you want.”

“I want you. I will stand up there and mean what I say.” Of that, Ranic had not one doubt in his soul. “What I’m afraid of is being visible.”

“What?”

“You show your face all the time. I have only shown my face to you.” Ranic adjusted the curious clothing again. They’d bought the suits and other items at the resort. Luckily, he’d been able to bill it to his room and cover it with his deposit. He wore a stunning jacket in dark purple that was crafted of fabric so light it practically floated around him. It was open down the center, showing off his bare chest. The pants were the same color and fabric, but the hems of the pant legs were gathered at his ankle. When Jarrett had seen them, he called them genie pants, and his almost instant erection told Ranic that the cut, color, and style was most flattering, but showing his face…

“I’m sorry.” Jarrett pulled him back from the entrance to the chapel. “I didn’t think that you are always in that enormous metal suit.” Jarrett looked around as if he would find something to make Ranic more comfortable. Jarrett’s suit was the same style and cut, but the color was the most stunning dark blue. To Ranic’s gaze, it flattered his bronze skin perfectly.

Both of them wore soft sandals on their feet and nothing else. Since Ranic was used to his enormous metal suit, he felt positively naked.

“I can do this, but I need to know…” Ranic trailed off because he wasn’t certain what was holding him back, exactly. He wanted to break with not only his world, but his entire restrictive culture. However, as much as he wanted to cut all ties, the idea of turning his back on them never to return was truly terrifying. Finoc was all he knew.

“I will never, ever leave you of my own free will.”

Ranic turned and considered Jarrett anew.

“I swear that I will stand by you always. Through thick and thin, through rich or poor, happy or miserable, whatever this massive universe can throw at us, I swear we are going to make our way through it all together.” Jarrett again lifted their bound hands, but this time he released Ranic’s, unfolded it, and then kissed the center of his palm. “I have never felt this way about anyone until I met you.”

A surge of intense passion made Ranic utter a cry of surrender. He couldn’t say no to Jarrett. Not when he was willing to commit himself so deeply, so fully. “I believe you.”

“Good.” Jarrett considered. “We can cover you if you wish, or we can have the minister avert his eyes. Which would make you feel more comfortable?”

Ranic drew a deep breath and considered. “Neither.”

Jarrett’s dark brows drew together in confusion, not anger.

“I must get used to showing my face, so I will start here, today.” Ranic drew a fortifying breath.

A slow smile of understanding and acceptance lifted the edges of Jarrett’s sensual lips. “Good. Because you have a beautiful face.”

“Do I?” Ranic was genuinely curious. All he’d ever seen was his own kind, Jarrett, and the very odd aliens at the auction house. It was difficult to compare attractiveness to creatures so different.

“You do.” This time, Jarrett stepped close and leaned in to kiss Ranic.

Ranic stepped back before their lips touched. “Oh, no. Not so fast.”

Jarrett’s uplifted brows asked the question.

“You have to marry me first.”

Again, the transformation of his features told Ranic everything he needed to know. Jarrett loved when he stood firm for what he wanted. The fact that he’d bought Jarrett but almost immediately turned around and set him free spoke volumes about the kind of man Ranic was, at least that was what Jarrett had told him. That Jarrett didn’t hold it against him in any way told him all he needed to know about his happenstance mate.

“Just show me the way.” Jarrett offered out his hand, which Ranic took along with a very deep breath.

Hand in hand, they entered the chapel.

Ranic wasn’t sure what he thought would happen, but the minister smiled at them and then some music played that was oddly discordant. Jarrett flashed him a look that Ranic now recognized as one that said his mate was on the verge of full-out laughter. Begging him to stay steady, Jarrett let go of his hand, moved swiftly over to the droid dispensing the music, whispered to him what he wanted, then returned to Ranic’s side.