Hinekiri
Authors: Shelley Munro
Tags: #sci-fi romance, #aliens, #alien contact, #New Zealand
ALIEN ENCOUNTER: HINEKIRI
Shelley Munro
Table of Contents
Alien Encounter 2
New Zealand cop Richard Morgan is settled and perhaps a tad boring. Maybe he’s a little lonely since his wife died, but there’s no need to change a lifestyle that works for him. Small-town life suits him perfectly.
Intrepid alien explorer Hinekiri walks through life alone, eager to explore uncharted worlds and try new experiences. She’s arrived on Earth to fulfill her ambition to witness the wildebeest migration in Africa. Unfortunately, she has Torgon mercenaries hot on her trail, eager to steal her valuable galaxy charts, and a niece who wants to spoil her fun.
From the minute Richard unwittingly finds himself in bed with the beautiful alien temptress it’s hard to catch his breath. Suddenly he’s lusting after Hinekiri and discovering they’re very compatible indeed! Richard’s flying in spaceships, talking to dogs and fighting Torgon mercenaries in his spare time. Danger and impulsive are his new middle names. He’s having loads of fun, but soon Hinekiri’s departure date arrives. Richard realizes he wants more than a romantic interlude in Africa. Now all he needs to do is persuade the determined Hinekiri to his way of thinking…
This book was originally titled
Romantic Interlude
, and it was part of the Talking Dog series. While the title has changed, the story hasn’t. It’s a fun and lighthearted romantic read about aliens crash-landing near a small New Zealand country town.
If you’re interested in learning more about my books and the Alien Encounter series, please visit my
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Happy reading,
Shelley
Richard Morgan trudged up the carpeted stairs, heading for his bedroom without bothering to switch on the light. Fatigue made his limbs heavy. Uncoordinated. He was feeling every one of his years after the long drive from Wellington and the ferry crossing of Cook Strait the previous night. An old dog according to his Army mate—too mature to learn new tricks. In other words, he was an old fuddy-duddy, boring and set in his ways just because he’d suggested George take things slowly with the new woman in his life.
Remembering the label “conservative” George had tagged him with still stung. Damn it, there was nothing wrong with being settled. He didn’t need to prove a point by grabbing the nearest woman and shagging himself into an early grave. Richard liked predictable. He enjoyed his day-to-day routine, even if it was without his beloved wife. Besides, he walked on the wild side far enough by owning shares and sitting on the board of Alicia’s condom company. In his opinion, that was downright racy given some of the discussions about the male appendage that took place in the boardroom.
“No fool like an old fool,” he muttered as he stumbled into his bedroom. Uncharacteristic loneliness tore at his gut, bringing a scowl. He’d been looking forward to spending a few weeks with George but had felt like a third wheel so he’d decided to head back to Sloan. Since Luke, his son, was here, the early return home wouldn’t be a total loss. Richard sighed. His son was hurting after the treachery of his ex-best friend and his now ex-wife. They could be miserable together. Richard toed off his shoes, leaving them where he wouldn’t fall over them in the dark.
His hands went to his denim shirt and he unfastened the buttons with the ease of practice despite the dark. Halting beside the bed, he undid the buckle on his belt and stepped out of his jeans. Still wearing his boxer shorts, Richard fumbled with the covers of his king-size bed and slipped between the cool sheets without bothering to take off his socks. Felicity, his wife wasn’t here to complain, but the angels would be hearing about his transgression up in heaven, no doubt.
Lord, he missed that woman’s snippy tongue, her smile and her curvy body. He missed being able to look after his woman and he missed sex, dammit, even though things had been a bit strained during their last couple of years together. His cock stood to attention at the thought and he groaned, turning over toward the middle of the bed. His hand met warm flesh, and it didn’t belong to him.
A shriek, loud enough to wake the sleeping citizens of Sloan, echoed through his bedroom.
Richard let out a shout of his own, leaping upright to clutch at the bed sheets, his heart pounding with alarm. What the hell?
Almost immediately, the thunder of running feet sounded in the passage. The bedroom light flicked on, dazzling with its brightness. Richard blinked. He blinked again, his eyes widening in shock. Yep, he was definitely in bed with a woman. A naked woman, if her bare shoulders were any indication. He hadn’t been asleep yet so he wasn’t dreaming. This was real all right.
A naked woman
.
Richard shook his head in bemusement.
“Dad. What are you doing here?”
Richard glanced at his son, Luke, who was standing in the doorway. “I live here.” It was his house. He didn’t need to make excuses. “More to the point, what are you doing?” His gaze went from Luke to the half-naked woman his son clutched before he turned to check out the woman sitting in bed with him. She winked.
Suggestive.
Saucy.
His cock rose to even greater prominence and he swallowed, glad of the covers over his lap. The woman had beautiful eyes. They were violet and glowed with humor. The tiny fan of lines at the corners of her eyes confirmed she was a person who laughed a lot and enjoyed life. Blonde curls tumbled down her back. Her shoulders were on the scrawny side, but her bubbly personality shined through. Here was a woman who embraced life with all the curves involved. He liked that. The tenseness he’d felt in his gut and chest ever since he’d left the South Island lifted a fraction.
Richard turned his gaze to his son and the younger woman. Luke had the woman in his arms and there was a lot of intense whispering. Curiosity followed quickly on the heels of astonishment. He glanced across at Violet Eyes sitting beside him in his bed.
“Well hello, sailor.” The woman clutched the pale blue sheet to her chest and batted her eyelashes at him, seemingly unperturbed by her nakedness.
“Poke your fingers in your ears,” the younger woman snapped, pointing a glittering silver weapon directly at him.
Richard’s breath caught halfway up his throat. His police-issue gun sat locked in the cupboard as required by safety regulations. Fat lot of use it was going to do him there.
“Janaya,” the woman sitting beside him said in a sharp voice.
Luke did some more heavy-duty whispering and the woman lowered the weapon. Thankfully. It looked as though it could inflict a bit of damage. His son drew the young woman close to his naked body then propelled her down the passage without looking back. Richard watched the whole procedure with interest since his son had left his door open. He had a great view from his bed, if he leaned forward just a fraction. Luke’s bedroom door opened, closed and opened again. A small white dog with black spots trotted out, growling under its breath. The door slammed shut for a second time and the dog let out a sharp yap.
Richard shook his head. Again. Life sure had become interesting around his house. He turned back to check out the woman sitting in his bed.
“Do you have a name, sailor?” The woman’s voice was low and husky and held humor.
“Yeah.”
“You going to tell me what it is?” The smile turned toothy, and one eye closed in another of her flirtatious winks.
Richard found himself grinning, entirely comfortable with the current arrangement. “Richard. Richard Morgan.” In bed with a gorgeous stranger. Who’d have thought?
The woman stretched out her right hand. “Hinekiri…Jones. Pleased to meet you.”
“Hinekiri.” Richard gripped her slender fingers lightly. Smooth skin. Short nails. Competent hands. Like a sudden unexpected flash of blue lightning, it came to him that he’d like to do more than touch her hand. The thought made his breath stall and his cock did a whole flagpole routine—mostly up—to his chagrin. He tossed the idea round his mind and didn’t reject it out of hand. She was an original and not a whit like Felicity. “The woman with Luke…?”
“My niece Janaya.” Hinekiri’s brows arched, a small smile playing around her pink lips. “I think they’re attracted to each other. Your son is good for her.”
Richard stared at her lips, the sensuous curves and the beautiful natural pink color before a sharp bark jolted him to common sense. He was still holding her hand while his mind was galloping light years ahead. Richard shook his head sharply in an attempt to shake his good sense loose. With regret, he let go of her hand.
The dog trotted into the room, continuing with its incessant growling and a bark now and then for punctuation. Richard wondered if it would ever shut up and was about to protest but the woman beat him to it.
“Killer, be quiet. Go to sleep,” she ordered in a stern voice. She made a shooing motion with her hands.
The dog growled at the back of its throat and leapt onto the bed between them. It rubbed its glossy head against Hinekiri’s arm.
Hinekiri frowned. “No you’re not having any food. You’ll be sick.”
The dog sent a hopeful look in Richard’s direction and he could have sworn that if it could speak, the dog would’ve asked for food.
“Killer.” Hinekiri’s voice held clear warning.
Sighing loudly, the dog jumped off the bed and trotted out of sight.
“Well,” Hinekiri said. “Alone at last.”
Richard gulped. That had sounded a little predatory. Her gaze held interest as it crawled across his chest. Hell, she licked her lips as if she wanted to bite. “I…um…yeah…” Dammit, he was stuttering. The last time he’d stuttered was when he’d asked Felicity to marry him. The thought gave him pause and made him consider Hinekiri a little more closely. Strange. Most women he knew wouldn’t have stopped with the first scream. They would’ve kept screeching. In fact, he was still sitting in the same bed. Yep, his head would still be ringing if he found himself in bed with any of the women of his acquaintance.
“I guess I’d better go and sleep in the other bedroom.”
The woman nodded. “I suppose that would be best.” A mischievous expression flitted across her face. “It wouldn’t do to kiss on the first date.”
Kiss
. Richard halted halfway from the bed. He clamped his lips together and stared at her twinkling eyes in shock. Kissing. His gaze drifted to her pink mouth and he imagined kissing her, tasting her lips. Man, he hadn’t kissed a woman for a while. It would be like high school all over again. Sweaty hands. Bumping noses. Unruly erections.
He shuddered and stood, his breath easing out with a hiss.
“Oh nice camouflage, sailor.”
Holy shit. He was standing in front of her wearing his camouflage-patterned boxers and black socks. And he had a bloody hard-on.
“Nothing I haven’t seen before,” Hinekiri chirped. “If it would make you feel better I could show you mine.”
“Ah, no. It’s okay.” But his gaze shot to the spot where her fingers clutched at the pale blue sheet. He couldn’t see a thing. Not a hint of cleavage or anything remotely feminine or interesting. But that didn’t stop him wondering. He had a good imagination.
“Too bad. Maybe later?” And Hinekiri winked at him. Again.
No way was he going to reply to that one. The woman had a quick tongue. It made Richard speculate exactly what else she could do with that tongue and smart-ass mouth. He shuddered, sensing he wasn’t going to win a war of quips with Hinekiri and it was best he leave with his masculine pride intact.
“Good night.” He beat a quick retreat before she could comment on his camouflage again or anything else it failed to cover.
Once he was out of sight, he slowed. He’d been gone for two weeks. Things had sure changed. A stupid grin curled across his lips. Camouflage. Man, she was quick with that mind of hers. He’d always liked an intelligent woman, but she struck him as too independent for his tastes. The woman exuded confidence despite waking up with a stranger. She must be a heavy sleeper not to have noticed him entering the room—either that or flat-out tired.