Read Online Undaunted (Battle Born Book 6) by Cyndi Friberg - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Cyndi Friberg
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back into charming escort mode. “I know it’s not the custom on Earth.”
She stuffed her bra down inside one flat pump and her panties inside the other. “I packed mostly dresses when I prepared for my visit to Lunar Nine. Didn’t want to insult my host.” She glanced at him as she struggled with the zipper in the back of her dress.
He motioned for her to turn around. “Do you find our preference for females in dresses backward?” His fingertips brushed against her skin as he raised the zipper, and his voice lowered, became more intimate again.
“The roles of male and female are more defined on Rodymia. Dressing differently from males seems natural in that context.” His arm slid around her waist and pulled her back into the warmth of his body. He was so tall, his chest so wide that she felt surrounded by him, shielded from the wind and anything that might try to harm her.
“I’ll give you time to accept me as your mate, but I must mark you tonight.” There was no room for compromise in his tone. He was informing her of his intentions. “If anyone touches you now, I’m not sure I can control my reaction.”
She wasn’t an uninformed human. She knew that marking was the first step in the bonding process and she knew how it was accomplished. The male touched the female with his hands and mouth until his scent covered her body. However, his concern was also understandable. Now that mating fever had been activated, he’d become progressively more aggressive—and more possessive—until she allowed him to claim her or rejected him entirely. And she wasn’t ready to do either right now.
“Didn’t what we just did leave your mark on me?” She’d been so drunk on passion, she wasn’t sure she could trust herself to resist him through another round of sensual play.
“It would have if we’d both been naked.” He brushed her hair aside so he could nuzzle her neck. “Marking requires skin-to-skin contact.”
For the first time in their acquaintance, she wasn’t sure she believed him. His hands and lips had touched her naked skin. The more skin touched skin, the more of his scent transferred, but it was likely his mark was already all over her. “I won’t let you claim me,” she stressed.
He turned her around, his hands remaining on her upper arms. “When I claim you, and I will, you’ll want it just as badly as I do.”
She laughed, not a wise reaction to be sure, but she couldn’t help it. “Can you hear yourself? Am I supposed to fall to my knees and submit simply because you decree it?” He reached for her hair, but she twisted away, quickly drawing the long strands over her shoulder. “I’m physically attracted to you. Pretending otherwise is just silly. But I’m not going to create a permanent bond with anyone just because it’s possible.”
He crossed his arms over his chest, clearly displeased by her attitude. “You’re not returning to Lunar Nine until I’ve marked you. It’s dangerous and distracting.”
She shrugged as she picked up her shoes. “Then I’ll stay here. I can continue negotiating with Morgan and Nazerel. They’re a bonded couple. When, and if, I return to Lunar Nine, I’ll decide how to proceed.” She turned, meaning to continue their trek toward the big house, but he reached out and caught her upper arm.
“You challenge me with every word you speak, yet I’m not sure you’re aware of it.” With obvious ease, he drew back his arm, dragging her bare feet across the ground. “I’m more than up for the challenge, sweetheart. Is this how you want our courtship to ‘proceed’?”
He was right. There was something about him that made her uncharacteristically mouthy. If she really wanted him to stop chasing her, she needed to stop running away. “I’m not sure what I want. That’s the problem.”
His grip on her arm eased though his expression remained grim. “I’ll give you as much time as I’m able, but my need to claim you is already
She stuffed her bra down inside one flat pump and her panties inside the other. “I packed mostly dresses when I prepared for my visit to Lunar Nine. Didn’t want to insult my host.” She glanced at him as she struggled with the zipper in the back of her dress.
He motioned for her to turn around. “Do you find our preference for females in dresses backward?” His fingertips brushed against her skin as he raised the zipper, and his voice lowered, became more intimate again.
“The roles of male and female are more defined on Rodymia. Dressing differently from males seems natural in that context.” His arm slid around her waist and pulled her back into the warmth of his body. He was so tall, his chest so wide that she felt surrounded by him, shielded from the wind and anything that might try to harm her.
“I’ll give you time to accept me as your mate, but I must mark you tonight.” There was no room for compromise in his tone. He was informing her of his intentions. “If anyone touches you now, I’m not sure I can control my reaction.”
She wasn’t an uninformed human. She knew that marking was the first step in the bonding process and she knew how it was accomplished. The male touched the female with his hands and mouth until his scent covered her body. However, his concern was also understandable. Now that mating fever had been activated, he’d become progressively more aggressive—and more possessive—until she allowed him to claim her or rejected him entirely. And she wasn’t ready to do either right now.
“Didn’t what we just did leave your mark on me?” She’d been so drunk on passion, she wasn’t sure she could trust herself to resist him through another round of sensual play.
“It would have if we’d both been naked.” He brushed her hair aside so he could nuzzle her neck. “Marking requires skin-to-skin contact.”
For the first time in their acquaintance, she wasn’t sure she believed him. His hands and lips had touched her naked skin. The more skin touched skin, the more of his scent transferred, but it was likely his mark was already all over her. “I won’t let you claim me,” she stressed.
He turned her around, his hands remaining on her upper arms. “When I claim you, and I will, you’ll want it just as badly as I do.”
She laughed, not a wise reaction to be sure, but she couldn’t help it. “Can you hear yourself? Am I supposed to fall to my knees and submit simply because you decree it?” He reached for her hair, but she twisted away, quickly drawing the long strands over her shoulder. “I’m physically attracted to you. Pretending otherwise is just silly. But I’m not going to create a permanent bond with anyone just because it’s possible.”
He crossed his arms over his chest, clearly displeased by her attitude. “You’re not returning to Lunar Nine until I’ve marked you. It’s dangerous and distracting.”
She shrugged as she picked up her shoes. “Then I’ll stay here. I can continue negotiating with Morgan and Nazerel. They’re a bonded couple. When, and if, I return to Lunar Nine, I’ll decide how to proceed.” She turned, meaning to continue their trek toward the big house, but he reached out and caught her upper arm.
“You challenge me with every word you speak, yet I’m not sure you’re aware of it.” With obvious ease, he drew back his arm, dragging her bare feet across the ground. “I’m more than up for the challenge, sweetheart. Is this how you want our courtship to ‘proceed’?”
He was right. There was something about him that made her uncharacteristically mouthy. If she really wanted him to stop chasing her, she needed to stop running away. “I’m not sure what I want. That’s the problem.”
His grip on her arm eased though his expression remained grim. “I’ll give you as much time as I’m able, but my need to claim you is already
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