His Naughty Little Mate by Sue Lyndon Page B

let him break through her barriers. Underneath it all she was still that strong woman he’d always known, but she was vulnerable and aching for love and affection too. He admired her for opening up to him, admired her for being honest with herself and with him about her desires. She was nothing if not brave. His heart swelled with emotion as he tried to think of a story to tell her.
    “Don’t you know any stories, daddy?” she asked in a teasing tone.
    “Of course I do, little girl.” He knew of a few stories, but he wasn’t so sure he’d be able to tell one from beginning to end without messing it up.
    “How about you tell me a story about you? Tell me about the first time you went flying,” she asked through a yawn as she sank deeper into the pillow.
    He played with her hair, rubbing it between his fingers as memories of the first time his father took him flying resurfaced. He’d sat in the copilot’s seat, his feet not even reaching the floor as he’d eagerly watched his father prepare the plane for takeoff. It seemed like a million years ago that he’d sat in that seat, feeling like the luckiest kid on the planet. He gazed at Carmen, at the excitement in her eyes, and pulled the bedcovers up higher. There was nothing extraordinary about his first flight, but it was an experience he treasured, and it touched him that she’d asked about it, at the same time saving him from trying to stumble through a classic fairytale he couldn’t remember.
    “All right, little girl, I’ll tell you all about it, but you have to promise to close those pretty eyes and go straight to sleep when I finish.”
    “I promise, daddy.”

Chapter Seven
     
     
    Carmen held Erik’s hand as they followed Nuemis through a wide hall on a level of the building that she’d never been on before. From the impressive view out the windows they passed, she suspected they were on the highest floor. Exotic-looking purple and blue plants decorated the hallways, along with paintings of symbols and landmarks she found fascinating. The area of the building they’d been restricted to since their arrival hadn’t revealed much about their culture, other than their scientific curiosities, and she enjoyed the change of scenery.
    As they approached a door at the end of the hallway, her pulse quickened and nerves churned in her stomach. She gulped past the lump in her throat and kept moving beside Erik, glancing at him with a forced smile when he squeezed her hand.
    Today was the day of their first breeding session, and even though she’d wanted Erik for a long time, she had many reasons to be nervous. The aliens would be watching them through a hidden window. It was her first time with Erik, and the first time she’d had sex in years. Oh, and the icing on her nervous cake—she was trying to get pregnant.
    Nuemis faced them with his hands clasped behind his back. “Based on what you’ve told us about human sexual practices, we made this room into a bedroom with a large bathroom attached. You may live in this room until you conceive a child, at which point you will be moved into a larger house. Do you find this room satisfactory for habitation, as well as for your breeding sessions?”
    “It will be fine,” Erik said.
    Carmen gazed around the room, taking in the large bed piled with pillows and blankets. Lamps that emitted a faint yellow glow were spaced around the room. As she moved closer to the bed, she noticed a massive skylight above it. Happiness filled her at the thought of being able to gaze at the stars at night while snuggled in Erik’s arms. A bowl of fruit rested upon a table, and she looked upon what she imagined was a small kitchen area with shelves lined with clear containers of food, plates, utensils, and some gadgets she didn’t recognize.
    “The room has been completely stocked with foods appropriate to the human diet so you will not be disturbed during your breeding sessions.” Nuemis started to head for the door, before