Ice Planet Barbarians: The Complete Series: A SciFi Alien Serial Romance by Ruby Dixon Page A

right there with me, that he was aware of me.
    So to be pushed away now? When we’re learning about each other? It hurts my feelings. “No?”
    He sees the hurt on my face, and I hear his chest thrumming even harder. “Georgie,” he says in that soft, unique way of his. He gestures at himself, then glances heavenward and mutters something I can’t make out.
    “Are we done playing our game, then?” I ask. I was just getting to the interesting parts. And, okay, I might be flirting a bit. Because touching him and feeling that suede-like skin against mine and watching him react? It’s like catnip to a cat. He’s just so warm and has such soft skin over those rock hard muscles, and he looks at me like I hung the moon, and . . . it’s intoxicating.
    I wonder if he’s attractive for his people. He’s attractive to me, now that I’ve gotten past my initial shock of the horns-and-blue-skin-and-glowing-eyes thing. His features are strong and well-defined, his nose straight and regal, even if it is ridged. His cheekbones are high, and he’s got a beautifully sculpted mouth.
    And he has the most amazing shoulders and biceps. I want to fan myself just thinking about them. Fact is, he’s just pure pleasure to touch. I’ve been enjoying running my hands over him quite a bit, and I can’t get our little interlude in the stream a few hours ago out of my mind. About his hand, dragging down to my pussy and claiming it with a touch. Letting me know that he wants me if he’s going to take me up the mountain.
    I’d touched him back. Gripped that big, delicious cock in my hand and gave it a squeeze to let him know I was willing to play his game.
    “Georgie,” he says again. He gives me another shake of his proud head and then rubs a hand down his face in a very human-looking gesture of frustration that makes me smile.
    “Yes?” I purr, sidling up to him again. Now that the cave is warm, I’ve stripped off most of the furs I was cocooned in and am down to my jumpsuit. I’m so close I can practically rub my breasts on his arm.
    And he won’t look at me. Instead, he shakes his head and says something that sounds like, “ Sa nisok ki yemev .”
    “Yeah, I don’t know what that means,” I say, brushing a finger through his mane. His hair is straight, black and coarse, and super thick. It doesn’t grow anywhere else on his body, either, which I find interesting.
    He pushes my hand away, but I hear the strange purring going wild in his chest. I know he’s enjoying my touch. I just don’t understand why he won’t look at me, or why he pushes me away.
    “Vektal?” I ask. “I don’t understand.”
    His eyes flare with light anew, and he takes my wrist and guides my hand to the erection straining his soft breeches. Then he gives me a look as if to say you see ?
    Ah. I get it now. A small smile curves my mouth, and I feel rather powerful at the moment. He won’t touch me—won’t look at me—because it’s arousing him and he doesn’t want to push me into anything.
    Really, for a big barbarian, he’s being the perfect gentleman.
    It’s ironic because now I’m the one who wants to do more. Maybe it’s the need for comfort or the fact that I find him weirdly attractive. Or maybe it’s that my belly’s full and I feel safe for the first time in what feels like forever, but I’m in the mood. The more he tries to be noble about things? The friskier I get.
    “I guess I don’t need to ask about birth control, do I?” I say to him and put a hand on his shoulder. God, I love touching him. It feels utterly decadent. “I’m not on the pill, not that it matters now. And I’m pretty sure that since we’re different species, you can’t get me pregnant.”
    He watches me with narrowed eyes, as if waiting to see what I’m going to do.
    “Allow me to make the first move,” I tell him softly, reaching out to undo the top laces on his unusual vest.
    Vektal’s strange eyes flicker with light, and then he purrs harder