Signs of Interest 7

Not According to Plan

@J Hontz and S Pickrel 2009 - all rights reserved

NC17 - explicit sex, you have been warned!

Luc sighed as he regarded the mall. He had no real idea where to look for Justine. But he did know which direction she'd headed so he wandered off that way.

He'd never been good at dealing with women. They were way too complicated. Give him an opponent with a sword or a gun any day, and he'd know what he had to do, understand how things worked. With women... Well, his family hadn't provided much opportunity to learn either. He was the youngest son, and there'd been no daughters even vaguely close to his age, so no sisters he'd had a chance to learn to relate to, and the female cousins weren't up to snuff, or so his father had felt, so Luc had lived in pretty much an all male household, his mother a sweet but not very independent woman, who'd pretty much let his father do what he would to their children.

Luc stopped and regarded the stores. There was no way he was going to find her by going into them. Instead he got a coffee at the coffee wagon and took a seat under a potted palm, and watched the crowds go by.

It took awhile, and he'd been near to giving it up and grabbing a cab and going to their place and drowning himself in the shower when he finally spotted her.

He watched her as she approached. She didn't look very happy. Or was he imagining that?  Maybe it was just the face she wore in public.

Some guy stopped her, and began talking to her. She seemed to know him. Luc stood then, torn between getting out of there before she saw him, and wanting to walk over and rip the guy's head off.

Justine saw him out of the corner of her eye and swallowed a groan.  She should have just gone home.  Turning back to her colleague she wound up the conversation and then waited until he disappeared before she turned and looked at Luc.

Luc walked over to where she waited. He stood there a moment then reached out and pulled her into his arms and kissed her.

She froze for a moment torn between pushing and pulling.  She settled for standing still, letting him kiss her. 

When she didn't pull away one of his hands buried itself in her hair, the other went around her waist. He broke the kiss though, when she didn't respond. He pulled back and looked down at her. "I'm an idiot. Always. You're right. Sorry." He let go of her. "But please let me take you home. I don't want anything bad happening to you."

"I don't know if you're an idiot or not at this point," she said.  "I've got an open mind.  Why did you come looking for me?"

"To apologize, for one thing. I don't think I was clear. I know I wasn't. I'm not very clear on things myself, to be honest.  And you confuse me because you're direct and forthright. Not used to that."

She smiled then.  "Ok.  Well, you've found me."

"And you smiled," he pointed out.

"So I did.  Is it less confusing than direct and forthright?"

He frowned. "You know, I normally like direct and forthright, so I'm not sure why I find it so confusing when you're that way. But visual cues help. And, you didn't slug me for kissing you."

"I'm reserving all my options, though.  And I should perhaps warn you, I've already hit my limit for throwing myself at a man."

"And I reacted badly," he admitted. "I get a bit defensive. It's .. It's a giant step for us. And you couldn't have known that. I should have found a way to explain it better."

"You really need to back up," she said finally. 

"Okay, back up to where," Luc asked. "I'm still not explaining things?"

"To where you start with the apology."

"Okay. I'm sorry if I said something that hurt you, and sorry if I sounded like I don't.. I think it stinks that hormones take over. I'd rather that someone liked me for me, not because their body reacted to me. And I thought, well, you'd prefer that too."

She folded her arms and considered him carefully.  "Like you don't what?"

"It isn't that I don't find you beautiful and fascinating, not to mention rather frightening, all things I like, by the way. But my life is a mess at the moment, and well, I'm worried about it, and a bit more cautious regarding everything given Justin's situation."

"Sort of like a snake," she said.

"Huh?" Luc asked.

"Beautiful, fascinating and frightening."

"Nothing wrong with any of those things, is there?" Luc asked.

"Not to a herpetologist."

"Justine, it's clear you hate me, so let's just, you know, forget it all. I'll just take you home and make sure you're safe and we can just forget the rest and write it all down to me being an ass."

Her mouth fell open.  She shut it with an audible click of her teeth. "Exactly how did you reach that conclusion?"  The words emerged with a hiss, forced between clenched teeth.

"Because," he replied, looming over her and not caring that he did, "no matter what I say, it's wrong. You've made it very clear you don't want to hear me grovel or even speak to you. I've no idea what the hell is going on here, but I do know I've got to worry about Goldie's safety.  And she loves you and I don't want anything happening to you because of that. So," he added, grabbing her arm, "I'm taking you to your house and locking you in and going to sit outside to make sure you stay there."  He was dragging her toward the mall exit as he said the last.

"If you don't let me go this instant I'll scream the place down around your ears," she snarled. 

"Go right ahead. I'll tell them I'm arresting you. Justin said I should just spank your ass and I'm beginning to think he was right."

"You wouldn't dare!" she shrieked. 

"Push me," he replied, his voice soft and dangerous, "and I'll do it right here."

By this time they were in the parking lot.  "I'll have you up on charges, you jack ass.  And to think I thought..." she began before breaking off due to excess indignation.  She locked her knees, pushing all her weight back onto her heels and simultaneously swung her free hand against his face and spread her fingers wide, expanding the bones in her wrist as she twisted it loose.  "You moron!  How dare you!  And to think I was stupid enough to think I..."  She threw up her hands in frustration and burst into tears.

She burst into tears just as Luc remembered he'd given the Jeep to Justin. He cursed and waved at the taxi drivers who were interestedly watching their goings on. One, happy to get involved and get a closer look, jumped in his car and raced over.

"You thought what?" he asked, watching her warily, but not reaching out to grab her again.

She suppressed the urge to stomp her foot.  "What the hell difference does it make what I thought.  You've made it perfectly clear you can't stand me so what's the point of even talking about it.  And I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself.  So just go away and leave me alone."

"You think I can't stand you?  That's the stupidest thing I ever heard," he replied holding open the taxi door for her. "I think you're fantastic. That's the problem!"

She gaped at him again.  "You what?"  Then she shook her head.  "Oh of course.  That's right.  It's all just chemistry."

"Yeah it is, and if you get too close you'll get burned and you'll end up stuck with me following you around the universe, and you wouldn't want that so, just get in the taxi and go home. I'll get there on my own."

She took a step closer and planted herself in front of him, arms akimbo.  "Do you like me?"

"When you aren't making me crazy, yes I do," he replied, glaring down at her.

She felt her mouth fall open again.  Then she squealed and threw herself into his arms.

Luc grabbed her out of sheer self-defense. She wrapped her legs around his waist. He fought to get his lips free from hers long enough to tell the taxi driver, who was grinning like crazy, Justine's address. Then he maneuvered the two of them into the cab, and grunted when Justine's lips, which had been traveling up and down his neck, nipped his ear.

"Eyes on the road," Luc growled at the taxi driver.

Justine giggled and kept nibbling.  "Still wanna spank my ass?" she whispered, wriggling suggestively.

"You've no idea how bad I want to do that," he replied, silencing her with a kiss that left her lips burning.  At the same time a magnificent hard on made an appearance under her.  "Stop that," he muttered when he broke the kiss. "Sit still or I won't be able to stand up."

"Stop what?" she teased, wriggling again.

"Hey you guys wouldn't be the first," the Taxi driver offered.

Luc growled at him.

"He could give you pointers then," Justine giggled.  "On back seats.  Or maybe it's rear ends he's referring to."

"By the time I get done with you, you won't care where you are. But we ain't starting with a voyeur enjoying it with us."

"Hey!" the taxi driver yelped. 

"Take the next right," Luc and Justine said in unison.

"Money, I gotta get to my wallet," Luc explained as he shifted her around.

She arched an eyebrow.  "Let me," she murmured and put both arms around him, her palms flat on his hips.  She leaned closer, pressing her breasts against his chest and worked her hands under his butt, a cheek cupped in each palm.  She flexed her fingers, groping.  "Which pocket, big boy?"

"My right. NO, the other one," he added after a moment, fighting for control.

She groped some more, before sliding the fingers of one hand into a pocket, wriggling closer to get a better grip.  She ended with her breasts pressed hard into his chest, her nipples hard points and her pelvis perfectly aligned with his, rubbing herself against him like a cat a low purr vibrating from her to him.  "Ah, now I've got it," she crowed in triumph and began working the wallet out of his jeans, while she went back to nibbling and licking her way along his throat.

"Faster," he grunted. "We're almost there. Where are your keys?"  He grabbed the wallet she dangled at him, and fished out a tenner.

She lifted her head long enough to direct him to her purse.  Then she moved lower down his throat and into the vee of skin on his chest revealed by the open buttons of his shirt.  She made a moue of displeasure and moved her hands to the front, fluttering over him.  She slipped first one button and then the next free and her moue was replaced with a gurgle of delight.

He couldn't stop her as he was digging in her purse for keys. Finally he found them and then the taxi was pulling up in front of her place.

Luc handed the tenner forward, "Forget the change."

"I should pay you," the taxi driver commented. Luc growled.

Luc managed to get the door open and maneuvered a totally unhelpful Justine out of the taxi.  He staggered toward the door and had the key at the ready to insert, her purse dangling from his arm.  He fumbled with the key, because Justine was working her way down his chest. Finally the door opened and he went to take a step but she shifted and his balance went and they tumbled to the carpet in the living room, just as Luc managed to push the front door closed with his boot heel.

"You okay?" he asked worriedly.  He'd tried not to let his weight drop onto her.

She pushed the sides of his shirt apart, purring, her hands already exploring the bounty she'd revealed.  "I'm just fine."  Her fingers skimmed over his skin, delineating his muscles, stroking through the curls on his chest.  "How are you?" she asked just before she lapped at one of his nipples, while her fingers claimed the other one.

"I'll be a lot better when I get the jeans off," Luc replied.  Amazing how tight they felt right now.  He was struggling to get a boot off which was the first step toward getting rid of the jeans. "Look, the bed would be more comfortable."

"True.  And no carpet burn."  She punctuated each word with a flick of her tongue over the nub of a nipple. 

Luc finally got one boot off then turned his attention to Justine. He grabbed a wrist and pulled her up as he got to his feet. He wrapped her up with one arm and carried her nestled against his side toward the bedroom, limping on one boot and one socked foot. When he reached her bedroom he looked around. With the merest flick of his wrist he tossed her lightly onto the bed and bent to remove his other boot.

She bounced once and came up on her hands and knees facing towards him, licking her lips in anticipation.  "Gonna take it all off?  So I can watch?"

"Gonna take it all off, rip your clothes off, then screw you until you won't be able to walk for a week."  He let out a sigh as he let the zipper of his jeans down, carefully considering what was eager for release.  "If you're having second thoughts, now's the time to say."

She licked her lips again, her eyes glued to his cock.  "I can get on board with that."

He dropped his jeans and stepped out of them.  He hadn't been wearing underwear. He lifted the shirt up over his head tossing it after the jeans and then stood there looking down at her for a moment before he stepped forward and put a knee on the bed.  He reached down and grabbed her collar and swung her around by it, until she was on her back. He began undoing the buttons excruciatingly slowly.

She stared up at him, her eyes huge and hazy with desire.  then she lifted her hand and cupped it around his nape, pulling him down to her.  Her tongue traced his lips, nibbling along the edges.  "Need any help there?" she asked, her voice husky.

"Nope. Doing fine. I enjoy unwrapping things. And enjoy the surprise of the beauty hidden inside."  He pushed her back down. "You just lay there for now. You'll get your turn later."

She pouted, her fingertips trailing along his arm.  "Promise?"

"Promise," he replied as he reached around and undid her bra, then putting his lips to her left nipple.

She shuddered and sucked in air, her body arching into him.  "God, Luc, yesss."

His hands began working on the waist of her skirt, finding the zipper and undoing the button.  She could feel the heat of his erection against her even through the material.

His mouth was still busy with her nipple, while his hands skimmed the skirt downward over her hips and then down her thighs. She lifted herself up enough so he could get it out from under her.  He sat up then and his eyes took every inch of her in as he slipped her panties down over her hips and then down her legs. He tossed the panties after the skirt onto the floor.

She lifted her arms over her head, letting the motion tauten her body, posing for him as she arched towards him.  He moved to lean over her, his lips seeking out hers as one hand moved lazily up in the inside of her leg. She could feel his erection pounding hotly against her side.

He tasted like sin, his touch lighting a million little fires under her skin, as each cell flared to life under his fingers.  She teased him, tangling with his tongue, dueling with it.

His hand slipped between her thighs, trailing up the soft skin and leaving fire in its wake. He moved against her, rubbing his cock against the outside of her thigh and moving a bit until he was nearly atop her.

She shifted, trying to align them together.  "Luc, please," she begged, suddenly desperate. 

He froze for a second. "Stop?"

"NO!" she wailed, arching up hard, rubbing herself along the tip of his cock.  "I'll kill you if you stop."

 
"You whisper such romantic sweet nothings," he said with a laugh and moved so that he was above her. She lifted her legs and wrapped them around his waist. His fingers entered her first, making sure she was moist and ready. 

She thrust her hips upward, working herself on his fingers, taking them deeper, groaning her pleasure.

He moved then and entered her gently at first, the thrusts easy and steady until he was sure she could take the length and breadth of him and then he began to thrust harder. He leaned forward as he did so and demanded her eyes meet his. He watched her steadily as the rhythm picked up and she shuddered under him.

She whimpered and gave him what he wanted, letting everything she felt show in her eyes.

He was watching her as she climaxed the first time, encouraging her, helping her, stretching it out until she wanted to scream. Then he covered her lips with his so she couldn't.  She gave herself up to it, trying to get closer, pulling herself against him, her fingers digging into his ass.  "More," she demanded.

He obliged, lifting her into a climax two more times, each time she was left limp and exhausted yet still wanting more. After the latest one though, she realized he'd frozen in position, not moving one muscle.  He was breathing heavily.

"Stop," he said, "don't move. I need a minute."

"Luc?"

"I uhm, I told you I was on the edge."  He closed his eyes for a moment, swallowed, then said gently as he began to remove her legs from his waist, "Let's take a break."


She tightened her legs around his waist, protesting.  "You don't move."

"Let me go, sweetheart. Please. I'll... I need to talk to you."

She blinked, trying to throw off her lust induced haze.  "Wha...what?  Now?"

"Yeah, now. Sorry.  I .. I need to back off, Justine. Let me go. I'll.. I'll make it up to you later, I promise."

She lowered her legs, watching him warily. She licked her lips, panic making her mouth dry, waiting.

He pulled out of her and saw the look on her face. "Hey, it isn't you. I'm so sorry, Justine, it's just that... I told you some of it but not all of it."

"Is this going to make me angry again?"

One side of his mouth quirked up into a half smile. "I don't know. Most of the time I'm not sure why you're angry. Want a drink?  I could use one."

She licked her lips again, still scared.  "Yeah."  She wriggled, this time a request for freedom.  "I'll get them," she said.  She grabbed a robe off the bathroom door and escaped to the kitchen.  She came back with two glasses filled with ice and a bottle.  "Just tell me," she said.

He was sitting up against the backboard of the bed. He reached out and pushed a wet curl off the side of her forehead. "Thanks," he said as he took the drink, his voice gentle. He sipped his drink and tried to get his thoughts organized.

"I told you we're not human. Not exactly. You saw one part of that. Well, there's more."

She took a large swallow and set the glass on the bedside table.  Then she took a seat back on the bed, waiting.

He took a large gulp and then said, "We mate for life. It's physical. It happens during sex. If I'd kept on, if we'd kept on, you'd have been changed. We'd have changed. And you'd be mated to me for life. So thanks for stopping. I hate to think ... No one should end up mated for life without having a choice.  Especially when you ... well, your species doesn't."

She was intrigued.  "Tell me more," she invited, refilling his glass.

"Like Justin and Goldie. He's going to get her into bed and then ... well. I'm sure he's told her. But he's already decided. He's bonded to her. Completely. He's hoping like hell she'll agree to bond with him. Otherwise, he'll be unmated for the rest of his life."

"What do you mean, bonded?"

He frowned. "Mentally united. You know what your partner is feeling, know where she is, know if she's well. There's a physical need for closeness, and an  urge to reproduce. It's hard for a mated pair to be apart for very long, although it's known to have happened. It's just not very healthy for either of them."

"And successful coitus ah, triggers this?"

"No. No, it's personal. Unique hormonal and pheromonal combinations.  We don't fully understand how it works, why a certain person can trigger someone else. We get some warning signs ahead of time. Not so much with other species. I was thinking your reaction to me was just to my alien genetics. They send out hard to ignore signals. Seeking a mate, I guess. But no, its not just successful coitus."

"So uhm, ok you figured out I like you.  Now what?"

"Hell if I know," Luc replied sucking on his drink. "I've got no future. Not exactly a good prospect for a mate a present."

"No future?  That's the no job and your family hating you part?"

"It's the possible execution or on the run for the rest of my life part that really worries me."

"What's Justin going to do?" she asked as she digested that remarkable statement.

"Not sure. I think he plans on going back with Goldie, if she's willing, and brazening it out. His family will back him. They're not quite so hard over on tradition as my father is. And I think there's an alien or two already in his family tree."

"Let's ah...let's call me something other than alien, ok.  If you all have, er, mated with other species why ah would there be executions and lives on the lam?"

"Oh, well, we'd be in trouble because we're in the Corps. We swore to serve it, and we've, ah, broken damn near every rule there is already.  It's complicated."

"You always say that.  It's a stock response with you.  It's only when it's all of a piece.  So break it down into parts for me.  Because you're asking me to make a decision and 'it's complicated' just doesn't do it for me."  She grinned suddenly, glancing at his erection.  "Though it's the only part that doesn't."

He glanced down at his rebellious member and shook his head in disgust. "Actually, I'm not asking you to make a decision. I'm explaining to you why we can't.. why I can't mate."

She jerked back from him, her breath whistling out through her mouth. 

He looked up at her. "What are you angry about now?"

"Do you get that you just rejected me?" she asked, burying the agony blooming in her gut like a mushroom cloud in coldness.

"Justine, don't you think ... Look, think about this rationally. I'm not rejecting you. Obviously you have my body and mind wound up in knots. But mating is something that can't be undone. It can't be changed. You'd never be able to love anyone else. I wouldn't either. This isn't just like getting married for a few years then getting a divorce to try someone else. Do you get that? If I'm hunted then you are too. I won't do that to you. You have a good life here. Stay here. Be happy."

She hissed at him, a snarling hiss like an enraged feline.  "What the hell do you know about my life?  You're too busy running away to have the first clue who I am or what I want or why.  You're so deep into protecting you that you've got it all dressed up as protecting me, you son of a bitch.  But that's just fine.  Because I'm done putting myself on the line just so you can slice and dice me into pieces and call it protecting me."  She was off the bed, trembling in her rage her nails clenched into claws, fighting not to rake them over his face.

He stood. "Fine with me. I'm not here as your therapy, or your white knight who's going to save you from your hated life." He walked out into the living room picking up his clothes as he went and sliding into them.

She made an enraged noise in the back of her throat and threw her glass against the wall.  Then she stalked after him.  "I'm not looking for a therapist and I don't need a white knight."  She wanted to kill him she was so furious. 

"No. I apologize. It was a low blow. I just... I don't understand you, Justine. Whenever I think I'm beginning to you .. you get this way. And I don't have a clue what to say to you."

"I get this way, you moron, because I'm so in love with you I'm insane," she yelled, wishing she had another glass to throw.  "I never get this way.  Never.  I've done everything except use little words and all you do is push me away."  She stopped, blanching, hearing herself.  "Jesus, how stupid am I?  Of course.  Now I get it." She finished on a sob, her voice breaking as she turned away.  "I won't bother you...I'm sorry I was so...just lock the door..." 

"You scream at me because you're in love with me?" he asked. "Is this like an Earth thing I don't get?"

She leaned her forehead against the wall, closing her eyes hard, trying to stop the endless stream of silent tears.  "You make me emotional, out of control...I don't have any defenses with you, none."

He'd walked over to her so silently she hadn't realized it until she felt his hand on her shoulder. Then he'd turned her around and she was crying on his shoulder.  He just held her, stroking her back and the back of her head.

She whimpered.  "You shouldn't be doing this.  You're just going to leave."

"Yes, I should be doing this," he replied quietly.

"No," she moaned, shaking her head against him.  "It's just going to hurt more."

"Hush," he whispered, kissing the top of her head. "Hush.  I don't want you to be unhappy. It's killing me to see you so unhappy. Worse, that it's me doing it."

She just shook her head, the tears leaking and soaking his shirt.  "Luc, please, if you're going, just go.  Don't drag this out.  Please, I can't stand it.  Please."

"I'm not going anywhere."

"Now you feel sorry for me," she moaned.

"Yes, I do. I feel sorry that you're about to be mated to an idiot who might be running from the corps for the rest of his life, and who might never have more than two coins to rub together in his pocket."

"You don't want this.  You don't want me."

"I never said that. I just think its not very smart; but smart or not, I'm in love with you and my body is telling me it's you.  My heart's been telling me that for some time, and I've been trying to ignore it. But I'm over that."

She started trembling again, lifting her face out of his shirt.  "Luc?"

"What sweetheart?" he asked, putting a thumb under her chin and lifting her face so her eyes could meet his.

"What are you saying to me?"

"I'm asking you to mate with me. With me only. Come heaven or hell."

"Are you....are you sure?"

He nodded, smiling. "We only feel this once in our lives. I wondered if I'd really recognize it. Well, I've got my answer."

"Oh god," she whispered.  "I love you and you're going spend the rest of our lives making me crazy."

"Oh, I forgot to mention. It'll be a lot longer than you expect too."

"Oh?"

"Well, our lifespans are a bit longer than yours. One of the side effects of the change that will come with the mating and bonding is that you will live longer too."

She snuggled closer.  "How much longer?"

"A lot. My father is about 7,000 of your years old and he's a youngster. Of course, if the Corps hunts us down, all bets are off."

She couldn't imagine it and decided to leave it for later.  "Kiss me."

He slipped a hand beneath her knees and picked her up in his arms. "I'll do more than that."

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