One Thousand Brides by Solange Ayre Page A

invaded his senses, along with the wonderful taste of Janis’ skin. His tongue laved her long finger, his lips caressing her flesh. He teased the juncture between her second and third fingers with short, quick strokes. She gave him a wide-eyed look and repossessed her finger.
    He wanted to talk to her apart from all the other Brides. “Would you like to see more of the ship?”
    She agreed to that and they left together. As soon as they reached the corridor, she turned to him. “Did you speak to the council about the marriage ceremony?”
    “Yes.” He couldn’t wait to touch her. He put his hands on her shoulders. “Give me a kiss first, then I’ll tell you what they said.”
    She smiled. “They must have agreed to my plan. You wouldn’t tease me if it were bad news.” She raised her face and parted her lips.
    The sweetness of their kiss almost broke his heart. Taddus will never kiss her like this. He recalled how he’d told the council about this fascinating pre-mating technique. Taddus had sneered and declared it perverted.
    The primus will never understand her. He’ll mate with her but he won’t care about her the way I do.
    His tongue stroked hers as their lips melded together. The kiss turned more sensual, more urgent. Heat built in his loins when he felt her breasts pressing into him.
    “Now tell me,” she demanded when their lips finally parted.
    For a moment he couldn’t remember what they’d been talking about. All he wanted was to take her into a cabin—any cabin—and mate with her. Or, since that wasn’t possible, pleasure her again with his hands and mouth.
    “The marriage ceremony?” she reminded him.
    “Oh, yes—the ceremony. The council agreed to it.”
    “I’m so glad. Thank you!” Putting her hand on his shoulder, she gave him a quick kiss. “Were they hard to persuade?”
    He didn’t say that her husband-to-be was the only council member who had voted against her plan. Why tell her something that would surely make her unhappy?
    “They agreed to please their Brides. I’ll show you how to work with the computer to order what you want. I’ll have to approve everything.”
    She made a face. “I hope you’re going to be reasonable.”
    “If not, I’m sure I can be cajoled.”
    “We’re a lot of trouble to you, aren’t we? Are you sorry you volunteered to be the Brides’ liaison?” she asked.
    His lips twitched as he recalled what he’d gone through to secure the appointment—the favors he’d called in, the politicking he’d done. “It’s a lot of extra work but I don’t mind it,” he said, keeping his voice serious.
    “Why do you smell so different today?” Janis asked as they continued down the corridor.
    “I added an artificial layer, like human males wear. It smells like zolicia leaves,” Delos said. At least it covers Taddus’ foul odor.
    She wrinkled her nose. “I prefer your natural scent.”
    “Thank you.” No doubt she was unaware of it but she’d just paid him one of the highest compliments a female could give a male. “Your scent pleases me too,” he said. “Especially when you’re aroused.”
    A tinge of color suddenly flamed in her pale cheeks. Fascinated, he stopped and lifted her chin, the better to observe the phenomenon. “How did you do that?”
    “What?”
    “The lovely pink in your cheeks.”
    She put her palms to her face. “I must have blushed when you made that sexual remark.”
    He lowered his voice. “So if I said I like the way your nipples swell when I suck them, you might blush again?”
    She turned away but not quickly enough. He saw the enchanting pink rise through her face. “Let’s keep walking,” she said. “I thought you were going to show me the ship.”
    * * * * *
    Jan was amazed at the sheer size of Ecstasy of Generations . She’d gone on a singles cruise once—and had no luck—but this ship seemed to be much larger than that ocean-traveling Earth vessel.
    Delos explained, “We recycle everything we can