it’s even more important that I capture Joon quickly.” Was this Vee Tal’s lover? She couldn’t remember if anything Tal said indicated Vee’s gender. Charlotte’s chest tightened and she returned her head to his shoulder. “Do you need to join your body with Vee’s?”
Tal chuckled. “Vee is my mentor. He is ancient and he is male. I am not attracted to other men. There are many ways of transferring energy. Sexual release is just one of them.”
She sat up again and glared at him. “Why didn’t you explain that to me last night?”
“It is the only way that does not require some skill on the part of the donor.” He paused. “Was it really so traumatic? I know I gave you pleasure.” Her hand trembled as she tucked a lock of tousled hair behind her ear. How could she hope to make him understand? She might find him fascinating and exciting and undeniably attractive, but he terrified her too.
“It wouldn’t matter if you came from another city instead of another planet, I don’t know you,” she whispered. “That sort of intimacy is generally shared with someone you know very well and care about.”
“All Earthlings abide by this restrictive standard?” She squirmed in his lap, obviously uncomfortable with the topic. “No. But I do.”
“I’m grateful you allowed me to touch you. I don’t take your sacrifice lightly.”
If there had been any hint of mockery in his tone or expression, she might have slapped him, but she heard only gratitude. “Will it be necessary for you to…touch me again?” A heated tingle crept along her spine. She was such a hypocrite.
The corner of his mouth twitched. “That depends on how long it takes me to find Joon.”
“How do you intend to look?” she asked, more than ready for a new subject. “Where do you start?” His stormy gazed captivated Charlotte. Her pulse leaped and his spicy scent filled her head.
“Has no man ever touched you as I touched you?” Apparently, he found the other topic more interesting.
“Only one. My husband.” She focused on the pain, forcing away her body’s ready response to his nearness.
He immediately pushed her off his lap and onto the seat beside him. “I was told…even you told me you have no mate.” His tone snapped with accusation.
She relaxed a little, relieved by his reaction. “I no longer have a mate. My husband died last year.”
“I’m sorry. I know well the pain of losing a loved one.” Slowly, he extended his hand and splayed it against her chest, over her heart. He shuddered and gasped. “The pain is still strong. You loved this man deeply. Or was the loss more devastating than just a mate?”
“You can feel my pain?” The thought of sharing the burden, of knowing that someone understood the bone-deep ache, the ever-present desolation, made her tremble.
“Tell me.”
She wanted to shove him away, but she needed to tell him more. “They died in a car accident a year ago last night.”
“They? Your mate and who else?”
“Stephen, our son.” Tears clogged her throat, choking her. Grief squeezed her chest like the ruthless fist of a giant. “They were my whole world,” she whispered.
He slipped his hand inside her coat and somehow found bare skin. She automatically grabbed his wrist but he pressed his palm directly over her heart.
The rest came rushing out. “Victor’s family didn’t want us together. He was too old for me, he was…he was too good for me, but he loved me. He loved me.
And I was a good wife. I made him happy. We made each other happy.”
Tal pulled her against him, sandwiching his hand between their bodies.
“Release it to me,” he coaxed. “Turn loose of your pain and I will disperse it.”
Was it possible?
She let go of his wrist and wrapped her arms around his back, pressing herself against him. His intoxicating scent enveloped her and his hair brushed softly against her cheek.
“Let go. Let me help you.”
Squeezing her eyes shut, Charlotte
Tal chuckled. “Vee is my mentor. He is ancient and he is male. I am not attracted to other men. There are many ways of transferring energy. Sexual release is just one of them.”
She sat up again and glared at him. “Why didn’t you explain that to me last night?”
“It is the only way that does not require some skill on the part of the donor.” He paused. “Was it really so traumatic? I know I gave you pleasure.” Her hand trembled as she tucked a lock of tousled hair behind her ear. How could she hope to make him understand? She might find him fascinating and exciting and undeniably attractive, but he terrified her too.
“It wouldn’t matter if you came from another city instead of another planet, I don’t know you,” she whispered. “That sort of intimacy is generally shared with someone you know very well and care about.”
“All Earthlings abide by this restrictive standard?” She squirmed in his lap, obviously uncomfortable with the topic. “No. But I do.”
“I’m grateful you allowed me to touch you. I don’t take your sacrifice lightly.”
If there had been any hint of mockery in his tone or expression, she might have slapped him, but she heard only gratitude. “Will it be necessary for you to…touch me again?” A heated tingle crept along her spine. She was such a hypocrite.
The corner of his mouth twitched. “That depends on how long it takes me to find Joon.”
“How do you intend to look?” she asked, more than ready for a new subject. “Where do you start?” His stormy gazed captivated Charlotte. Her pulse leaped and his spicy scent filled her head.
“Has no man ever touched you as I touched you?” Apparently, he found the other topic more interesting.
“Only one. My husband.” She focused on the pain, forcing away her body’s ready response to his nearness.
He immediately pushed her off his lap and onto the seat beside him. “I was told…even you told me you have no mate.” His tone snapped with accusation.
She relaxed a little, relieved by his reaction. “I no longer have a mate. My husband died last year.”
“I’m sorry. I know well the pain of losing a loved one.” Slowly, he extended his hand and splayed it against her chest, over her heart. He shuddered and gasped. “The pain is still strong. You loved this man deeply. Or was the loss more devastating than just a mate?”
“You can feel my pain?” The thought of sharing the burden, of knowing that someone understood the bone-deep ache, the ever-present desolation, made her tremble.
“Tell me.”
She wanted to shove him away, but she needed to tell him more. “They died in a car accident a year ago last night.”
“They? Your mate and who else?”
“Stephen, our son.” Tears clogged her throat, choking her. Grief squeezed her chest like the ruthless fist of a giant. “They were my whole world,” she whispered.
He slipped his hand inside her coat and somehow found bare skin. She automatically grabbed his wrist but he pressed his palm directly over her heart.
The rest came rushing out. “Victor’s family didn’t want us together. He was too old for me, he was…he was too good for me, but he loved me. He loved me.
And I was a good wife. I made him happy. We made each other happy.”
Tal pulled her against him, sandwiching his hand between their bodies.
“Release it to me,” he coaxed. “Turn loose of your pain and I will disperse it.”
Was it possible?
She let go of his wrist and wrapped her arms around his back, pressing herself against him. His intoxicating scent enveloped her and his hair brushed softly against her cheek.
“Let go. Let me help you.”
Squeezing her eyes shut, Charlotte
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