Total pages in book: 126
Estimated words: 124077 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 620(@200wpm)___ 496(@250wpm)___ 414(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 124077 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 620(@200wpm)___ 496(@250wpm)___ 414(@300wpm)
By the time Terra scraped the last of the dark blue gravy from her bowl with a piece of fargas bread, she was completely full. She sighed contentedly and sat back in her living chair, which immediately adjusted to support her.
“That is honestly one of the best meals I've ever had,” she told Taurex.
He leaned back in his living chair.
“I am pleased you liked it.”
“You should be proud of yourself,” Terra told him. “You’re not just a successful CEO—you’re also an amazing chef.”
Taurex looked thoughtful.
“I suppose I am.”
She laughed.
“No false modesty, huh?”
He shrugged.
“You said it was excellent. Why would I pretend otherwise?”
She laughed again.
“Good point.”
They put the leftovers away together, which turned into another alien domestic lesson for Terra. Taurex stored the remaining stew inside a round green pod that sealed itself once he pressed the edges together, then placed it inside the cooling plant.
“It reseals itself?” she asked.
“Yes.” He nodded.
“That’s a hell of a lot better than Tupperware,” Terra remarked.
He shrugged.
“I do not know what that is.”
“Plastic containers that you can never find matching lids for,” she told him.
Taurex frowned.
“That sounds inefficient.”
“It’s one of the great frustrations of human civilization,” Terra said.
“I believe your tax system is worse,” he said, frowning.
“Barely,” Terra acknowledged.
Finally, they carried their bowls, cups and utensils to the cleansing vine. Terra fed hers into the fuzzy leaves and watched with fascination as the plant wrapped around each piece, scrubbed it clean and passed it back to Taurex, who placed everything into storage hollows that opened automatically in the wall.
When the last bowl was clean, Terra wiped her hands and immediately glanced toward the hallway.
Taurex noticed where she was looking.
“You’re thinking about the bathing pool aren’t you?” he rumbled.
“Was I that obvious?” Terra asked.
He snorted.
“Extremely.”
She grinned at him.
“Guilty as charged. I've been thinking about it ever since you showed it to me.”
He raised his eyebrows.
“And the pleasure blooms?”
Terra narrowed her eyes.
“Mostly the pool.”
“Mostly?”
“Okay, fine. I'm curious about the flowers too,” she admitted.
Taurex shook his head.
“I warned you about them.”
“Yes, yes, they're aggressive.” Terra made a shooing motion.
“They can be,” he said cautiously.
“But you promised they don't bite, or sting and they don’t have any poison,” Terra pointed out. So I’m not worried.”
Taurex studied her for a long moment and the intensity in his golden gaze sent a small shiver through her.
“Very well,” he rumbled at last. “But you must promise to listen to me if I tell you to move away from them.”
Terra raised an eyebrow.
“You're being serious?”
He nodded.
“I am.”
She nodded.
“All right. I promise.”
Taurex nodded.
“Then we can go into the bathing pool.”
Excitement fluttered through Terra. She had been looking forward to sliding into that steaming water from the moment she'd seen it through the bedroom window, and now that dinner was finished, she suddenly felt like a kid about to sneak out to the hotel pool after dark.
Except this wasn't a hotel, she reminded herself. It was an alien house grown from living trees on a vast spaceship orbiting Mars. And she was about to get into a hot bathing pool surrounded by mysterious pleasure flowers with a nearly eight-foot-tall Minotaur she was becoming increasingly attracted to.
Terra smiled to herself. Her life had gotten very strange lately.
But she had to admit—she was enjoying the hell out of it.
25
TERRA
Terra hadn’t brought a bathing suit because she’d had no idea there would be a chance to go hot-tubbing or swimming. But she thought her nicest bra and panty set would do. It was pale pink lace that looked nice against her skin. What she liked about it was how innocent it made her feel. It was nothing like the stripper outfits she’d worn while she danced.
The pale pink lace made her feel almost virginal–which wasn’t far from the truth, actually. Though she’d stripped professionally for over a year, she hadn’t slept with any of her clients. In fact, counting Jackson, she’d only been with three men her whole life. Probably because she’d found out what a letdown sex was–she’d never been with a man who cared anything about her pleasure at all. Her main gratification came from reading spicy romance coupled with her favorite vibrator–which was on the larger side. Her ex, Jackson, had been pretty small and she’d always longed to feel really filled.
Feeling nervous, she left the house and approached the steaming pool. Taurex was already there with a couple of blanket-sized towels. He was shirtless and wearing what looked like a pair of boxer briefs–if boxer briefs were made out of leaves, that was.
“Welcome,” he said formally. “Er, I am not sure how you wish to do this. With clothing or without?”
Terra had the idea that if the big Monstrum could blush, he would be blushing.
She’d been planning to wear her pretty pink bra and panty set into the pool, but suddenly, she wanted to feel free–to feel the heated water against her bare skin. And it wasn’t like he hadn’t seen her naked before.