Rory and the Alien Groom (Intergalactic Brides 9) Read online

  Zwyk grabbed a change of underwear and some jeans before stepping into the adjoining bathroom. He shut the door quietly before starting the shower. As he waited for the water to warm, he brushed his teeth, ran a brush through his hair, and studied his reflection. For a man who had been left standing at the altar, he didn’t look half bad. Steam began to fog the mirror and Zwyk stripped out of his clothes before stepping under the hot spray. He pulled the curtain closed and shut his eyes as the water pelted him.

  He breathed in the hot, moist air and braced a hand against the tiled wall. His cock throbbed and ached. The click of the bathroom door had him tensing, every muscle in his body coiled. Small, slender fingers wrapped around the edge of the curtain, but before it could be pulled open, Zwyk gripped it tight.

  “Rory, what you are you doing in here?” He could barely contain the growl in his voice. Just knowing she stood on the other side had him even more turned on.

  “I heard the shower.”

  “And you thought you’d come investigate?” he asked.

  She tugged on the curtain, but his iron grip assured it didn’t budge.

  “I thought I’d join you. I know you said it wasn’t a good idea for us to get naked together, but we had fun last night, didn’t we?”

  Gods. She was trying to kill him. He didn’t understand why she wanted to join him in the shower though. Until yesterday afternoon, he’d been engaged to her sister. As far as he could remember, Rory had never looked at him with any sort of lust or need in her eyes. He’d barely even noticed her until last night. What kind of asshole would he be to take advantage of her?

  “Rory, just because we had fun hanging out doesn’t mean you can get in the shower with me. Don’t you have a boyfriend waiting for you at home?”

  “No.”

  His brow furrowed. He was sure that Brittany had said her sister was seeing someone. Or was that just another of her lies? And if so, to what purpose?

  Rory tugged on the curtain again. “Are you afraid of seeing me naked?”

  Afraid? Yes. He was. Because as turned on as he was right now, if he caught a glimpse of her naked body he was probably going to fuck her until they both passed out. His cock jerked as pre-cum dribbled from the tip onto the bottom of the tub. His brain might be telling him that being with Rory would be all kinds of wrong, but his body had other ideas. It would be so easy to give in and see where things went between them, but it wasn’t the smart thing to do. She thought he was on the rebound, more than likely offering pity sex.

  “Rory, you don’t really want this, want me. I know you feel sorry for me after what happened at the church yesterday, but I’m fine. I don’t need pity sex to make up for it.”

  She snorted and released the curtain. His body relaxed. He’d finally gotten through to her. The curtain rustled again but her hand didn’t reappear. A moment later, he felt her tap him on the shoulder. Zwyk tensed and his feet nearly slid out from under him and whipped around to face Rory. There was a mischievous smile on her face as she scanned him from head to toe, lingering a little too long belong the waist. He tried to cover himself, but she’d already looked her fill.

  “All that for me? Or are you still yearning for my perfect sister?” she asked.

  “Your sister is far from perfect.”

  She stepped a little closer, reaching out to trace a pattern on his pecs. “So, all that is for me then. I’m honored, Zwyk. And here I thought you only saw me as my big sister’s pesky sibling.”

  Until last night, that would have been an accurate assessment. Now that he’d gotten to know Rory better, he could see the appeal of the younger sister. Perhaps a little too much. They loved the same games, the same food. She made him laugh. He honestly couldn’t remember ever laughing with Brittany. But that didn’t mean he should take her hard and fast against the shower wall, did it, even if it was what his body was demanding? She deserved better. If his failed wedding had proven anything, it was that Zwyk was not the marrying kind. And Rory very much seemed the marrying kind.

  “You’re overthinking things,” she said as her hand curled around his biceps, giving it a squeeze. She bit her lip and moaned a little. “Don’t you want to have some fun?”

  “Rory, I can’t begin to tell you how much I want to take you up on your offer, but I don’t think it would be a good idea. I liked hanging out with you and if we throw sex into the mix it’s going to change things.”

  Her lips thinned. “So, I’m good enough to be a buddy but not good enough to be a girlfriend. Don’t worry. Message received.”

  She jerked the curtain open and practically leaped out of the tub, making a grab for the clothes she’d discarded on the floor. His chest ached at the hurt look on her face, but he knew it was for the best. He’d yet to have a successful relationship with anyone, and he didn’t want to end up hurting Rory more. Her feelings smarted right now because she felt rejected, but wouldn’t it be worse if he were to claim her the way he wanted and then things fell apart between them?

  She scrambled out of the bathroom, slamming the door shut behind her. Zwyk winced and quickly finished his shower, his erection having deflated at the crushed look in her eyes. When he got out and pulled on his boxer briefs and jeans, he found the bedroom empty. A quick look around his house, showed that Rory had disappeared completely. He felt like an ass for hurting her.

  Zwyk flopped down on the couch and flicked on the TV. The news droned in the background as he contemplated just how much he’d fucked up. He’d felt more alive last night with Rory than he had in all his years on Earth. The last thing he’d wanted to do was run her off. Would she come back? Could they rekindle the friendship he’d felt forming between them? Or had he screwed that up completely?

  The name Brittany Melweiss caught his attention and he turned up the volume on the TV.

  Brittany Melweiss, daughter of former State Representative Bob Melweiss, was seen last night in Vegas leaving a wedding chapel with none other than rock legend Chris Stone. Sources tell us that until yesterday afternoon Miss Melweiss was engaged to a Terran in her small Kentucky hometown. Guess it shows that rock stars really do have all the fun. One of Miss Melweiss’s friends confirmed that the debutante ran out on her wedding yesterday afternoon and flew to Vegas to meet up with Stone for a night of debauchery and wedding bells. No word on how her jilted groom is taking the news.

  Well, wasn’t that just perfect? She’d not only left him standing at the altar like an idiot, but she’d run off with another man. He squinted at the TV. A much older one it seemed, if the gray streaking the rock star’s hair was real and not a current fad. It seemed that Brittany wanted a wilder, richer lifestyle than Zwyk could have provided, so why had she ever agreed to marry him?

  There was a knock on his front door and he got up to open it, hoping maybe Rory had changed her mind. Thrace stood on the other side.

  “Are you here to say I told you so?” Zwyk asked.

  “No, even though I did try to warn you about Brittany. You couldn’t have picked anyone less like you if you’d tried. She changed everything about you, and you let her steamroll right over you. I know she had nice tits, but still.”

  Zwyk smiled a little. “Better not let Avelyn hear you say that about another woman’s breasts.”

  “Tell her and die.”

  Zwyk motioned for him to take a seat and shut the door. “What brings you by this morning?”

  “I spoke with Syl and Reyvor last night. We’re all in agreement that you need a day of fun. So, we’ve scheduled laser tag for this morning, then we’ll break for lunch, and after that we’re seeing the new comedy at the theater.”

  “You hate laser tag.”

  Thrace shrugged. “We might, but you enjoy it. And today is all about you. Unless you have other plans?”

  “Like what? Listening to the news tell me how inadequate I was for Brittany? I think I’ll pass. I was thinking about signing up for new Xbox Live account and doing a bit of gaming.”

  “That can
wait until at least after lunch. But we’d thought we’d make a day of it, and end it at the Stardust. If anyone needs a drink, it’s you.”

  “An entire day with just the guys?” Zwyk asked. “Won’t all of you be missed at home? And what about work?”

  “We all took a day off to cheer you up. Although, you don’t really look all that brokenhearted. Did you finally realize that Brittany was the wrong woman for you? Couldn’t you have figured that out before the wedding?”

  “Yeah, well. I guess I learn things the hard way.”

  Thrace smirked. “I think we’ve all been there.”

  “If Brielle, Avelyn, and Hazel can find babysitters, why don’t you ask them to meet us at the bar? I know I’ll be the odd man out, but it will be nice to hang out with everyone.”

  “I’ll text everyone now and get it set up. If you haven’t eaten, now is a good time to grab something. We’re due at laser tag in less than an hour.”

  Zwyk ate a bowl of cereal, then finished getting ready. He spent the morning besting even Thrace at laser tag, which was saying something since he’d been a warrior on their world. It helped soothe his injured pride a little. Then they ate at his favorite restaurant for lunch, laughed their way through a comedy movie, went to Reyvor’s to hang out in the man cave for a while, and then everyone went their separate ways to get dressed and meet up at the Stardust.

  Zwyk wanted to look nice, yet casual. He dug through the pile of discarded clothes until he found the black button-down shirt he’d actually liked a little, then pulled on a fresh pair of jeans. He eyed the black boots in his closet, but opted to stick with his Converse. In the bathroom, he braided his hair and tied it off with a black elastic band. He spritzed on a small amount of cologne. Not the expensive stuff Brittany had insisted he wear, but one he actually liked, then grabbed his keys and headed out the door.

  He only lived about fifteen minutes from the bar and found parking about a block away. It looked like it was going to be a busy night at the Stardust. Zanar was tending bar for the night and gave him a nod in greeting as Zwyk looked over the crowd to find his friends. Syl waved from across the room where they’d put a few tables together. Zwyk slid onto one of the chairs and smiled at his friends, thankful they’d come up with this plan.

  “Glad to see you’re still amongst the living,” Brielle said with a smile. “I’d worried that you would mope around your house forever.”

  Thrace snorted. “He wasn’t too hard to convince this morning to leave. I don’t think he’s as broken up about it as we’d worried. In fact, he almost seems back to his normal self.”

  “Thank gods,” Reyvor said before taking a gulp of draft beer.

  “What’s everyone drinking?” Zwyk asked.

  “Oh, no.” Avelyn put her hand on her hip. “You aren’t paying tonight. We’ve already decided we’re splitting the tab three ways. Tonight is our treat. You get whatever you want, food or drink, and leave the rest to us.”

  The jukebox in the corner blasted Flo Rida’s “My House” and Zwyk found himself tapping his foot along as he scanned the dance floor. A black and white printed dress stood out, or rather the woman wearing it did. It seemed Rory was here tonight, and having a good time. Her hair was pinned up with tendrils falling down around her face, the bright lights reflecting off her glasses as she danced with one of the guards from the Terran Station.

  Hazel noticed the direction of his gaze and smirked. “She’s been here about a half hour. Arrived alone and she hasn’t lacked for companionship. In case you were wondering.”

  He tore his gaze away from Rory. “I wasn’t.”

  “Sure you weren’t. You’re only undressing her with your eyes because you don’t want anything to do with her.”

  He didn’t have to undress her with his eyes because after this morning he knew damn well what she looked like without clothes. And it was an image that would haunt him forever. He watched her dance a little more as he sipped on the beer someone placed in front of him, only paying half attention to what his friends were saying.

  When a drunk human grabbed Rory’s ass, Zwyk decided he’d had enough. He pushed back his chair and marched across the dance floor. She was struggling to break free from the guy who didn’t seem to be getting the message. Zwyk grabbed his hand and bent it backward until the guy stumbled back a few steps.

  “What the hell?” the drunk screamed. “You almost broke my hand.”

  “Be thankful I didn’t. Next time a woman wants you to let them go, I suggest you listen.”

  Rory placed herself behind him, but he felt her hands at his waist.

  “We were just having some fun,” the guy said sullenly. “Not like there aren’t plenty of bitches here who want me.”

  “Then I suggest you go find one.” Zwyk leaned in close. “I don’t want to see you anywhere near Rory again. Are we clear?”

  The guy jerked his head in a nod and took off. Zwyk turned and Rory molded herself to the front of him as she hugged him tight. He couldn’t help but put his arms around her. A slower song came on and he started to sway with her to the beat. It hadn’t been his intention to dance with her, but he had to admit she felt rather nice in his arms. With her scent teasing him, it was hard to remember why they shouldn’t be together.

  “Thank you,” she said so softly he almost didn’t hear her over the noise of the bar. “I shouldn’t have come tonight.”

  “Why did you? I didn’t think this was your scene. I mean, from what you sister said, you’re more the quiet, stay at home type.”

  She nodded. “That’s usually me, but I was hurting after this morning and I needed to prove that I’m desirable.”

  Ah fuck. “Rory, I didn’t turn you away because I didn’t want you. I think it’s rather evident I find you attractive, but getting involved with you would be a mistake. You’re the sister of my ex-fiancé. How does that even work? Can you imagine Christmas at your parents’ house?”

  She giggled a little. “I don’t go to my parents’ house on Christmas. Or any other time if I can avoid it. I’m the black sheep of the family, although hooking up with a Terran would certainly put me in a more favorable light in their eyes. They think I can’t do anything right.”

  “They’re missing out then, because I think you’re pretty wonderful.”

  She smiled up at him.

  Zwyk felt a tightness in his chest and pulled away from Rory. He took her by the hand and led her over to the table he was sharing with his friends. Someone had already pulled over another chair placing it beside his. He introduced her to everyone and ordered another round of drinks.

  They spent the next hour talking, laughing, and dancing. By the time Brielle was yawning, they’d decided to call it a night. Zwyk escorted Rory to her car and made sure she got away safely before walking to his SUV. It had been a fun night, and one he wouldn’t mind repeating in the near future. Hanging out with Rory was entertaining and he hoped they could do more of it. Maybe she would agree to a friends-only relationship. He’d never tried to be friends with a single female before, but that didn’t mean it wasn’t possible. He’d just have to remember to keep his hands off her.

  Chapter Four

  Zwyk’s lips crushed against hers as Rory slid her hands up his back, fisting his shirt. She ground herself against him, not feeling like they were anywhere near close enough. The bulge in his jeans promised a night of wild passion -- if she could just get him out of his clothes. His hands roamed from her shoulders to her hips. He cupped her ass and brought her tighter against his body. Rory squirmed against him, the pressure of their bodies rubbing her clit in the most delicious way.

  She reached for the buttons on his shirt, popping one free after another until the garment slid down his arms. Her hands coasted over his bare chest and abs, loving every ridge and dip. His muscles flexed under her touch and Rory clenched her thighs together to ease the ache that was building. His hands slid around to cup her ass and Zwyk lifted her until her legs were wrapped around his wai
st. Rory flexed her hips, rubbing the ridge of his cock against her pussy.

  He walked to the nearest wall, pressing her against it, and ground against her. Rory couldn’t stop the moan that rose to her lips as she sank her fingers into his hair, pulling him down for another kiss. Zwyk pulled away and released her long enough to work her jeans and panties off, then he unfastened his jeans. His cock sprang out, long and hard. Rory licked her lips in anticipation. She wanted him. Needed him.

  Zwyk nipped her jaw. “I’ll let you decide what happens next, as long as the end result is my cock buried inside of you.”

  Her legs trembled at the promise in his words. Rory spun and placed her hands against the wall, thrusting her ass out at him. It was all the invitation Zwyk needed, entering her with one, long stroke. She cried out as he filled her, her greedy pussy never wanting to let him go. He began to thrust hard and deep, every slide sending sparks straight to her clit and making her nipples harden.

  * * *

  Beep. Beep. Beep.

  Rory swatted at the offending alarm, knocking it to the floor, but it was too late. The dream had come to an abrupt halt, and just when things were getting good. She’d love to see that side of Zwyk. What would he be like if he just completely let go? He might have a desk job and wear geeky clothes most of the time, but she’d be willing to bet that in bed he was complete dynamite. The few times she’d seen heat in his eyes, they’d held a world of promise, one she fully intended to explore at some point. Once she convinced him that sleeping with her wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world. Assuming she saw him again. It had been two days since the shower incident and their night at the bar, and he hadn’t called or come by. Did he have her number? She frowned, not remembering if she’d given it to him.

  Rory took a quick shower and pulled on her navy Gamer Plus polo and some jeans. She dug her red Converse out of her closet and put them on before scrounging up something to eat in the kitchen. There was a box of leftover donuts from the other day, but they looked a little crusty. She wrinkled her nose and grabbed a box of cereal out of the cabinet. She’d be starving in an hour, but it was better than nothing.