"Because…you're leaving today. Aren't you?" She gives me a puzzled look, even as her thighs slide apart when I nudge her.
Now I'm the one that's confused. I glance up at Ash. "You still want me to leave? Now that we're mates?"
"Wait, we're mates?" she cries, a look of shock on her face.
I'm stung by the distress on her face. "You don't want that?"
Ash gives me a cornered stare. A noise escapes her throat, and then she shakes her head. "I…it's not that I don't want it. It's that you don't want it."
"What do you mean, I don't want it? I've never wanted anything more."
"But when I kissed you, you pushed me away and said we were friends." She blinks up at me. "You were very specific that I shouldn't get ideas."
Is that what this is about? I shake my head slowly. "Ash, you were drunk. I wasn't going to take advantage of a drunk female. And you made it clear that it was a mistake, so I never said how I felt." I'm relieved that this is all it is. Pushing her thighs apart, I kiss my way towards her cunt, eager to taste her again. "I haven't had friend-like thoughts for you in quite some time."
"Oh." She makes a soft noise in her throat, shuddering when my tongue strokes through her folds again. "Oh. But Khex—what about your new job? Your family? They'd never accept me."
"No, they wouldn't," I agree cheerfully. Kef, she tastes as good as I remember. I nuzzle at her pretty flesh, then run a finger up and down through her folds, teasing her. "Funny thing, though. I realized I don't care what they think. They don't want what's good for me, just what is good for the family name. And I'd much rather have you than them any day. Put your legs over my shoulders, love. I want to feast on you."
"Oh," she says again, but does as I ask. Her thighs slide up next to my ears, brushing against my horns, and she lets out another delightful whimper when my mouth closes over her clit, the spot that's so sensitive for humans. "So, wait. You're not leaving just because we slept together? I don't want to be the reason you stay, Khex."
I flick my tongue over her clit once and then lift my head. "Are you going to talk while I'm trying to devour your cunt, love?"
"Yes," she says stubbornly, and squeezes her thighs together against my ears. "These are things we need to discuss."
I prop up on my elbows, nibbling on her inner thigh instead. "All right, then. Yes, now that I know how you feel, I'm staying. I was leaving because it was becoming hard for me to be around you feeling like I did. I thought you weren't interested in me except as a friend and I didn't want to pressure you. I thought it was best if I left and let you carry on with your life. But now that you love me and I love you, everything is different." I rub my mouth against her leg. "You really do have the most delightful scent, love. I could drink it in all day."
Ashley looks so torn and agonized. "You swear you're not just saying that?"
"That your scent is incredible?"
She snorts and puts a hand atop my head, giving me a mock-shove. "No, you jerk. That this is really how you feel."
I thought that was obvious, but when I look up at her again, I see uncertainty and doubt all over her face. She looks fragile and I know her well enough to know what this is truly about. "I'm not leaving you, Ash," I say in a gentle voice. "I know you've lost everything in the past, but you're not going to lose me, all right?"
Her face crumples and tears slide down her cheeks. "I just…I just…" She glances around helplessly, as if searching for something. "What about the fact that I'm human?"
"I noticed that part," I point out. "I'm fine with it. And like I said, my family doesn't matter. They probably expect it at this point."
"What if someone decides to scoop up humans again? What if someone steals me from here?"
My poor Ash. I understand her fears. I can't imagine what she went through before, realizing that no one could save her and the world she lived in wasn't safe at all. I keep kissing her knee and thigh, as if my affection will somehow assuage her fears. "That's highly unlikely, as Lord va'Rin owns this planet. Even if he opens it up for increased colonization, humans would be safe. He's married to one, Ash. He's not going to let anyone pick slaves from here. And even if he did, my name and my status would protect you. The i'Yani name is known all over Homeworld. Even the worst i'Yani won't be messed with. So you're safe from all angles."