Callisto: Bound to the Alien Commander |18+

Chapter 24

"Did you know before we had sex or after?"

"After." Blunt as always.

"Is that how it works? Does everyone find out only after they have sex?"

"Yes. I believe humans and An'eo are different in their attractions. We do not feel the desire to sleep with almost anyone. It is not uncommon for years to pass between compatible sexual attraction." His hands weave through my hair, rubbing the ends between his fingers.

"Interesting...I think you've got us wrong though. We don't want to sleep with everyone we meet either." I chuckle into his chest. "Why didn't you tell me about hair being sacred?"

"Our first night together, you ran your fingers through it. It was passion and lust but also innocence. You did not know of our customs. Your desire was uninhibited. When you ran your fingers through my hair it was as if I had never seen the sun and your fingers gave me sight. I want you to touch me whenever you want to without hesitation." His hands move down to my hip, trailing slowly over the fabric of my pants.

"Am I going to be a distraction to you with this challenge?"

"Yes. But I will still win." He sounds completely sure.

"Ronan. I'm serious," I sit up so that I can see his face. "If I need to go hide out in Clarisse's room, I will. You can't get hurt because of me."

"If you keep yourself from me I will be distracted more so than if you are near." His fingers slip down past the hem of my pants and his other arm moves up, under his head. Stopping his slow movement, he sits up and picks up the pillow. "What is this?" He holds my keychain up.

"Oh," I smile, the way I always do when I see it. "That's just a keychain."

"What does it do?"

"It's just a little... personal flare, like a decoration, for your keys." Why are some things so difficult to explain?

"What is its purpose?" He still doesn't get it. I've noticed they don't really 'do' decor. Nonessential items like decorations or trinkets don't have a place here.

"It doesn't really serve a purpose. Some people collect them, some were functional like a bottle opener or a tiny flashlight, or a Swiss army knife. They are just cute or silly."

"Why was it in the bed?"

"When you were gone I felt lonely at night. That keychain is comforting to me, which is ridiculous, I know." I take it from his open hand. "My dad bought it on our last vacation before my parents died. We went to Myrtle Beach. Beach towns or touristy places always have little souvenir shops that have the same junk in each store but my mom liked to look anyway. In one of them, we found this keychain. I was wearing shoes that looked just like these. Blue Chuck Taylors with little flowers embroidered on them. We all thought it was funny..." I trace my fingers over the little shoe.

"You had no siblings?"

"Nope," I pull him back down into the pillows. "It was just me. My parents were older. They had both been married before and had no children. They divorced later in life and met each other. They always said that they were each others 'second chance.' I was a miracle baby." I cringe thinking of myself as that.

"Divorce?"

"Uh, to end a marriage? Do An'eo get married?"

"An'eo have unions, partnerships, but I believe it is not the same."

"Well, my parents were both married to other people. My mom always said that it was fate that they even met. Her ex-husband had been very controlling and he didn't allow her to drink."