Marcus heard footsteps in the corridor and knew it was Regina even before she knocked on his door. When he opened it, she stood there with her fist raised. She was so stunning, her cheeks blushing and her eyes glinting.
"You called, Captain?" she asked in a husky voice, a small smile tugging at her lips.
He was so angry when Kos had said that she drove somewhere alone only one night before the most important meeting. But when he saw her, his anger evaporated. She was here, whole and finally, he understood why he was so angry. He was afraid that something could happen to her and he wouldn't be there to save her.
"Yes. You couldn't wait for one more evening, could you? Are you so repulsed by us, that you needed to run away?" his tone was bitter. He didn't want to show her how deeply she'd hurt him, but words flew from his mouth before he could stop them, "Only one night, and you'll be free."
She was so tender with him for the whole day, even bared her soul to him in the evening, and almost kissed him back after. He thought that she would use the opportunity of the spare rooms, but she flew away. Darius was right. She was playing with him, and she didn't feel anything, while he was starting to crave her attention.
Without replying, she went inside and sat on his bed. She patted the space beside her, inviting him to sit there.
But he was fed up with everyone ordering him around. When he was in a car and gave himself to music, he poured out all of his uncertainty, frustration, irritation, and anger that were accruing in his body and soul in the recent past, and in their wake, he felt like his marrow filled with bright and clean energy. Joy filled his soul and he wanted to weep from the feeling of it. He didn't want to pretend anymore. He wanted to always be himself without any restraints. He needed to find a way of how to be a King without losing his personality. And he wanted to be selfish for five minutes. He wanted to feel Regina's warmth and prove to her that he wasn't a shitty kisser. He did his homework, by the way, while she was in some restaurant with Mars knew whom.
Her heavy-lidded gaze was roaming around his body, and his skin grew hot underneath the bathrobe. The shivers went down his spine, and it felt like she was touching him in the most intimate places. The sensation was so new that it only left him wanting more. Even if she played with him today, she was here now, and he wanted to feel her touch for real. He needed her.
In no time he was standing in front of her, her smoldering gaze dared him to do something with their chemistry, and he did. He pulled her to him and sealed his mouth over hers in a hard kiss. His arms went around her body, crushing her to him. His movements were at first chaotic from nervousness, but when he swiped his tongue over her seamed lips, she whimpered and opened her mouth to give him better access, grabbing his head and back in a vice grip. Her possessiveness did something to him. The growl came out from his chest, and the combination of her taste and touch made him stone hard. He needed the full connection to ease his aching need but didn't know what to do. Gripping her tighter, his bare leg pushed between hers on its own volition, and that connection left him breathless.
He was ravenous with his kisses, he couldn't understand how he lived without her and her mouth for all these years, and she answered him with the same passion of her own. He was lightheaded with the lack of oxygen, but he couldn't stop, he wanted more of her.
Still holding him, Regina went on the bed taking him with her.
He was pinning her down with his body as he kissed her. His bathrobe opened, giving her more access to his body, and her hands were roaming around, leaving hot trails of desire coursing through him. He was wrapped in her scent like in a cocoon, her lips sweet and tasted of wine, and he felt drunk from the sweet torture of her tongue and her sliding body beneath him.
He tried to mimic her movements and shifted his hips, feeling it come in alignment with her core. It sent a jolt of insatiable pleasure down his spine, and a loud moan came from their sealed lips. It felt more than amazing, but he needed more. Instincts told him that pleasure could be even more intense.
She gasped when he ground his hips again and looked at him, whispering with a smile on her lips, "You're so not a shitty kisser anymore."
Their breaths came out with heavy puffs, and he dipped his head down to kiss her more.
She was so soft in his arms, so pliant. His hands buried in her gorgeous hair, which was soft like silk. He didn't want to stop, but his upbringing was interfering even in this part of his life. His five minutes of selfishness was over, and now he needed to tell her the truth if they were about to be intimate.
Reluctantly he moved his head away, severing connection, and said hesitantly, "I... I want to do this right, that's why I want you to guide me on what I need to do," his cheeks were on fire, and he was glad that it was mostly dark in the room.
She was about to kiss him again, but she pulled away her head to look at him with confusion on her face, "Pardon?"
"I just...haven't done it before and I'm afraid to leave you unsatisfied," he was so embarrassed that he closed his eyes.
"What you haven't done before?" she tried to sit up, and he let her, moving farther to give her space. He opened his eyes and saw her brows furrowed, "Marcus?"
He cleared his throat, "I've never been intimate with a woman before. Yesterday was my first kiss ever."
***
Hearing Marcus' words was like somebody throwing a bucket with cold water on her. Regina was so stunned that she was speechless and just stared at him, still as a statue.
When she found her voice, she croaked, "But how? You're a mature, handsome man. I don't understand."
"On Mars, the relationship between man and woman is sacred, and we have a custom, that intimacy is able only after marriage, and despite that, we have a very low rate of divorces."
"But how do you know that it's the right person?" she found herself asking, not really registering all this bizarre information.
"We interact with a lot of people, and when we find a deeper connection with someone, we propose."
"But Darius said something about fangirls of your group?"
"Well, every rule has an exception. But if he impregnated one of them, he would need to marry her. It's simple. But most of the pairs don't try anything before marriage."
"Like you."
"Like me. I was very busy with my training and preparations for this trip, so I didn't have time. We also didn't know if we're going to get back alive so I couldn't promise someone something in what I wasn't completely sure," he said that in such a manner like it was not a big deal. But to hold himself for so long... She couldn't wrap her mind around that.
"And you never, oh, you know...?" she smiled sheepishly.
"What?" now he looked confused.
"Watched erotica or something like that?" she was so embarrassed to ask him that.
"No, never."
"No interest?"
"No time."
It was unbelievable. How a man in his prime years wouldn't want to have a release. Even she occasionally watched it, when she didn't have sex for a long time. She couldn't understand it, but maybe they were raised in another way, and only thanks to their upbringing, they were still alive.
He was so sexy sitting in front of her in his bathrobe, showing strong creamy pecs and abs which the only couple of minutes before she touched with her palms and was eager to taste with her mouth and teeth. But at the same time, he looked so vulnerable by telling her his secret. She could bet that to tell such information right before sex was very embarrassing, but he did it nonetheless because he was thinking of her satisfaction first.
"Come here," she reached for his smooth cheek, and he leaned in. She kissed him tenderly, thanking him without words for his honesty. It was so rare to meet an honest person nowadays, and with the job she had, she knew what she was talking about. She kissed him, and he wrapped his strong arms around her. His fresh and manly scent washed around her, and she was lost in the sensation of being cherished. He held her like she was the most important thing in his life. She wanted him so desperately and by the look in his eyes and the bulge that she'd felt underneath his robe was any indication, he felt the same.
It was so easy just to forget about everything and to lose herself to the passion of being with Marcus. She would be so proud to be his first woman and to show him how everything was done.
But she needed to be an honest person too. She couldn't do this to him. To use him, use his trust, and then say goodbye later. She felt remorse. Because of her stupid revenge plan, she's openly flirted with him, and maybe if she hadn't done it, he wouldn't be so eager to touch her and be touched by her.
He said that the relationship was sacred for him and his people. And she didn't want to ruin him before marriage. Maybe when he got back, he would find a woman he would love and marry her, and they would discover together, what it's like to make love for the first time. But she wouldn't be her for him. They didn't have any future together.
Regina didn't want to be like Nick, who betrayed her when she was a teen. That betrayal ruined her life, and the hurt from it was still lingering in the marrow of her being. She didn't want that for Marcus. She cared for him more than she realized. She wanted and needed to be a better person in this and not betray his trust. Tomorrow would be a crucial day for him, and she didn't want him to have regrets in the morning. Besides, they'll meet her father and how he would look him in the eye?
She slowly kissed him one more time, savoring his taste and the feel of him under her fingers, and ended the kiss. The lonely tear was sliding down her cheek, and she discreetly swiped it away. She was doing this for both of them, and he would thank her in the end for her decision.
Marcus was looking at her in confusion, but she took his hand and squeezed it.
She smiled ruefully and gently put away her hand.
"I'm sorry Marcus. We can't do this now. You deserve someone better for this serious first step. It's better if I go back to my room and we would get a good night of sleep in separate beds."
She saw sorrow in his eyes. She saw that he wanted to say something, but she got up and went outside, telling him, "Good night, Marcus," and quietly closed the door behind her.
In her room, she discarded her clothes, went to bed, and cried herself to sleep.
She was grateful that she'd met him. He was so smart and gentle, and he changed her view of the world. But she hated, that he was from Mars and soon he would go away, and she would lose him forever.
She kept telling herself, that it's better to lose him now and not after she had sex with him and probably would've fallen in love after. Because she was afraid that he was that kind of a man.