Callim's Challenge Read online

  “Yes, silly. This was Beth’s idea a couple days ago, and she might help me explain it better.” Stepping aside, I follow her over to where Beth is sitting with Forohn.

  Why did they hide this? “You had an idea two days ago and didn’t tell me?” My voice is indignant with frustration.

  Beth blinks blankly at me before looking at Hannah. It take a moment but then her mouth forms into a little circle. “You said that wasn’t a good solution!” Beth looks at Hannah pointedly as she scowls.

  “I said it was too soon. I just visited Shelly and now is the time.” A little smirk curls the corners of her mouth at this statement. My heart soars as I imagine seeing Shelly again. Holding her, kissing her… everywhere.

  If Hannah says she’s ready, then she must have spoken about me. “Does she miss me?” I’m eager for any news she’ll share about her. To think that she could be in my arms soon, makes me happier than I’ve been in days. Hope is a powerful thing, and hope is all I’ve had.

  “Yes, she misses you. Now go get me a drink of water and whatever you get to eat, I’ll have some too. I want to talk to Beth alone for a few minutes before we talk to you.” She says nothing else as she waits for me to walk away.

  Gritting my teeth, I give her a hard stare. She doesn’t look like she will sprint for the door. I’ve been patient for this long. A couple more minutes shouldn’t kill me.

  I pick the easiest and quickest meal for us. The tornel smells rich with a thick broth and spicy beans. Right now, nothing has been appealing, so it doesn’t really matter. My body is only functioning automatically, standing by until Shelly lets me back into her life.

  I can tell they’re surprised I’m back so quick. Good. They need to quit stalling. They shouldn’t toy with me this way.

  Placing Hannah’s meal carefully in front of her, Forohn winks at me as I sit. I think that’s a good sign.

  “Thank you, Callim. This looks good. I think.” Hannah looks at Beth and they both giggle. I don’t know what they find amusing.

  “So, you understand that Shelly’s big hang-up is she figures you’re underage?” I’ve already heard this. Underage means under the age to consent to sexual relations with anyone.

  “Yes. I understand, but that makes little sense since my cock rises for her.” Taking a bite, I chew and swallow the food with no flavor. It’s as if my taste senses have quit working.

  “Yeah, well… on Earth, once guys hit puberty, around fourteen year or so, their cocks rise all the time. For absolutely no reason at all sometimes.” Hannah acts like this is no big deal but I’m as astounded as Forohn.

  Beth is giggling next to him, and I envy how he wraps his arms around her and whispers, “Really?” into her hair. She nods her agreement, but it’s Hannah who explains.

  “Yes. So, that doesn’t really impress her. She’s not worried about your body, she’s worried about your mind. Your emotional age. That’s something that can only grow with time.”

  I consider this while she takes another drink. So far, this doesn’t sound promising. I can’t make time pass quicker. “What do you suggest?”

  “Well, one trait of an adult is being confident in the decisions you make. Taking charge. Knowing exactly what you want, right? When you’re an adult, you don’t ask permission. No. You just decide and do it.” Hannah pauses and looks at Beth. “Anything to add?”

  “We may as well tell him everything. He will find out eventually.” Hannah nods her agreement and hums with her mouth full. “Don’t take what I’m saying the wrong way, okay? I don’t want to offend you…”

  Her voice trails off so I agree. “I won’t be offended. Just tell me.” They’re both killing me with these vague statements with no true direction.

  “Well, if you were a man, an adult man, when we came to tell you that Shelly didn’t want to see you, you could have ignored us. You could have stormed to her room and demanded she speak to you, right? You didn’t. Now, sure, you were really sick. But technically, there are laws in place for mates. No one would have stopped you.”

  “Laws?” I’m starting to understand. She’s saying I should push Shelly. Make her speak with me. It may anger her though. Wouldn’t that be counter-productive?

  Hannah grabs my arm to get my attention. “Yes, laws to keep anyone from separating mates. You feel crappy now because you’re separated from her. I'm convinced we have your withdrawal symptoms under control. And I think you did the right thing by waiting. I love her but Shelly is hard-headed and stubborn. So, this is what you’re going to do…”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

  - Shelly

  After Hannah and Atticus visited earlier in the day, I spent the afternoon slowly picking up. There was a lot to think about. Not just Callim but the new life that’s growing inside me.

  It was so quick! And with us estranged, the whole idea of a baby seems far-fetched. I have no idea how Callim feels about children. If you had asked me six months ago, I would have adamantly told you it wasn’t in the cards.

  Although I’ve had terrible role models, I've never been against having kids. But I always wanted everything to be perfect and in the right order. School, career, husband… and then kids. Two maybe, a boy and a girl.

  Now look at things. No more school—goodbye career. Perfect husband is pretty fucked up right now too. I will need to raise him before I can even think about raising a kid! Maybe that will get me ready for kids?

  That idea makes me chuckle as I lay down and take a big sniff of his pillow. Why does that make me feel so much better?

  Tomorrow, I’ll have to break down and go talk to him. Work out boundaries. The problem is, I have no plan how to pull that off. Slipping my hand slowly past my belly, I reach between my legs and slide my fingers through my folds.

  Yep. Super wet.

  Stroking myself lightly, I wonder what Callim is doing right now? I’m having a harder and harder time not thinking about him. Every minute I speculate how he is and what he’s doing.

  Beth and Forohn stopped by and brought me a late lunch a little while ago and said he looks good. Hannah and Atticus really pulled off helping him quickly. Even though I'm aware he’s too young for me, I can’t help imagining his broad shoulders that tapered down to his perfect backside. He definitely has the nicest damn butt ever.

  My hand picks up the pace with a little more pressure. I’m so close. Imagining the first time I pushed his rock-hard cock deep inside me, I use my other hand to slide two fingers inside myself.

  My nipples bead in the cool air as my climax races through my body. Fast and unsatisfying. As quickly as I came, disappointment sets in. It doesn’t compare to Callim’s touch, his tongue… or his cock.

  As if I’ve summoned him, the door slides open, and he walks in carrying a tray. As his eyes lock with mine, I scramble to cover myself up with the blanket on the bed.

  “Wha… what are you doing in here?” Reaching off the bed, I try to stay covered while snagging my shirt I tossed on the floor before laying down. It’s long enough to hide my butt and considering the ravenous way he’s looking at me, I’ll need it.

  “I’ve brought your food.” Setting it down on the counter in the small prep area, he walks closer to the bed as he speaks. “I think it’s time we talk. And technically, this is my room too.” Waving his hands down his body, he gestures to himself. “Atticus has released me from the medical facility, because as you can see, I’m better.”

  I’m trying to stay under the blanket as I throw my shirt over my head. But I gather from his quick inhale that he got an eyeful when the blanket drops into my lap as I tug my shirt down. Oh, well. It isn’t like he hasn’t seen it all before.

  “Are you hungry?” His innocent question has me raking my eyes down his body. Damn, he looks so fucking good. The crew member’s gray suit molds to his physique.

  Down girl! I just came. How can I be so horny again? I don’t know if it’s mating hormones or the pregnancy but having him around is a mistake.

  “
Nooo…” My voice falters as I draw a blank on what to say. All I want to do is throw myself in his arms.

  Before I realize what he’s doing, he rounds the bed and sit down next to me. “I’m not hungry for food either. Atticus says it’s because we’re apart. He says at the very least, we should eat together.”

  His eyes burn into me as we stare at each other. How can I argue with that? When I don’t argue, I sense his agitation both through our bond and by his hair. It's starting to pull from the tight style plaited against his head.

  Grabbing my hand, he brings it to his lips. Without breaking eye contact he inhales deeply, and I realize he smells me on my hand.

  Trying to pull it away, he tightens his grip and states, “No.” Immediately his tongue snakes out to lick me. The sensuous way he sucks my fingers into his mouth makes my mind blank.

  His eyes drop closed as he moans. It’s the most erotic and beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.

  This is why I’ve stayed away. I’m so weak. How can I deny him? Deny me?

  His eyes pop open. Whether he felt my conflict or sees it on my face, I don’t know. But he drops my hand and stands quickly to stalk over to the kitchen.

  When he walks back with the tray, a perverse sense of satisfaction has me noting his erection is straining against his suit. It isn’t right for me to be ogling him.

  “Do you know what I did this afternoon?” Setting the tray on the bed, I notice he’s brought me my favorite meal along with an assortment of different finger foods. I watch him shuffle dishes onto the bed while I shake my head no.

  “I spent time with Matthias going over the mating laws he’s aware of. He thinks it’s important to understand them, because he believes the time is coming that the Council will attempt to change them.”

  Matthias, that sly motherfucker. I probably know the laws better than Callim. We spent weeks going over anything that could help and protect us for our trip to Quasar.

  Lifting a spork looking utensil to my mouth, he holds a bite of the vegetable noodle stir fry to my mouth. Someone must have told him it’s my favorite. When I open obediently, he asks, “Did you know there’s nothing about age in the laws?”

  Pausing, he gives me a few moments to chew and swallow. I honestly hadn’t considered that before, but he’s right. There isn’t anything about age in any of them.

  When I don’t respond, he feeds me another bite. “Matthias also has a theory about the differences between our planets. Did you know we have longer days than earth?”

  Humming no, I wonder where he’s going with this. We’ve had a few discussions about the planet Quasar. But their time is calculated so differently with four quarters instead of hours. It just never seemed important to try and understand it all.

  We don’t live there, and I knew that we probably never would. Down the road there will be a new place we will all have to learn together, right?

  “Well, technically, we have over twenty-eight of your hours in one rotation of Quasar around our sun. Not perfectly, since we have the four quadcensas. But just taking the twenty-eight hours and multiplying it by one of our planet’s rotations around our sun, which takes four hundred and eighteen daily rotations, we have eleven thousand seven hundred and four earth hours in a yearly rotation. Do you know how many hours are in an Earth year?”

  He’s starting to lose me. I can’t do mental math. Between having him here so close and the technical turn of the conversation, I’m starting to lose focus. So, I just shake my head no again right before he gives me another bite.

  “Eight thousand seven hundred and sixty.” When I stare at him blankly, he explains, “If you multiply your twenty-four hours by three hundred sixty-five days in your year. Do you realize what this means?” His mouth is spreading into a brilliant smile, and my traitorous heart lights up right along with it.

  “I’m older than you by over three hundred earth hours!” He states this fact like he just pulled a rabbit out of a hat. The ta-da on the end is the only thing missing.

  “Really?” I croak out when I can finally swallow and speak.

  “Yes, really. Of course, that’s based on exactly fifteen Quasar annual rotations and you having twenty Earth annual rotations. But we could figure it out to the day some time if you want?”

  My mind is reeling in confusion and relief. He’s basically saying due to the differences in our planets, that annual age can’t be a definite timeline of comparison between us. By taking our ages down to Earth hours, he’s proved he’s older. And smarter—because I never considered that possibility!

  “Now, as the older party in this relationship, I want to discuss a few things between us. I’ve been patient. I didn’t throw a tantrum like the child you accused me of being. Instead, I gave you the time you requested through your friends.

  “But I can’t stay away any longer. It’s making me sick. If it’s making me sick, I’m sure it’s making you sick too.” He pauses to run a finger slowly down my nose. How did he know? What did Atticus and Hannah tell him? And just how much?

  When I don’t answer, he continues to try and convince me. “The loneliness I endure now is worse than anything I ever experienced in the Sanctuary. There were days there that we didn’t speak to anyone else there too. Even with all the others around on the ship, willing to talk and let me help them during the day, without you in my life, I’m still more lonely than I was there.

  “I need you. All the time. You’re everything I never dared to hope for. Someone to love with the possibility of a family—it’s a dream come true. Please don’t make me beg to be back in your life… in our bed.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

  - Shelly

  “Do you want to have children?” I blurt out since he presented the opening.

  He blinks a few times at the drastic turn of the conversation but answers me as if I’m simple. “Of course, I do. I want everything with you.”

  Throwing my arms around him, I latch onto his neck as if my life depends on it. The movement spills food onto the bed, but he ignores it. Moving, he pulls me easily off the mattress and into his arms. I’m not even paying attention to where he takes me.

  His hair immediately floats around me wildly, blocking my view. Wrapping my legs around him, I bury my nose against his skin to inhale his spicy, male scent I’ve missed so much. Just having this, the comfort of his arms makes me feel like I’m home and right where I belong.

  Setting me down gently, he rests my butt on the countertop and I realize he’s moved into the kitchen. Behind my back, he sets down the bowl of food he was feeding me.

  “Are you ill? Why are you crying?” His fingers wipe away the tears that have streamed down my cheeks.

  “I’m so happy,” I whisper. He’s so beautiful with his concerned features and slightly parted lips. I can see the passion in his gaze as it falls to my mouth. I know he wants to kiss me. Leaning up, I encourage him by tugging him down.

  When our lips meet, my head spins as I close my eyes. Almost savagely he dominates my lips. Our excitement ramps up fast and furious as our tongues meet and begin to duel.

  Sucking his tongue into my mouth, I moan around it. He immediately wraps his arms around me, pulling my lower body tight against him. His hips move faster in time with our tongues. I love the way he takes possession of me with his full lips mastering mine.

  Sensory overload keeps me from realizing he’s moving us back to the bed until the world tips and the soft blankets cushion my back again. Our kiss ends with his lips traveling down my jaw. I open my eyes to see his eyes still closed as he lowers his face into my neck. His hot breath flutters against me causing little shivers up and down my spine at the sensation.

  His moan against my neck makes his entire body vibrate slightly where he’s pressed against my chest. “Can I take this off?”

  Instead of answering, I lift my hips and cross my arms between us to tug my shirt over my head. He’s so intent on watching me he doesn’t even start to get undressed!

  Hi
s eyes are locked to my chest as I toss my shirt off the bed and start unfastening the flight suit he arrived in. “Help me.” The frustrated quiver in my voice spurs him into action.

  He has the releases done in record time and stands to kick off his boots and step out of his clothes. His dark skin is beautiful with his erotic mating marks pulsing with desire—for me. I still can’t quite believe and process the fact that he's totally mine forever.

  There won’t ever be anyone else. Just this red-hot passion between us that makes me feel like the world will end if we can’t be closer.

  Lowering himself back onto the bed above me, he drops his head to run his nose lightly along the line of my throat again. I don’t hide the fact that I’m doing the same to him. He seems to like the way I smell judging by the hard-on he’s pressing against me.

  I feel tiny under his expansive body. But instead of feeling trapped between his thickly muscled arms that are bracing him on each side of my body, I feel safe. Loved and wanted.

  My heart swells with happiness at being back in his arms. Nothing feels as perfect as this. With him.

  Dipping his head, he slides down my body and his hot mouth latches onto my right nipple. His tongue slides across my taut breast and he moans again as he sucks me harder into his mouth.

  A jolt of lust shoots through me as his slightly textured tongue teases around my hardening peak. Sucking firmly, he pulls more of me inside his arousing mouth. His teeth graze me as his mouth works. The suckling causes wetness to dampen between my thighs. It’s as if every draw primes the lust deep inside me.

  I squirm under him as his hot mouth makes me ache more between my legs. My clit is throbbing from his desperate assault. When he releases me, he immediately kisses over to the other side to give it the same wonderful treatment. My hands clutch his shoulders as I arch under him.

  My inner walls twitch more, aching for him as wetness floods me. The ache morphs into a burning need deep inside me. Digging my nails into him, my hips jerk and I realize I’m keening beneath him. Incomprehensible sounds burst from me as I try to articulate my wants.