The Commander's Mate (12 page)

Thankfully the pizza was good. Izzy found if she ignored her barbarian mate—who was watching her with a knowing smile—and held really still, she could focus on the pizza.

“How long do I have to wear this thing?” Izzy finally asked him.

“I will remove it in the morning,” Grayson told her firmly. “Now, are you going to be able to enjoy the rest of the evening with me and behave, or will I need to give you another lesson in being submissive to your mate?”

Izzy took a deep breath; no way could she handle any other lessons today. “I’m sorry, Grayson. I let my embarrassment take over earlier and I was snappish and disrespectful instead of just answering your questions. I can behave better.”

Grayson rewarded her with a smile. “Thank you, Isabella. Let us watch one of your movies together.” He stood and extended his hand to her, and Izzy took it gratefully, letting him pull her up from the chair and lead her to the living room.

They lay on the couch together and watched one of her favorites, an old movie about a little parrot named Polly. It was a sweet movie and, most important, had no romance or anything that would add to her constant state of arousal.

But Grayson made sure she stayed primed with occasional gliding caresses and the nibbling kisses he placed on her neck.

By the time they went to bed, Izzy wanted to beg him to make love to her, but she didn’t; he’d already made it clear there would be no relief for her tonight.

Grayson pulled the caftan over her head, leaving her standing naked in front of him. “Kneel.”

Izzy dropped to her knees in front of him, watching as he stripped his own clothes, then moved to place his straining erection against her lips.

“Open to me, little fire,” he instructed huskily.

Greedy for anything she could get, Izzy opened her mouth wide to take him deep, licking along every bit of his shaft. Grayson told her to put her hands behind her back, then he fisted her hair and began thrusting in and out of her mouth.

Izzy took everything he had to give, opening her throat as much as possible in an effort to give her mate what he needed.

* * *

Grayson was enraptured by her sweet submission and found his release quickly, groaning as Isabella swallowed every drop, then licked her lips as she looked up at him with passion filling her gaze.

He lifted her to her feet and wrapped her close, kissing the top of her head. “Thank you, little fire. You were so beautiful kneeling before me.”

Grayson scooped her up and carried her to their bed.

“I love you, Grayson,” she said softly, snuggling into his embrace.

“And I you, little fire. Rest now.”

* * *

Izzy woke to Grayson’s face pressed between her thighs, his hard palms cupping her sore bottom and holding her in place as he thoroughly devoured her.

He looked up at her. “Hold yourself open for me, little fire.”

She moved her hands down between her legs and spread her nether lips wide, groaning at the erotic stretching of her most intimate flesh. Splayed wide and holding herself open, she knew Grayson could see every inch of her most private parts.

Grayson smiled up at her, his lips glistening with the evidence of her desire. Never breaking eye contact, he slicked his thumb in her juices, then began rubbing it around her clit in slow firm circles as he rocked the phallus inside her. It took only a few thrusts and she exploded around the toy.

Grayson pulled it from her and then tossed it aside.

Izzy watched as he moved his head back down between her thighs, continuing to spear her with his gaze as his tongue drove deep into her aching channel and took up a hard driving rhythm.

He paused only for a moment, temporarily replacing his tongue with two fingers to get them thoroughly coated and lubed with her juices before sinking them straight into her still tender bottom hole.

Izzy hissed and with a keening cry, she bucked up to meet the tongue that began thrusting in and out of her. His fingers slipped easily in and out of her bottom, moving in tandem with his tongue. She came with a soundless scream as wave after wave of pleasure mixed with pain washed over her.

It didn’t matter that her bottom was still so sore, she wanted more. “Harder… please, Grayson… more…”

“Keep yourself spread wide for me, little fire,” he instructed as a third finger joined the two already in her bottom and then he drove three into her still contracting sheath, moving both hands hard and fast as deeply as he could.

“Ohhh, yesss!” Izzy arched her back, pulling herself even further open and tightening her body around Grayson’s driving fingers.

As she watched, he sucked her clit into his mouth, laving it with his tongue and worrying it with his teeth. He continued to watch her, his gaze burning into her.

Izzy came screaming his name again and again, but still needed more. “Please, Grayson, I need you inside me!”

Grayson grabbed her wrists, freeing her intimate folds, catching her legs on top of his thighs and spreading them wide as he moved up her body and drove into her to the hilt in one satisfying thrust.

They both cried out as he bottomed out inside her, bumping against her cervix. Pressing her hands over her head, he continued to press inward, grinding from side to side, giving her no respite from the relentless pressure.

Izzy began to shake, closing her eyes in response to the sensations swarming her system.

“No, little fire, you will look at me.”

Her eyes snapped open in response to Grayson’s hoarse command.

As the release took her, she stared up into the intense gaze of her mate and felt the connection between them deep inside her very soul. It was as if the bond between them suddenly connected them at every level and she knew they would never again be apart. They were two halves of a hole.

“My mate, my love,” he said before taking her mouth and driving his tongue inside to tangle with hers as he began to move.

Izzy wrapped her legs tightly around him as they moved together hard and fast.

He brought her quickly to fulfillment twice more before he gave into his own need and spilled his seed deep inside her.

“I don’t like leaving you in need, little fire. Please don’t make me punish you like that again.”

Izzy held him close, pressing kisses all over his beloved face. “I won’t. I love you, Grayson.”

“You are my world, little fire.”

* * *

When Izzy woke again, Grayson was gone, but she found a new housekeeper in the kitchen as well as a maid, and a man in a uniform was on the ladder cleaning the chandelier.

She smiled. They were both learning. Izzy knew with certainty they would have a very happy life together.

She would forever be thankful for the flat tire that left her alone on that dark country road the led her to be claimed as the commander’s mate.

Epilogue

“It’s time,” Izzy said, giving her mate a little nudge to wake him.

Grayson sat straight up immediately. “I’ll get the doctor!”

She watched with amusement as her big unflappable mate, the high commander of the Ramelian fleet, ran around the room in a blind panic, finally managing to drag some pants on as he flew out the door.

The past nine months had been more wonderful than she could have ever imagined. Though Grayson still refused to let her work, he did allow her to volunteer. She spent three days a week doing story-time at the library, reading a combination of earth and Ramelian stories to the children in attendance.

Izzy felt it was important to give the children a more rounded view of the aliens now living among them to foster good relations between humans and Ramelians.

At her urging, a program had been set up for women who wanted to mate with the people from Ramel. Izzy held classes and formal seminars to explain what it was like to mate with one of the giant warriors.

Of course every single woman who’d been in the little diner the day Grayson told her he loved her had signed up without the benefit of a seminar or class.

They’d seen the utter devotion of a Ramelian to his mate firsthand. To Izzy’s great surprise, even Madge had signed up, once she realized age wasn’t an important factor.

Even more surprising was the fact she’d ended up mated to Dr. Pimel. The relationship had a rocky start, but it was clear now how happy the couple was.

Madge was no longer at the diner, but she made sure Izzy got her chicken fried steak fix at least once a month.

Sassy, the puppy Grayson had given her almost a year ago, had grown to gargantuan proportions. She had the size and bark of a Saint Bernard, but kept the gangly proportions of a basset hound, making her very humorous to look at, but at the same time her size and protectiveness kept anyone but family away from her mistress. She’d been especially protective since Izzy became pregnant and refused to leave Izzy’s side unless Grayson was home.

Izzy had managed to avoid all but a few mild punishments since her first session with the paddle. She reveled in her submission and actually found freedom there she’d never expected.

More and more earth couples were adopting the domestic discipline lifestyle after seeing the unparalleled success of the Ramelian bondings. Divorce rates had dropped across the entire planet.

Izzy was glad the day to bring her children into the world was finally here; if it had taken much longer, the doctor would have had to administer a sedative to Grayson. His questions of the doctor had been constant.

“Why is she so big so soon? Is that normal? Why is she so tired? She can barely move. Are you sure you were right about the due date?”

When the doctor explained she was carrying three little Ramelians, the look on Grayson’s face had been priceless. Izzy had stopped being surprised by anything this great universe had to offer.

The doctor’s smile looked a little too smug for Izzy’s taste, like he felt he was personally responsible for her condition, but she was enjoying being cosseted by her mate too much to get irritated with the doctor.

A few minutes later, Grayson returned with the doctor in tow. Dr. Pimel and Madge had moved in with them a few weeks ago in order to be close at hand.

The doctor made short work of getting Izzy into the proper birthing position. “The head is already crowning. Push, Izzy… push…”

Izzy pushed through the pain as she worked to bring her babies into the world. She knew the end result would be well worth the pain. Grayson held her hand and wiped her brow while she pushed and strained with every contraction.

It was hard work, but soon the squalling of a newborn infant filled the air. Izzy smiled up to Grayson where he held their little son close to his chest, studying the little face with wonder.

“Do I get to see him? Owww… so soon?”

“You have more work to do, young lady,” the doctor instructed. “Push.”

Much to the surprise of their parents, the next two babies came much easier and very quickly. First another boy and then a girl. Their daughter brought complete silence to the room. Apparently she was the first girl to be born to a Ramelian since before Grayson was born, over sixty years ago.

“They are beautiful, Izzy,” Grayson told her as he stroked a finger down his daughter’s soft little cheek. Izzy smiled at the babies lying against her, one at her breast and one in the crook of each arm.

They decided to call the oldest boy Braedon after Grayson’s father and the younger boy Griffin; their little girl would be named Melody after Izzy’s mother.

The next few days were hectic for the new parents to say the least. The doctor had left them quickly after finishing with the birthing process to allow them time alone with their children.

After a few days, it became clear that if anyone touched Melody beside Izzy or Grayson, the boys became inconsolable.

It was a strange phenomenon they’d tested more than a few times. The doctor and Madge could hold the boys with no problem, but the minute one of them picked Melody up, Braedon and Griffin both reacted with temper fits you would have to see to believe.

Melody didn’t care who held her as long as they cuddled her close, but in an effort to keep the boys happy, the doctor only touched her for baby wellness exams.

Sassy kept vigil on the floor in front of the crib to ensure no one not already approved got near her charges.

One evening several weeks later, Izzy had put the infants to bed and smiled as she looked down into the large crib all three infants shared. Initially they’d tried separate cribs, but the boys could not be soothed if separated from their little sister.

Grayson walked up behind her, wrapping his arms around her as he joined her at the crib. “It’s amazing to see, isn’t it?” she asked.

The boys always managed to lie on either side of Melody, curving their slightly larger bodies around her as if to keep her safe.

“I’ve never heard of anything like it,” Grayson admitted. It was clear the boys instinctively sought to protect their sister even though they were too small to really think about such things.

“Poor Melody doesn’t stand a chance of getting away with anything,” Izzy commented.

Grayson laughed. “She never did, little fire.”

They snuggled close, content to watch their children, secure in their love and growing family.

The End

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