Nikhil(30)

Once Craig nodded he understood, Parlan turned and walked away.





Chapter Six


Mac lay on her side, her head comfortably resting on Nikhil's impressive bicep while she stared at his sleeping form that was facing her. She couldn't remember the last time she'd slept so deeply or so peacefully, even back on Earth, and it was all because Nikhil had held her while she slept. He'd quickly dimmed the crystals, and then stripped before climbing into bed with her, pulling the remaining covers over them both. He slid an arm beneath her head, and the other around her blanket-covered waist and pulled her close making her feel safe and secure.

While the other covers had remained around her shoulders as they'd slept, they had fallen off Nikhil's giving her an incredible view of his massive chest, a chest that was slowly rising and falling. Her fingers slowly traveled over his large, pectoral muscle grazing its hard, flat nipple. She slowly circled it several times, watching it tighten at her touch, before her fingers moved up and along his side learning the bulge of each muscle, and the depths in between them. His skin was so warm and smooth without the marks and scars the Battle beads indicated he should have. How was that possible? Her fingers continued their sensual journey, slipping under the blanket that had settled just above his hips, when Nikhil's hand stopped her from exploring further.

"Mackenzie...” he growled, and her eyes shot up to find him awake, and watching her intently. Gently gripping her hand, he slowly pulled it back up his body until it reached his lips, and he kissed her palm.

Mac felt her heart melt at the sweetness of the action. No one had ever treated her with such care before as if she were the only thing that mattered to them.

"Did you rest well, Little One?" he asked, his eyes glowing softly, his voice husky with sleep.

"I did." Moving her hand slightly, she cupped his jaw, her thumb caressing his full lower lip. "Thanks to your arms around me."

Nikhil allowed his large, calloused hand to slide along her arm, unable to believe how smooth and silky her skin felt. The bruises that had been there the day before had faded away. While he knew the deep-repair unit had been responsible for that, it wouldn't have made her skin feel like this. Not if it wasn't the way it was naturally supposed to be. He had thought it was the cleanser that had made her skin feel this way when he’d cleansed her, but now he wanted to know if her skin was like this all over, and felt his shaft hardening at the thought of finding out.

Mac saw Nikhil's eyes flare, and felt the hardness growing between them. She knew it was his cock and felt her channel clench in response. Sliding her hand along his jaw, she gripped the back of his neck and pulled his lips down to hers.

Nikhil's entire body stiffened as Mackenzie pressed her lips fully against his for the first time. Goddess, they were softer than he ever imagined they could be. He'd woken to her fingers running over him, and it had felt amazing, but this, this was something more. He needed to stop her delicate fingers from exploring further because he wasn't sure she understood what she was doing to him.

"Mackenzie...” he whispered against her lips.

Mac pulled back slightly, gazing up at Nikhil. She wasn't sure what had made her kiss him like that. She'd never been the aggressor in her previous relationships, but after everything he'd said about them being True Mates, and kissing her palm, she hadn't been able to stop herself. Now she could see that was a mistake. She had totally misread the situation.

"I'm sorry." She immediately dropped her hand, then pulled the blanket tightly between her breasts keeping it from falling further, and slid out from under the other covers to stand.

"Mackenzie...” Nikhil frowned at her. What was she apologizing for? Why had she stopped touching him? Why was she getting out of their bed?

"The cleansing room... I assume there is something in there that I can use to... relieve myself."

"Yes, I will show you...” Nikhil moved to get out of the bed.

"No!" She held out her hand stopping him, then moved quickly around the foot of the bed. "I'm sure I can figure it out." With the blanket swishing behind her, she entered the cleansing chamber then quickly turned looking for the crystal to close the door. Seeing it, she pressed it then watched Nikhil rise from the bed, the blankets falling away revealing more and more of his naked glory. The door slid closed before she got a full frontal.

Nikhil rose not understanding why his Ashe didn't want him to help her. Hadn't he just proven he was worthy by not taking advantage of her in her weakened state? Why had she run from him? Why had she shut him out? Had his body's reactions to her closeness caused her to distrust him? He needed to correct that.