Shadow (New Species #9)(15)

Breeze’s suggestion was tempting but she didn’t want to risk rejection. It was too brazen for her. She’d have to lure him into suggesting it first. She leaned closer to the window and rose on tiptoe to watch him leave the porch. Her attention locked on his beefy ass encased in tight pants.
She longed to feel it just to see if it was as firm as it looked. The memory of his chest lingered. He had so many muscles she wanted to explore by surfing her hands over each one. It was also unforgettable, waking to discover the state of his body when she’d identified what was nestled between her thighs after the night they’d spent together.
Sex still frightened her a little but she knew deep down that it would be different with Shadow. She’d heard men visit her neighbors often enough that she had no doubt that it would be pleasurable. She felt strange when she looked at Shadow. Her heart always quickened and odd things happened to her belly. Little tingling sensations erupted there at that moment just thinking about it. Of course she wouldn’t ask him to leave right after he made those sexy sounds she’d overheard through the walls of her apartment. She’d definitely want his scent on her and her bedding. He smelled wonderful to her.
Scenarios began to play in her thoughts. She could ask him to cuddle with her on the couch to watch the television mounted over the fireplace later when he lit the fire. She wanted to experience that sensation. He might take that for a green light to do more. They could watch a romantic movie. The women in the dorm always loved them. She tossed that idea after considering that men probably didn’t enjoy those.
She dropped flat to her feet and paced, deep in thought. It was unlikely that watching guy movies about blowing things up and shooting guns would put him in the mood to offer to share sex. She sighed. It was frustrating wanting something but being unsure of how to accomplish it.
The last romance book she’d read flashed through her mind and she paused. It had worked for the heroine of the book. The man had not only come to her bed but it had initiated their sexual relationship. A plan began to form. Excitement made her laugh.Chapter Six
It is all going wrong! Beauty blinked back tears of frustration at her lack of success in luring Shadow into carrying her to bed. She’d purposely tripped and fallen against his chest while he’d been preparing their meal in the kitchen. She’d offered to help just to gain the opportunity to set that circumstance in motion. He should have looked down at her, their gazes fused, and then planted a kiss on her. Instead he’d righted her immediately and apologized for being in her way.
Their romantic dinner had turned out to be a bust. He’d avoided looking at her the entire time they’d been seated next to each other at the bar. He’d pulled out a gun magazine, stating it was research. The only conversation they’d shared had been about new security measures the NSO was taking. He’d explained details about their latest monitoring equipment.
Every time she’d tried to steer the topic to romance, Shadow had become flustered. His cheeks had darkened in hue and it had been kind of cute how he’d stuttered his words. Apparently, he wasn’t comfortable discussing anything personal. Dinner had ended and she’d known they’d relax in the living room together afterward.
It made Beauty feel inept as a woman. That ability to naturally flirt with men seemed utterly lacking in her case. Self-pity wasn’t her style though, regarding her lack of even a semblance of a normal life up until she’d been freed. She’d just have to try harder to figure out how to pique his interest in having sex.
The fire in the hearth was lit but instead of sitting next to her on the couch where she’d left him plenty of space, he sat in a chair across the room.
“You can sit next to me,” she hinted, imagining leaning against him and curling up to his side.
“I’m fine here.” He yawned. “I am tired and I don’t want to fall asleep. The couch is too cushioned for me.”
The flames held her stare but not her attention. That was on the man to her left. From the corner of her eye, she saw him cross his ankles. The chunky boots he wore looked uncomfortable. It gave her an idea as she shifted her body to watch him.
“Do you want me to remove your boots? I could do that for you.” She’d seen a movie where the wife had done that for her husband when he’d come home from work. He’d kissed her afterward in thanks. “It would be no trouble.”
“I am capable of removing them myself. I will take them off before I go to bed.” He scowled. “I’m not a weak male.”
“I didn’t say you were. I just wanted to be nice.”
“You are.” His head leaned back and he stared at the ceiling.
She followed his gaze, seeing nothing interesting in the wood beams. He seemed fascinated though. The wind outside buffeted the side of the cabin and rattled the windows. Shadow responded by leaping to his feet, instantly alert. 
“Stay put. I’m going outside to patrol.”
“It’s nothing.” She didn’t want him to leave.
He paused by the door, finally meeting her gaze. “It’s late. We should prepare for sleep when I return. Go ahead and go to your room. I’ll be back soon and put out the fire.”
She started to tell him it was too early—just after eight—but he was gone before she could speak. The closing door and a lot of disappointment was all she was left with. She’d have received an F if she’d been graded on her make-a-man-want-her skills.
“Damn it,” she muttered, knowing she was reverting to the human talk, though she kept trying to break that habit. “Shit. Fuck. Screw this,” she kept going, pacing. Species were hard to deal with. Human guys had always asked her to be nice to them. The guards had always been interested in her but Shadow seemed immune. It confused and confounded her.
She went upstairs to get the phone from her bag. She called Breeze. The Species answered on the first ring.
“Is everything okay?”
“No.”
“Did he do something wrong?” A growl resonated over the line. “I’ll beat him.”
“I fell against him but he just put me back on my feet. I invited him to sit next to me but he chose a seat all the way across the room. Why isn’t it working? I don’t think he wants me. I was sure those tactics would provoke a response.”
The pause was a long one. “You what?”
“I fell against him, believing he’d be tempted to kiss me but he didn’t.”
“I told you what to do. Remove your clothing and tell him to share sex with you.”
“I’m not that bold.” Beauty cocked her head, listening for the door downstairs to make certain he didn’t return to overhear her conversation. “I don’t think he returns my interest.”
“He’s male and breathing.” Breeze chuckled. “He’s just clueless about exactly what you want from him. You need to be more aggressive.”
“I’m not you.” She hated the way it made her feel to admit that, as if she lacked something essential but she couldn’t deny being a bit shy. “I freeze up when I even consider something that forward and what if he rejects me? I’d be mortified. I couldn’t face him and we’re sharing a home.”
“Do you want me to call him and tell him for you? I would totally do that. I have the number for his cell phone.”
“No! I just wanted advice.”
“I gave you that. Strip. Tell him to remove his clothes. That’s all it’s going to take, Beauty. He won’t reject you. He has no female in his life.”
“Couldn’t you just tell me how to get him interested without me showing him my body first?”
“You could tell him you wish to share sex. That will clear up any confusion.”
“I’m searching for a milder approach.”
“Is this what you learned from humans? It’s amazing they ever share sex.” Breeze was silent for a moment. “I’m not an expert on this. I attempted to initiate sex with a human and he didn’t respond as expected. How about if we pull Shadow and replace him with a task force member? Maybe a human male would be more suited to you.”
The concept of allowing anyone but Shadow to touch her killed any desire she had to find out what happened between two consenting people during sex. “No. I want him.”
“Are you sure? I could make a few calls.”“I want Shadow.”
“He’s the only male you’ve spent time with. You might like another one. I could send a few of them there. We’d have to move you to the hotel though. No way would Valiant handle the residents of Wild Zone if they sniffed humans. I could—”
“Forget I asked. I’ll figure this out on my own. Don’t send anyone else.”
“Fine. Call me any time.”
“Thank you.”
Beauty ended the call and stashed the phone. She strained to hear the door as she quickly stripped out of her clothes and put on a nightgown. A slight noise below assured her of his return. Her gaze fixed on the open doorway in anticipation of watching him walk up the stairs. It wasn’t a long wait.
He paused by her doorway and glanced down her body. She knew the pale-blue sleepshirt wasn’t sexy. She didn’t own anything that could be considered that by anyone’s standards but it did have a low neckline. The NSO paid for everything she owned and they’d purchased it all online. In this case it was an oversized sleepshirt that fell to her knees, three times too big, and the arms of it were long enough to reach her elbows.