Romantic Interlude (Talking Dog, Book Three)

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An Excerpt From: ROMANTIC INTERLUDE

Copyright ? SHELLEY MUNRO, 2006.

All Rights Reserved, Ellora's Cave Publishing,
Inc.

Where to start? Sudden
nerves jumped in Hinekiri?s stomach. She had taken a real liking to Luke?s
father. He made her go squishy inside?the first male to do that for a long
time. Of course there had been that male on Mekenous, but he had turned out
to be a bit of a mummy?s boy. If she were going to become involved with a
male, she wanted one capable of making his own decisions. Hinekiri wasn?t
prepared to shoulder the burden of thinking for both of them. Even though
being dependent on a mate might be part of her Dalconian heritage, she
wasn?t about to turn her back on everything she?d gained and make
concessions at this stage in life and give up control just because she was
lonely.

?Hinekiri, you going to tell me today??

Oops. Now he was getting testy, but at least he
didn?t look frightened. Good. Some of the creatures she?d met during her
travels had taken one look at her face and pleaded for mercy or run for
their lives. Quite frankly, she didn?t think she looked that bad. Richard
obviously liked to look at her. Hinekiri took a deep breath. Maybe there
was hope. It would be nice to make love again with a male who bore
compatible parts. The mind machines that simulated the sexual process
weren?t the same. They left a female feeling empty.

?Janaya and I come from the planet Dalcon.? She
swallowed the sudden lump of nerves that threatened to choke her, trying
desperately to read him. Nothing. He looked just like his son with his
cop?s face. Still, he hadn?t run. That was a good start. Hinekiri was
cautiously jubilant. ?Yes, we?re aliens. We arrived in a spaceship. It?s
broken down, which is why we need parts.? Not that he looked like a
screamer. Hinekiri would bet her set of charts for the Northern galaxy sector
that Richard was a go-getter, a male who liked to be in control.

?A spaceship!? Richard exclaimed, finally showing
something in his expression other than blank and enigmatic. ?Where?s it
parked? When can I see it? How fast does it go? How many miles to the
gallon?? He paused to inhale. ?Did you make those crop circles?? The man
sounded accusing this time.

Hinekiri smirked with relief. ?I?d have to plead the
fifth on that last one.?

Alarm colored Janaya?s face. ?I don?t think??

?That?s right, missy. Don?t think.? He grinned at
Hinekiri. ?Kids these days are all the same. Luke and my daughter Lily are
always trying to tell me what to do.?

?I don?t feel well,? Janaya said suddenly.

Concern shot through Hinekiri. She placed the palm of
her hand on her niece?s brow. It was cool. Too cool. ?Sit in Richard?s
vehicle while we grab a few parts. We won?t be long.? It was a hormone
surge caused by the mating bonds. Janaya would be okay after a few hours
sleep. The sooner she accepted her fate, the better. Her niece had bonded
with Luke. Hinekiri wanted to cheer but this wasn?t the time or place. Luke
was ten times better for Janaya than that wimpy bully Santana.

Hinekiri opened the door of the SUV for Janaya and
settled her in the rear.

?Is she okay?? Richard stepped up behind Hinekiri to
peer over her shoulder.

Hinekiri felt the heat from his body. It burned all the
way to her female parts, making her body tingle in a peculiar fashion.
Hinekiri knew her inoculations were up to date. That meant no problems with
an unwanted mating, so it had to be something else causing her reaction to
Richard. She?d puzzle out the problem later. Right now Janaya was more
important. ?She?s just tired. She?ll be fine.?

Richard studied her so closely Hinekiri found herself stepping
from foot to foot. ?You don?t look like an alien. You?re pulling my leg.?

?I assure you, you?d know if I was pulling your leg.
You?d feel it. Right here.? Hinekiri placed her hand on his chest and
jerked it away just as quickly with a startled intake of breath. Wiping her
palm on her jeans, she scanned the sky with a frown, searching for dark
cloud formations. There must be a storm coming to cause all the electrical
currents surging through her body. But no. Nothing. The sky was a clear
blue with a few delicate white clouds. Not a storm cloud in sight. Hinekiri
frowned. Very strange. His enquiring expression forced her back to his
alien doubts. She?d have to convince him so they could proceed. The parts
she required must be found soon otherwise she?d miss her holiday. There
wasn?t much wriggle time before she had to commence work on her next
exploration contract.

?Tell me what an alien looks like.? Did he want her to
jump under a magnifying glass? Strip off and show him everything she had?
Hinekiri shivered at the thought. She might be older and supposedly wiser,
but somehow, she quite liked the idea.

?I?ll show you mine if you show me yours.? Hinekiri
waggled her eyebrows and let her gaze stroll downward to his manly
equipment. ?What do you say??

Richard spluttered and turned red in the face. ?Ah, no.
That?s not necessary.?

Hinekiri thought he looked intrigued beneath the
bluster, and that weird tingling sprang to life again. She had a strange
compulsion to touch his naked skin?his face with the Earth stubble, his
chest, his belly, his masculine attributes. A sensual sigh escaped. Oh yes.
Especially his cock. ?Are you sure? I don?t mind.?

?You tell man,? Killer said, from behind them.

?Do I scare you?? Hinekiri ignored the dog and walked
toward Richard. A flicker of alarm showed in his dark eyes, increasing when
she kept coming, closing the distance between them. Her breasts brushed his
chest. Her breath puffed across his cheek as she leaned closer and stood on
tiptoe. Hinekiri moistened her lips then puckered them. ?Boo.?

Richard?s eyes widened. They were so close, Hinekiri saw
his pupils contract, saw the variations in color in his brown eyes. Their
gazes held and Hinekiri found herself leaning into him. Their lips bumped
together. Slightly awkward. Surprising. They both froze. Hinekiri felt her
heart knock in her chest. She wondered what Richard would do. Would he
reject her daring move? She?d been so lonely, so hungry for male company on
her long voyages through uncharted territories. Had she misread the signs?
From her observations they were opposites, yet he called to her feminine
instincts.

Richard made a sound deep in his throat. His arms came
around her, jerking her firmly against his chest. Relief flooded Hinekiri.
It was going to be all right. Rejection wasn?t imminent. His lips slammed
down on hers as if he?d been thinking about kissing and the use of
masculine equipment. Their teeth collided in an audible click before they
managed to tilt heads enough to get a proper fit. Then it all came together.
A perfect match. Lips clung. Nibbled. Tasted.

Hinekiri forgot about worrying. About being alone. About
never finding a male to share in her life. She just went with the moment
and enjoyed the sensation of being close to another being.