There wasn’t enough air.

Tempest felt like she couldn’t breathe.

All around her, it seemed as if all the oxygen had been burned away by the passion that was flowing between them.

Her salvation was deep in Dron’s soul. She felt as if she would die if she stopped kissing him.

Dron growled deep in his chest. His arms wrapped around her tightly.

He was kissing her back, but Tempest could feel the hesitation in the way that he was touching her. He probably was confused as to how this was happening. One second she was crying and trying to get away from him, and now Tempest was basically trying to shove her way into his body.

At once, Dron ripped his mouth away from hers and roared in frustration. He turned his head away from Tempest, and she gasped at the sudden emptiness that she felt without him.

"No...no. I don’t understand. Why are you doing this to me?" Dron murmured, and the words nearly broke Tempest’s heart. He didn’t trust her. That was her fault. She’d spent so much time pushing him away that now when she was reaching for him, he didn’t trust her.

"Dron, I do love you. I don’t want to fight this anymore. I want you. So bad."

"Want me for what? Is your heat still..." Dron questioned as if he were ready to do his duty without even a seconds notice.

"No, it’s not my heat. That’s over. It’s just me. Just Tempest. I’ve tried to not want this. Tried to pretend that I could go on with my life after you as if you didn’t exist, but I can’t. I’ve only been here for a short time, but you’ve changed me. I’m connected to you in ways I don’t understand, but there not ways that I can fight. Do you feel it too?" She knew the answer, but her heart had to hear him say it. She had to know that she wasn’t the only one who felt like this.

"Yes." Dron spoke, his word coming out like a prayer. . His eyes were locked on Tempest, the black in his pupils completely blown out and his body shaking with pent-up energy.

Tempest worried for a second that he might not be able to control himself. She’d seen him looking like this before, right when he entered his alpha state and was about to fight. She wondered if it was the same instincts that were driving him now.

She didn’t worry about it for too long. Even completely out of his mind with primal need, Tempest knew that Dron would never hurt her.

"I’m sorry, Dron. Please forgive me." She reached her hand out for him again. This time, instead of backing away, he looked from her hand to her face and back to her hand again. It was as if he wanted to trust her but was still second-guessing his decision. Tempest knew what this meant for him. It meant the same thing for her.

She was giving all of herself to him in this moment. If he rejected her, she wasn’t sure she’d survive. It wasn’t like she could just go somewhere else on the planet to get away from him. There was no running from this. No putting Dron out of her mind.

Dron was embedded deep within her soul.

The same way she was embedded deep within his.

"I love you too, Tempest. My sweet temptation." Dron finally took a step forward and grabbed her hand, Yanking her closer to him in the process. Once again, the air around them lit up with the embers of their passion and desire for one another.

Tempest moaned long and hard as Dron expertly kissed her. If she hadn’t been there, she would have never believed that it was her who taught him how to kiss. As it stood, she was quite sure that Dron could hold a masterclass on the subject and people would pay good money to learn. He was a master. Every swipe of his tongue or suckle of her lips made Tempest’s toes curl and the nerve endings all over her body spark to life.

She tried to stay on her tiptoes to be able to reach Dron comfortably, but he was too tall. Dron didn’t miss a beat, though. Quickly, he tightened one of his arms around her waist and lifted her off the ground so that her back was against the wall and her legs wrapped around his midsection. Tempest tried to sink down a little so that his primary shaft was right where she needed it. Tried to get into the right position, but he was just so tall.

Dron lowered his mouth from her lips to her neck, where he licked and sucked at the sensitive skin there. Tempest’s body shook with pleasure, and she moaned and whimpered his name.

It felt like she was in heaven. This was the best, and she knew there was more to come.

More that she was finally ready for. She wanted Dron to take her virginity. Wanted him to claim her in every way possible.

Dron pulled back a bit, not taking any pressure off her body that he had pressed up against the wall.

"Tempest, we have to stop. I’m losing control of myself. I want you so desperately. I’m sorry. I need to stop." His words came out in a rush, but instead of moving back as he had just said he should, he dropped his head a little farther and started to lick at the hollow of her neck.

"No, don’t stop. I want you. You can have all of me."

Dron startled at those words. His entire body went still, and he slowly lifted his head so that he could look at her.

"All of you?" he asked, the words coming out softly and slowly.

"All. Mate with me, Dron. I want you to mate with me."

Dron shook harder, and a deep, rumbling growl vibrated through his chest. He slammed his hand against the wall so hard that it broke the paneling there, but Tempest wasn’t scared. Her most important truth was still the same.

Dron would never hurt her.

"You don’t mean that. You’ll be upset with me afterward." He shook his head. He was busy trying to talk himself out of what both of them wanted to do.

"I will not. You have my word. I promise you I want this. Are you going to make me beg?" Tempest leaned her head forward and slowly started to kiss up the side of his face and the curve of his lips.

"Never. You never have to beg me. Moon Goddess above... help me." He grabbed hold of Tempest’s hands with his free hand and lifted Tempest’s arms so that they were above her head. That one motion was strong enough to lift Tempest even farther up the wall.

Tempest squealed a little when she realized that he was no longer supporting her body. Her legs wrapped around his waist were the only thing keeping her up besides his hand wrapped around her wrist. Dron used his other hand to grab at her shirt. There was no finesse in the movements. No time wasted.

He ripped her top off, exposing her breasts. Tempest gasped and moaned and arched her back so that her breasts were presented to her mate. She wanted to feel more of him. Wanted him to touch her everywhere. He dropped his head and did exactly what she asked of him without saying a word. Slowly, he pulled her nipple into his mouth and sucked. Soft at first, then harder. He opened his mouth wide to take in more of her sensitive mound. Tempest felt like she was high. Her eyes rolled back, and she pressed her head hard against the wall behind her. She couldn’t remember the last time she had been so turned on.

She was wet.

Very, very wet.

Briefly, Tempest took stock of her body and realized that she could hear the faint sound of dripping. She slid her hand down her body and was absolutely mortified to find that liquid was pouring from her.

"Oh crap, Dron, stop!" she squeaked and used all of her strength to push him away. He simply tightened his grip on her, not listening to what she was saying.

"Dron, wait, please stop." She pushed at him again, and he huffed in frustration, but he let her go. Her legs were barely strong enough to catch her as she slid back down to the floor.

"You promised. You said you wouldn’t be upset with me." Dron spoke through clenched teeth.

"No, I’m not. You did nothing wrong. I just think... my body... I’m..." She whispered the last word, "Leaking." Her face grew hot, and she looked away from him. It was the most embarrassed that she had been in recent memory.

Dron’s eyebrows furrowed for a second, and he looked her over as if to figure out what she was talking about. It was then that Tempest crossed her legs tightly, trying to hide the blooming wet stain that was no doubt coating the bottom of her clothing.

Dron’s eyes brightened, and he slowly lifted his gaze to look up at Tempest.

"Oh, temptation. That’s your slick. I got a small taste of it while you were in your heat, but I suppose you didn’t realize it. Your body is ready for me. Let’s not let it go to waste."

Tempest gasped again as Dron grabbed hold of her, and this time swung her up so that she was cradled bridal-style against his chest. He slowly walked in the direction of his room, all the while never taking his eyes off her.

What was happening to her was normal.

What was happening to her was right.

There was nothing for her to be embarrassed about.

She felt her body ease as Dron continued to look down at her as if she were the greatest blessing that he’d ever received.

She understood the sentiment.

She felt the same way about him.

Never in her life had she been more sure about anyone.

All her life she thought she had to find the perfect man to give herself to. The perfect marriage. The perfect family.

Turns out she was right. It just so happened that the perfect man she was looking for wasn’t a man at all, but an alien.