Baby Butterfly Kisses Read online

  “It’s my fault,” Joy said, giving in to her guilt. “I feel terrible. I didn’t make sure I put the scissors away.”

  “Yes,” Titi agreed, turning up her little purple nose. “Yes. Yours.”

  “They’re normally sweet, good-natured babies,” Joy said, looking pointedly at that one who was unabashedly blaming her.

  “Kiss, Joy,” Titi demanded.

  “Titi, it’s Jo,” Reese reminded her.

  “Kiss, Jo. Jo-Jo.” Titi turned her funny, Klingon-face upward.

  Joy deposited a kiss smack on her mouth. A slightly pungent, sharp taste hit. “Have you been eating grass again?” she frowned.

  “Mebbe,” Titi muttered, looking at Bajoc and squirming.

  Rojan followed her line of vision to his old friend, who looked a bit guilty.

  “She’s always trying to blame others for her indiscretions.” Joy smiled and spoke directly to her. “I’m sure your Uncle Bajoc had nothing to do with you eating grass.”

  “Noooo.” Titi mooed the word.

  “Haha, that was funny, Titi,” Reese said and began to cluck like a chicken. The two toddlers waddled off, clucking and mooing together.

  Bajoc continued to look guilty, but for what, Joy couldn’t imagine. He wandered off after the little ones.

  “You will make a good parental unit one day,” Rojan said softly.

  “Thank you. I’m sure you will, too.”

  He looked sad. “I cannot. I am nowhere near retirement. Our species is only allowed to settle into this new-fangled style of family life if they are accepted onto this planet when they are ready to retire.”

  “So will Kriekjan, I mean Pritchard, retire?”

  “He did announce his retirement, however, the Confederation begged him back. So basically, he gets to be retired, but keeps his status intact.”

  “You’ll be leaving once you find those Puritans?” Joy asked.

  “Yes. Jo, I don’t have a choice,” he said. “But I’d like to spend as much time with you as I can.”

  “I’d like that,” she said shyly.

  “I’m sorry I can’t offer you more than that.”

  “I don’t have anything more to offer either. Just some...exploration of each other.” Surely, while he didn’t understand she’d never come across Freijians, he’d understand that normal humans probably liked to explore each other. And once they did, well, she’d have lost the virginity that marked her as Puritan and would be completely human. Except for the being born on Earth part. Plus, it would be her choice to lose her virginity. A choice that she had no say in on her planet. Talk about a step up for women.

  Rojan’s eyes gleamed even bluer if that was possible. “Jo, I swear to the stars, you are a goddess,” he said thickly. His face moved closer to hers, blocking the sun.

  A sharp whistle made her jerk.

  “Yoohoo! Jo, sweet sister,” Virginia called out. She was walking with Baub, heading in the direction of the school. “We have the job of escorting the children up to the motrisse roast. Want to help?”

  Rojan groaned and settled his forehead to hers. “Your sister has the worst timing.”

  “She’s a dingbat, but I love her,” Joy agreed. She called out. “Yes, we’ll help.” She turned toward Rojan. “But what about Molli...ificent? Mollificent, I mean.”

  He shrugged. “I’ll send Hekek to escort her.”

  He pressed a few buttons on his wrist device.

  “Diamond took the smaller children,” Virginia said as she approached. “The older kids are waiting for us.”

  “We saw Reese and Titi earlier.”

  “That’s why she took the younger children. Apparently, she needs to talk to their parents.”

  “Why?”

  “You didn’t hear? Oh, dear. Titi took scissors to show-and-tell. Diamond said there was a mass of purple hair on the middle of the floor that Titi was hastily sweeping up.”

  “Oh, no! I thought she just did damage to her and Reese.”

  “Yes, at first. And after being chastised for it, she then took the same scissors and got ‘em all. All the little kids. Every last one.” Virginia’s eyes were huge. Even with the tragic story being told, Joy didn’t miss the way Baub’s eyes followed her sister’s beauty as she spoke. Virginia practically glowed with his attention, her golden blonde hair brushed smooth and sleek, and twisted into intricate braids that curled around her head. She had a sexy little beauty mark that dotted her face and drew attention to her full, plump lips.

  Sigh. All Joy had was a multitude of dots across her cheeks and nose. She felt she was more cutesy than naturally sexy. She’d have to work on that with Rojan.

  “All those beautiful purple locks!” Joy said.

  “Maybe it won’t be too bad,” Virginia said, pointedly, and staring at her eyebrows.

  Ah, yes. Joy gave her a knowing look right back. Hopefully, the little beings wouldn’t show up with locks of purple curling unibrows from the cut hair.

  “Maybe.”

  The four of them made their way into the school.

  The older children were somber. They were as well-behaved as Titi was wild-child. Eelia, a ten-year-old girl, slipped her hand into Joy’s. “The good news, Aunt Jo, is the older children are much cuter now that all the little ones are so strange looking.”

  “Well, it takes all kinds to make the world, I guess,” Joy said.

  “I feel bad for Titi,” Marjorium said with all of her nine-year-old wisdom. “She’s gonna be sad for a long time.”

  “Poor baby,” Joy agreed.

  “Let’s count heads,” Virginia said. “Diamond said there should be thirteen of you.”

  They lined up the children, counted them, and split the group in half. “Okay, we have seven on our team.” She winked at Rojan. “Watch this. Follow us, soldiers.”

  The children snapped to attention, forming a straight line.

  “They’re as good as any warriors training on our planet,” Rojan said.

  “Well, once the little ones are out of formation,” Joy agreed. “Forward, march!”

  The two groups made their way across the village to the outskirts where the forest and trees began to grow. A pit was dug safely away from the village, and they had chairs set up around the warmth of the fire. Someone had brought a set of wireless speakers from which music emitted. The smaller children were dancing like little gypsies around the camp.

  Rojan was right. They looked like dancing Klingons.

  Titi came running up to her. “Hi, Jo-Jo. Sowwy. I can’t cut herrr no more.”

  Jo bent to pick her up. “I’m glad you can’t. Scissors are dangerous.”

  Titi leaned in close to flutter her lashes at Joy in another butterfly kiss. “I know. It wasn’t me.”

  Jo raised her eyebrows. “Who was it?”

  Titi shook her head. “’Twas my hands.” She sighed deeply and held them out from her body.

  “Well, you might want to tell them to behave,” Jo said. “It’ll take a long time for the hair to grow on all these other kids.”

  “Kids are sooo pwetty.”

  “Are you sure?” Rojan asked her.

  “Yesss.” She batted her eyes like she couldn’t believe he was asking.

  Tristan stood up, near the area where a group of chairs was gathered. “May I have everyone’s attention, please? I’d like to apologize for the, um, new hairstyles. I know it is an inopportune time since we had scheduled our school pictures for next week. Several of the mates have decided we should go through with the portraits anyway, so the little ones will not have their self-esteem endangered. Now, for the good news. We have a vehicle that has landed. Citrine Seven is a crew of eight warriors, so as soon as they get settled, they’ll be approaching the roast for some dinner. They’ll be visiting our planet for a couple of weeks, and helping us decide whether or not we would like a cattle ranch. And next week, we’ll have another ship of females dock. These are beings from the Phenomenai Galaxy. They are scheduled to stay for an
entire moon rotation.”

  Lara snickered. “Which could mean Citrine Seven puts in to stay a bit longer. Perhaps even establish that cattle ranch for us.”

  Everyone returned to their own conversations just as Tris giggled loudly, slapping Viktel’s hands away from her. Her sister was moving along in the relationship like the speed of light. Virginia had hers trailing after her like a puppy dog also. Yet poor Molli hadn’t even met her guy yet. Across the way, Hekek stood with a bunch of Freijians, laughing and drinking.

  “Where’s Mollificent?” Joy asked Rojan again, just to call his attention to her absence.

  His eyes narrowed on Hekek. “I’ll be right back.”

  When he approached Hekek, the other Freijians standing with him scattered. With a look over his shoulder, the two men ambled over to the temporary barn, stepping behind it.

  “Joy-Jo?”

  Joy looked down at Titi, who was tugging her hand. “Yes, sweetie?”

  “Titi can’t hear. Cooome on.”

  She ran quickly to the opposite side of the barn, pulling Joy. They stopped where they could hear Rojan and Hekek easily. Joy picked her up. Titi was breathing hard like she’d run a marathon.

  “It’s not nice to spy,” Joy whispered.

  “I know,” Titi whispered back. “Shh.”

  It was impossible not to hear the men talking.

  “—Yeah, but—“ Hekek sounded defensive.

  “No buts. I gave you an express order to go round up Mollificent,” Rojan said.

  “I tried. She didn’t answer, so I just came here.”

  “You’re making excuses. Go back and knock harder. She probably didn’t hear you.”

  “Look, Captain, this female gives me the willies. Deep inside my belly, it flutters around like butterflies every time I think of her. There’s something fishy about her. I don’t trust her.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I don’t think she’s truthful when she speaks. She’s hiding something.”

  “More reason to find out what. You’re the last available warrior. I don’t want Jo upset that her sister is trapped indoors while we’re all having fun.”

  “You’ll see,” Hekek warned. “Wait ‘til I bring her here. You’ll see what I mean.”

  “Let’s get back to the party.”

  Titi’s panicked eyes met hers. Joy felt hers widen in response.

  “Moove,” Titi yelled, and the two of them took off running.

  They had almost cleared the edge of the trees. Out of the corner of her eye, Joy saw a large force running at an angle toward her. With a thump, she was hurled, but at the last possible second her fall was broken as she landed softly on her back with a body cushioned underneath her.

  Titi giggled uncontrollably.

  Joy looked up to see her hanging by one foot, held up by a panting Hekek.

  “Jo?” It was Rojan cushioning her from the hard ground.

  “Yes.” She tried to sound indignant. “Titi and I were playing chase. What are you doing attacking innocent women and children?”

  Hekek snorted, looking at Rojan for the answer.

  “We heard noises and thought it was the Puritans.”

  Hekek snorted again. “I’m taking Titi back to the camp.”

  He walked with one arm extended, holding her upside down, and she howled with amusement as they headed back.

  Rojan rolled them so he was on top, his arm still cradling behind her neck to keep her from banging the ground.

  Suddenly, she was aware of their mutual heavy breathing. It was the only sound besides Titi’s hysterical laughter echoing away in the distance. His cobalt eyes stared into hers.

  “Hi,” he whispered.

  She smiled, and he smiled back. She reached up to trace her finger along the crease of his smile. “Thank you for catching me.”

  “Anytime. We’ll just lie here a minute to make sure nothing’s broke.”

  Her smile grew wider. “I’m sure I’d be in pain.”

  “I’m in a little pain,” he protested. “Let me just have a minute. I need to catch my breath.”

  They were breathing deeply. She became aware of exactly where their bodies touched. His pelvis was practically merged with hers...and her legs were spread out on either side of his, trapping his legs down. Quickly she released his as soon as she realized the precarious position they were in.

  “Don’t do that,” he whispered. “Put them back, please.”

  Her breath caught in her throat. She forced herself to continue to pant in short, shallow puffs. Very slowly, she wrapped her legs back around his. It drove the heat of his pelvis straight into her core.

  It felt rather...nice. Familiar and wanton. Oh, this was so sexy. Wicked and sinful. It was quite addictive.

  Then he moved, and his lower body gently pushed against hers. He ground his hips slowly.

  She released her air on a gentle swoosh, and her eyelids dropped in pleasure. This was beyond sexy—this felt magnificent.

  “Jo?” he asked, and his use of her fake name brought her back to the planet.

  “Hmm?”

  “May I kiss you?”

  “Oh, yes.” Her breath released on a sigh.

  His—cock—seemed to grind into her again at the same time his mouth touched. The quivery feelings in her belly fluttered out of control. His lips were warm, firm but soft. They met hers and paused briefly, and then he used them to open hers. The feel of his tongue nearly made her moan. It stroked sensually against hers. Before she knew it, she was doing it, too, and even the sounds of smacking and breathing sounded sexy.

  “Rojan?” A deep bellow called from far away. “Where are you?”

  He broke the kiss and raised his head. “We’re coming.”

  “No problem.” The voice shouted back.

  He sank his forehead to hers. “Sorry about that. But maybe it was for the best. I was about to ravage you outside.”

  Ravage? She smiled, not knowing exactly what that entailed, but it sounded like she would enjoy it. And she’d love to explore that wonderful cock rubbing between her thighs again.

  He rolled off her, and the air suddenly felt cooler now that his warmth had disappeared.

  “I wasn’t protesting,” she said, as he stretched out a hand. She placed hers into it, and he pulled her to her feet.

  She brushed off her outfit. When she finished, he was watching her every movement, the curve of her hips, her breasts as the material stretched taut against them. “Ready?”

  She nodded, and he took her hand to walk her back to the festivities. The squirmy feeling in her belly continued.

  They had moved a step up. He was holding her hand. This must be first base.

  Chapter Five

  Virginia and Beatrice descended as soon as she entered the camp. Rojan dropped her hand and went off to whisper with Baub and Viktel.

  “What happened? Why are you all disheveled?” Virginia brushed something out of her hair. “Grass? A twig? What is this? Did you fall?”

  “He tackled me,” she whispered. “On purpose, I think. Oh, he pretended he thought I was a Puritan he was chasing, but I think he just wanted to feel me up.”

  Beatrice’s hand was over her mouth. “Joy, you can’t let him touch your holy vessel.”

  “Oh, I am going to let him,” she assured her sister. “I have a plan. We seduce the bounty hunters.”

  Virginia narrowed her eyes. “No. We have to hold them at bay until so we figure out what they arranged with the Mayor’s Council.”

  “I thought we wanted to be human? Well, humans explore each other. That’s why the human women gave us those toys.”

  “No, you want to be human, Joy. But this is beyond wanting to change who you are. This is willingly becomingly a slut.”

  All three mouths dropped at the word the crazy Wilma, the scariest Puritan of them all, would have used.

  “Did you just say that?” Joy asked.

  “Well, I meant it. You’re not acting like your
self. Yes, it’s nice that we’re getting extra attention, but we can’t let it go to our heads. We need to keep things clear to find out what they’re up to.”

  “I am keeping a clear head. And this way, by keeping him dangling, I don’t have to have my sisters get involved with their men. Do you think it’s going to be easy to come up with excuses to not let them between our thighs?”

  “I know,” Tris said. “Why don’t we stick close together and break up any little excursions before things can get too heated? If Virginia’s gone a while, I’ll go looking for them. And vice versa.”

  “That’s a great idea,” Virginia said. “If and when we seduce them—one day—it’ll be on our terms. Not on theirs. And we’re going to have them so ready and willing, they’ll walk through hot coals to get to our prized honey caverns.”

  They were quiet suddenly as Rojan approached. “Everything all right?” he asked, eyes curious.

  “Yes. The girls were just worried about Mollificent.”

  “Here they come now,” Baub said.

  The two came trekking down the trail as different as night and day. Joy uttered more sinful curses, though mental this time. She should have thought to tell Molli not to appear too eager. Her mouth moved constantly as if she was babbling incessantly, while Hekek appeared morose at her side.

  Into the camp area she fluttered like a flighty bird. Molli never noticed Hekek’s lack of enthusiasm, approaching her sisters to bestow a flourished kiss on their cheeks as if she’d been away for weeks. She wore a white lace veil that covered her eyes. Underneath the veil lay the brand new bangs that swept over her forehead. And with Hekek as unreceptive as he was, there was no issue of him brushing the hair over her head like Rojan might with her. Joy felt safe that Molli wouldn’t be uncovered.

  “My darling Jo, so good to see you,” Molli said, fluttering her lashes as she leaned in for an air kiss. “You must be Rojan, taking such good care of my sister.”