Never Love A Stranger Part 37

a problem'and it won't for many years'we will change our faces and a.s.sume a new ident.i.ty."

"Change your faces'"

"Yes. The doctor believes she can alter our facial structure, to the point that we appear to be totally

different individuals. Our fingerprints can be altered as well, if necessary."

James lifted his eyebrows. "To what extent have you blended into society' Have any of you married humans'"

"Humans'" Susan sniffed. "Most of us have no interest in marrying humans, considering the things they've

put us through. We try to form family groups among ourselves."

Annie swallowed, hearing the slight scorn in Susan's voice when she mentioned humans, wondering if James felt the same, deep down. He'd told her that he loved her'but wouldn't he be happier among

other humanoids'

"So none of you have married humans'" James asked.

"None that I know of," Susan said. Her lip curled. "It is not something I like to contemplate."

James glanced at her, and she wondered if his people's disapproval mattered to him. He answered that

question instantly.

"I used to feel the same way," he said softly. "But now I know there are humans who are worth loving."

A wave of love broke over Annie, and she squeezed James' hand and leaned into his shoulder. Susan looked at her with surprised approval.

"You may be right," she admitted. Annie noticed her gaze had drifted to Gar, and she looked at him

thoughtfully. "Maybe some of them are worth loving, after all."

That evening Annie sat in her bedroom, scribbling in a spiral-bound notebook. Kay had returned to her

condo with Clark and Gar, leaving Annie and James alone. Realizing she was still exhausted, Annie had retreated to her bedroom to take a nap right after they'd left. Moments ago, she'd awakened, with the bare outline of a poem taking shape in her mind.

Eventually she became aware that someone else was in the room with her. Looking up, she saw James hovering in the doorway.

"What are you doing'" he asked.

Annie shot him a self-deprecating grin. "Believe it or not," she said, "I'm writing poetry."

James looked puzzled. "You told me you hadn't written poetry in ten years."

"I haven't. I haven't felt like writing poetry for a long time, James. But tonight a few things came to me, so I wrote them down."

"Why do you feel like writing poetry now'" "It's hard to explain," Annie said slowly, looking at the words she'd scrawled. "After college, I got so wrapped up in the ordinary. The mundane. I had a job that took up most of my time, and my life was so monotonous that poetry just seemed alien to me somehow. Even after I married Steve'" She met James' eyes squarely. "I loved him, James. I really did. But our life together was routine. Comfortable. Not exactly boring, but not exactly exciting, either. I can't explain it. It just didn't inspire poetry somehow." James looked surprised and flattered. "Are you saying that I inspire poetry in you'" "Looks that way. One thing I have to say, life with you is never routine." "I hope that it will become more routine eventually." "I imagine it will. But I don't think it'll ever be totally mundane." She looked back down at the scrawl of words on paper, the words she'd written about loneliness. "I can't help but feel sorry for the humans of your time. They live such isolated lives. The same way I lived before I met you." "Isolation is normal for the humans of the future," James said. He took a step closer to her. "But not for this time."

"I don't think it's the right way to live," Annie said softly. "I don't think it's good for humans to live that way. At least it wasn't good for me."

"I suspect you're right." James looked at her with intensity, his forehead wrinkling, and hesitated. Finally he blurted out, "I told you once that I was not trying to take Steve's place in your heart."

Annie lifted her head, seeing the anxiety in his eyes. She smiled slightly and closed the notebook, then stood up and walked over to him.

"James," she said softly, "just because I loved Steve doesn't mean I love you any less."

He swallowed hard. "I understand that. At least, I think I understand. I have never loved anyone before. I find that I do not wish to ' share your love."

She shook her head. "It's not like that, James. Steve is dead. I'll always remember him, but he's my past. You're the future." She grinned. "In more ways than one."

Some of the anxious shadow faded from his eyes as she went on. "And if it weren't for you, I'd still be living here alone, wasting my life." She reached out and took his hand, wrapping her fingers around his. "You gave me something to live for, James."

He looked down at her, his eyes very blue. "You have given me a great deal to live for as well, Annie. This morning, I thought I was going to die, and I realized I wasn't ready. I wanted to live. With you." His voice dropped almost to a whisper. "Forever."

She leaned against his shoulder, smiling. "Are you proposing to me, James'"

"Proposing'" He gazed at her for a moment, frowning, then his expression cleared. "You mean, am I suggesting that we form a permanent conjugal relations.h.i.+p'"

"It's called marriage, James."

"Marriage," he repeated. "Yes, I believe that is the word I was looking for. Will you marry me, Annie'"

Tears rose to her eyes at the same time that a smile curved her lips. "Yes, James," she whispered. "I will marry you."

James grinned broadly, wrapped his arms around her, and lifted her off the ground as if she weighed nothing. "Can we do it tonight'"

She shook her head, her arms around his neck. "No. Remember all the paperwork Susan told us about' The doc.u.ments that make you appear to be a legal citizen of the United States' We can't get married until we have all those papers. A social security number, a birth certificate, a driver's license. Susan is going to get them for us, but it'll take a little while. But in the meantime'." She wiggled seductively against him. "Let's form a temporary conjugal relations.h.i.+p."

"I like that idea." He lowered her until her feet touched the ground again, then bent his head and kissed her. His lips were gentle, almost reverent, and they sent an eddy of desire swirling through her. She buried her hands in his hair and held on.

His hand slid up under her s.h.i.+rt, and she caught suddenly at him and stepped away. "Wait, James. I'm still a filthy mess."

"I do not mind."

"Well, I do." She'd meant to take a shower before she fell asleep, but the minute she'd stepped into her own house the bed had called to her, singing a siren tune she couldn't resist.

James shrugged. "Fine. Let's take a shower." She saw the suggestive gleam in his eyes, and she laughed softly. "I'm not sure that'll work too well in my tub, James. I don't have a big walk-in shower like Kay does, and it's kind of slippery. How about we take a bath instead'"

"A bath'" he repeated, and she recognized from his tone that the word was unfamiliar to him.

She shot him a suggestive smile. "I'll show you."

James sighed as he sank into the hot water across from Annie. "This," he announced, "was a good idea."

"Yeah," she agreed. "My muscles are sore."

"My muscles do not get sore." He flashed a wry grin. "Except when they are forcibly removed."

"Ugh. Let's not talk about that anymore, okay'"

"Fine. I must admit, I prefer not to think about it myself. At any rate, my muscles do not hurt. But the hot

water feels good against my skin."

Annie wiggled a bit. "I was a little worried it'd hurt my sunburn. But it's not bad. And it's helping my

muscles a lot."

"I could rub your neck."

"No. My skin is pretty sore there."

James c.o.c.ked an eyebrow. "So you don't want me to touch you'"

"I guess that depends on where you touch me." She looked at him consideringly, seeing his arms

stretched along the back edge of the tub, his head tilted back, and his solid, ma.s.sive body sprawled under the water, taking up most of the s.p.a.ce. As she looked at him, she saw his body begin to stir beneath the water.

Unable to help herself, she reached over and brushed a hand against his perfect, utterly unscarred abdomen, and his erection swelled. "You're so beautiful," she said softly, aware of a thick constriction in her throat. He was beautiful'and he had come so terribly close to death. But now no one could have guessed by looking at him that he'd been lying on her kitchen floor, all but torn apart, this morning.

She let her fingers stroke down his hard, swollen flesh, and he groaned softly. He felt wonderful beneath her hand, like velvet and marble, and she explored his contours, explored every inch of him'and there were a lot of inches there to explore'until he quivered under her fingers. She heard his breath coming in hard gasps, saw his hips began to move in an involuntary rhythm, and she smiled, pleased to know she had an effect on him.

"Annie," he said at last, in a harsh voice. "Perhaps you had better stop now."

"No," she said softly. "I don't think so."

She wrapped her hand around him, and James jumped, then gave a tortured groan. As she began to move her hand up and down, slowly, she heard his moans grow in volume and intensity, felt him press eagerly into her palm. She moved her hand in a hard, steady rhythm, until she felt him convulsing, throbbing, until he thrust against her hand violently and gave a long, shuddering groan of pleasure.

Afterward he dropped his head back against the side of the tub, his eyes closed. Happy that she'd been able to thrill him, she leaned her own head back and relaxed. There was a long, companionable silence. And then James picked up one of her feet, which was resting on his thigh, and began to rub it.

She suddenly realized how sore her muscles were, and it felt very good when he rubbed them. He ma.s.saged her other foot, then worked his way up her calves, while she sighed in contentment. But as he began to ma.s.sage her thighs, the contentment was replaced by sheer l.u.s.t.

She gave a soft noise of pleasure, and he smiled, caressing the sensitive skin of her inner thighs. His talented hands sparked a fire in her body and made it grow hotter and hotter, until she ached desperately for release.

"James," she whispered, his name an anguished plea.

Slowly his fingers slipped higher, sliding through her auburn curls, then finally stroking her slick, wet folds. A throbbing, hot pressure built within her, an unbearably sharp knife edge of pleasure. And then suddenly the pressure burst in a hard, hot explosion, an inferno that made her sob with overwhelming pleasure.

She collapsed back against the side of the tub, breathing hard. After a few moments she became aware that James was watching her.

"Annie," he said at last, softly, "I have to decide what I should do."

"I thought we already decided what we should do," she said lazily. "We're getting married, remember'"

"I meant that I need a job. And not merely as your housekeeper. I cannot live off your charity forever."

Annie lifted a shoulder. "That's part of marriage, James. I'll support you until you find something to do."

"But what can I do' My job skills are quite limited, and I have no references."

"Susan might be able to get you some fake references."

"I do not want to presume on Susan more than necessary." James looked thoughtful. "You once suggested I could be a male model."

Annie looked at his broad chest, beaded with water, and nodded. "Yeah, you probably could have a fabulous modeling career. We'd just have to get a portfolio together for you."

"A portfolio'"

"A collection of photographs. It shouldn't be difficult, if that's what you'd like to do."

"I simply want to find gainful employment. Modeling sounds like an acceptable career." James hesitated. "And what about children'" "What about them, James' You can't have them. I'm willing to marry you anyway." "I am glad to hear that. But I love children, and so do you. I seem to recall seeing that there are many unwanted children in your time. Is it not possible to'" He frowned momentarily as he searched for the correct term, then his expression lightened. "To adopt one'" The thought sent a thrill through Annie. "I hadn't thought about it," she said slowly. "But it might work. They'll check your papers pretty thoroughly, though, so we'll need to make sure they'll stand up under scrutiny."

"I suspect Susan is extremely thorough." "I think you're right." Annie smiled. "That's a really good idea, James. You're right'there are a lot of kids in the world n.o.body wants." James grinned, reached across and caught her by the waist, and placed her on top of him, slos.h.i.+ng water everywhere. "I am glad you agree."

He was hard again, and she slid easily onto him. He felt unbelievably good, deep inside her, and a flood of love washed over her, so intense she could barely stand it. "G.o.d, I love you," she said against his chest. "And you'll make a fabulous father."