Wanderlust Read online

  “Nope, just me. I’m okay, though.”

  “Then it’s fate that I’m here. I’m at your service.” Ryder waved his arm in an exaggerated flourish, grinning as he bowed before me like I was royalty.

  “Seriously, you don’t have to. I’m sure you’ve got better things to do.”

  “More important than helping a pretty girl carry heavy boxes?” He winked.

  His comment made me giggle. “I don’t know about the pretty part, but you’re more than welcome to help with the lifting.”

  Brow rising slightly, he didn’t say anything. Instead, he reached into the trunk and began building his own formidable stack. Watching as his muscles flexed beneath the light t-shirt he was wearing, I secretly thanked my lucky stars. This afternoon suddenly looked much, much brighter.

  “Well, once we’re done, I insist on making you something to eat—or drink—if you’re not hungry.”

  “I’d like that.” Again, the thousand-watt smile made my stomach dip.

  Finally retrieving my dropped items, I led the way, hoping Heather was upstairs. I wasn’t ready to share Ryder, yet. I wanted him all to myself—even if it was just for the next few hours.

  If everything went well, there was a good chance he’d also become my first friend.

  Chapter Two

  Ryder

  She was embarrassed and I liked it. But I wasn’t sure why I liked it. Maybe it was the way her capillaries flushed in a blood rush of pigmentation, signaling that she was hyperaware of me. I could feel the heat radiating from her, her temperature increasing. According to everything I knew about human anatomy, it was obvious to me what she was feeling—attraction.

  I couldn’t stop smiling as I followed her into the house. I liked the feeling she projected inside me. Physically, I didn’t manifest attraction for the opposite sex in the same manner as humans. Wanderers operated on a more empathic level, internalizing the feelings and frequencies projected into the air around us.

  Her feelings were strong, sliding over and seeping into my skin as if she were stroking me. It was intoxicating.

  Desire and attraction—I wasn’t a stranger to either of those. Having traveled to and from many civilizations, I’d satisfied my personal lustful cravings on many occasions. Curiosity was natural for my race, and we were eager to experience what was out there—in all forms.

  Still, in spite of the many lifetimes I’d lived, there was one emotion I’d yet to find and experience for myself. Love. I’d often thought it would naturally accompany one of those physical relationships, but it never had. True, I’d made some great friendships, but nothing beyond that. I was on the verge of believing love was a myth.

  However, glancing over the backside of Skylar Blue, I realized I was totally okay with just having a close physical relationship.

  “So, what brings you to Arista?” I asked, wanting to learn more about her. Her long red hair swayed against the small of her back as she walked and I was jealous of the way it caressed her. She seemed so casual, yet there was something sweetly seductive about her at the same time.

  I realized, then, it was innocence I felt. She was emotionally trusting, unguarded, and not afraid to show her true colors. Many of the humans I’d met, so far, kept pieces of themselves tucked away, hiding secrets inside. Not Skylar. She was like reading an open book and it was refreshing. It made me want to know more.

  “I’m an art student,” she replied, answering my question. “There’s a school I’ve wanted to attend, here, for ages. Plus, this area is so beautiful. It’s an artist’s dream.”

  “Really? I’d love to see some of your work.” An artist. That made so much sense. In my travels, it was always the artistic ones who sent out the strongest vibes. No matter where I went, what planet I was on, creative people always bordered on being empathic, themselves. It was like they actually felt everything around them—they weren’t just moving through their world, they were experiencing it.

  What she told me made sense, but it surprised me, too. There didn’t appear to be any darkness inside Skylar. She operated completely from a place of light. Many artistic souls I’d met in the past drew upon the dark places inside them for inspiration, creating from the agony they’d experienced. A sudden wave of fierce protectiveness washed through me. I didn’t want to see Skylar ruined like that. She was like a breath of fresh air.

  It was in that moment that I made up my mind to study her in detail. To me, she was an anomaly in the Universe, a brighter being than I was used to seeing. I wanted to find out why. I wanted to learn everything about her—from her upbringing and experiences to touching her beautiful, curvy body, to testing our physical compatibilities, which I was certain would be very pleasurable, as well.

  Chuckling internally, I shook my head. At least no one could accuse me of taking too much time to make up my mind. I was looking forward to this new project.

  ***

  Turning the steaming mug in my hands, I briefly stared down at the brown liquid. Even though a great majority of the human race seemed quite fond of coffee, I couldn’t quite grasp what was so amazing about it. The drink was strong and bitter, and I had yet to experience the promised stimulant it supposedly provided.

  However, one look at Skylar sitting across the table was pretty damn stimulating. Essence of attraction flowed through me, heightening sensations that made my body react to her on a very primitive level. I wanted to mate with her.

  It had been my experience in the past that women from Earth generally required a little more contact before they would consent to physically join with another. I found it interesting that they seemed eager to make the opposite sex work for their attentions. Races from many other planets found the physical act of coitus to be mutually beneficial for both parties. It was not unheard of for two who’d just met to become one for a short time. The act reduced stress, increased blood flow, and released endorphins that improved moods. Sex with strangers was not taboo in these worlds—in fact, it was encouraged.

  Interestingly though, there was the possibility of disease being passed through sexual relations here on Earth. This was something new, and I often wondered what had happened to mutate things to the point of transmitting unhealthy organisms. I wasn’t worried for myself. It wasn’t in my genetic make up to contract such things. I was immortal—a race completely apart from the humans—but that didn’t stop my fascination with these rare creatures and their world. They seemed to constantly teeter between success and utter destruction. My goal was to figure out which way they’d go.

  But all that could wait. Right now I was completely captivated by something else. Skylar’s perfect lips were pursed together and a small moan escaped her as she swallowed. I’d never enjoyed coffee as much as I was enjoying it right now; and I hadn’t touched a drop.

  “So, your roommate . . . is she a friend or family?”

  Glancing around quickly, Skylar lowered her voice and leaned forward. “Neither. I met her for the first time right before I ran into you. The realtor vouched for her; but honestly, she seems a little frightening. Is it bad that I sort of hope she keeps to herself?”

  Chuckling, I shook my head before lifting my mug and forcing myself to take a healthy swallow of the offensive liquid. “I don’t think so, but hopefully it’ll get better. Sometimes strangers have a hard time warming up, at first.” I thought back to some of the friends I’d made in my travels—people whom, in the beginning, I never thought I’d have any kind of companionship with.

  “You’re a stranger.” Skylar’s voice broke into my musings. “I don’t know you from Adam, yet you’re still sitting here, having coffee, after helping me unload my car and get settled in.”

  I’d been here long enough to know this “Adam,” to whom she was referring, was some sort of biblical figure believed to be the father of all human life on this planet.

  “Didn’t you have plans today?” she added. “Oh my gosh! I didn’t take you away from something important, did I?” Her eyes widened, sparkl
ing like the blue nebulas of the Tartaran intergalactic fields as the light refracted off them. Stars! She was stunning!

  Smiling, I shook my head. “Nothing is more important than helping out a pretty girl.” Again, I downed another swallow of the vile drink, my eyes never leaving her as I carefully watched for her physical reaction.

  Heightened color softly flooded her cheeks and goose bumps rose slightly on her arms. She bit her lip and glanced at her coffee, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear. I hadn’t even touched her and her body reacted in a mass of signals showing her attraction. The empathic part of me was practically drowning in what she was projecting emotionally. For the thousandth time in a matter of two hours, I cursed the dictates of this world, wishing she was like some of the female species I’d lain with in the past. I knew, without a doubt, that intercourse between us would be the stuff of legends. Physically, I could sense that we were extremely compatible and my body was happy to constantly remind me of this. But I was also hyperaware that there was something more—whatever I felt wasn’t just physical—and it seemed different from my past experiences. I looked forward to exploring Skylar. She made me feel so . . . alive. At my age, anything that brought new spark or interest was a good thing.

  “So, do you just run around looking for women to rescue?” she asked, her eyes traveling over me, flitting over the muscles exposed by the shirt I was wearing.

  I nodded. “I have a place the next street over. You caught me while I was out for my morning run.” I didn’t need to run. I was an immortal Wanderer—my body was as timeless as granite, chiseled and honed to perfection. In general, Wanderers were fast. When restless energy coursed through me, my jogs usually consisted of running at the pace of humanity to a place where I wouldn’t be seen and then bursting into speeds that defied the laws of the planet. I particularly like running in places like the Redwood Forest. It was like an obstacle course—racing at breakneck speed, jumping over fallen trees, using my hyper-sensory projection to avoid collisions. Of course, there was also the fact that I had wings—wings she couldn’t see, thankfully, until I chose to reveal them.

  “I’m sorry.” Skylar looked truly remorseful. “I didn’t mean to interrupt your workout.”

  “You didn’t. If I’d wanted to keep going, I would’ve.” Winking, I smiled and she blushed, again. Truthfully, I wished I could continue my workout with her, in her bedroom. “Listen, I’m pretty new around here, too, but how would you like to go out to dinner with me? I’ve found a couple of pretty good places to eat that I think you might enjoy trying.”

  “Tonight?” she asked, looking pleased with the suggestion.

  “Unless you’d rather postpone until another time so you can get settled in?” I didn’t like the idea of postponing the start of this mating game humans seemed so bent on, but lifetimes spent as an immortal did tend to teach one patience. I could wait for her as long as I needed to.

  “No, no. I think tonight sounds just fine. It’ll give me something to look forward to.” She smiled widely and it made her even more beautiful, if that was possible.

  “Great. We have a date then,” I replied, grinning.

  “It’s a date,” she agreed and I realized I hadn’t quite used the slang right. I needed to get with the program. Otherwise I might as well walk down the street wearing a shirt with “ALIEN” stamped on the front of it. I didn’t want to raise red flags before I even got started.

  Standing, I extended my hand, as was customary on this planet. “I’m looking forward to it. Shall I pick you up around seven this evening?”

  “Sure.”

  Slipping her hand into mine, I paused, gripping it tightly and allowing the sexual pheromones she was excreting to seep into my skin, lighting me on fire even more. Again, I fantasized about what it would be like to mate with this girl. Her simple touch promised an explosive encounter.

  I had to force myself to let go. “See you soon.” It was a promise. Nothing was going to get in the way of me being with Skylar.

  “I look forward to it,” she replied. Such simple words, and yet they were the finest I’d heard in eons.

  Jogging down the front sidewalk, I continued on my way to my secret running place. I definitely had some pent-up energy to expel, and I truly hoped no one would notice my obviously pulsating groin as I moved. Gym shorts weren’t exactly the best disguise for . . . how did humans put it . . . a raging hard on?

  Sighing, I decided as soon as I was done with this run, it was time to observe some more television. That was one of the easiest ways for me to learn the customs of this planet; yet it was mildly entertaining, too, so it didn’t seem like work.

  All in all, I’d say my time on Earth was shaping up pretty nicely so far. I was definitely looking forward to seeing what the future held.

  Chapter Three

  Skylar

  How the heck did that happen? Leaning back against the closed door, a goofy smile spread across my face, I scrambled to figure out how I’d managed to score a date with one of the hottest guys I’d ever seen.

  I wasn’t a stranger to crushes or falling under the spell of a local good-looking jock from school. I’d experienced my own heart-fluttering moments when the object of my affections would glance my way or casually nod hello as we passed in the hallway.

  I was used to those tentative first moments where something inside me jumped with excitement, instantly conjuring up a variety of possibilities for later daydreams. They were the cherished seconds that helped fuel my artwork—that certain something that gave it the romantic flare I loved including.

  The term “flirting” seemed to pale in comparison to what just happened. Nothing could’ve prepared me for Ryder. I didn’t know what it was about him, but anticipation bubbled up inside me. Regardless of my first impressions of Heather, Ryder had set everything back to right—restoring my enthusiasm and desire to explore and savor each new experience in my new locale.

  And it all started with him, tonight.

  Taking in a deep breath that evolved into a slightly nervous giggle, full-blown panic set in a second later. He’d be here to pick me up in a few hours and everything I owned was still packed up in the piles of boxes that filled my new bedroom.

  I wanted to dazzle him on our date. He might have seemed fine with my current choice of attire—faded jeans, my favorite Rolling Stones shirt, and hoodie; but this was cause for celebrating. Not only was this my very first night in Arista, it was also what I hoped would be the first of many dates with Ryder.

  Don’t get ahead of yourself, Skylar, I inwardly warned myself, not wanting to get my hopes up in case our newly formed acquaintance found itself in the dreaded friend zone. While there was nothing wrong with that, I’d already started envisioning future make out sessions with him.

  Even though I considered myself somewhat naïve when it came to guys, something told me he was just as interested in me as I was in him. If anything, we’d both have fun figuring out how we each felt.

  It was the magic of falling in love. It was the stuff that melted every romantic bone in my body.

  “Geez,” I groaned, this time out loud. My imagination was already running away from me. If I kept thinking this way, there was no doubt I’d slip up and send Ryder fleeing for his life, by morphing from the helpless girl unloading boxes in the street into a crazy stalker who locked her boyfriends in the basement.

  Returning to my room, I didn’t let the mess inside deter me. Unpacking could wait until tomorrow. While my to-do list continued to grow as I added new things to it, living life in the moment was always a top priority. Preparing for school was mostly covered and, from the research I’d done over the Internet, finding a job shouldn’t be too hard, either.

  ”Fun first, then work,” I announced, glancing about for the pile I’d began for my clothing. My taste in style was eclectic at best—the perfect representation of my quirky personality. I loved being able to dress according to my different moods. Mom used to laugh each morning because she
never completely knew what I’d come downstairs to breakfast wearing—preppy schoolgirl vs. a little Goth, long flowing peasant skirts with a decorative flower clip in my braided red hair vs. my favorite army cargo pants and white tank top.

  She liked to say it was the artist in me that indulged in such widespread diversity. Mom was right, but it was more than that. I loved celebrating the collision of colors and textures. I enjoyed exploring who I was through fashion. If I hadn’t developed such a passion for painting and photography, there’s no doubt I’d have gravitated toward becoming a designer.

  Dumping the contents of the first box onto the bed, I just prayed I could somehow pull off an amazing outfit. It didn’t matter that I told myself that Ryder was just like any other guy, my heart argued back.

  He wasn’t like any other guy. He was more.

  Twenty minutes later, after many frustrated attempts at finding the perfect combination, I was back to lying across the mattress, staring at the ceiling.

  “It can’t be this hard,” I grumbled, puffing the lock of hair from across my eyes. At this rate, however, Ryder would be lucky if I answered the door wearing anything. The thought made me burst into laughter. Yeah, like he would complain, ever. Guys seemed to have an infatuation with skin—the more the better. Maybe that’s the key to a successful first date. Lacy lingerie . . . keep him coming back.

  Pity that wasn’t who I was, no matter the constant prodding from my friends back home. They’d tried to get me all ‘sexified’ for Caleb Tanner, once, with the promise he’d be mine by the end of a party.

  Instead, I’d watched him slink off upstairs with Tiffany Alexander, the girl with the reputation for putting out with anyone who asked. What I’d been wearing hadn’t made one lick of difference, other than making me feel like a whore in heels with bright red lipstick.

  I’d vowed to never change my appearance for a guy after that. They either liked me or they didn’t. There was no way I’d let my self-esteem take such a brutal hit, again.