Choosing Theo: The Clecanian Series Book 1

A loud knocking sounded from somewhere. “Just leave it on the porch!” she yelled groggily.

A deep, gravelly voice said, “Leave what?”

Jade shot upright in bed and took in her surroundings. It hadn’t been a bad dream. This was really happening.

A loud crack sounded, making her jump and pull the covers up to her chin.

Theo stepped through the door and glanced at the remnants of a wooden chair. Shit, this guy is strong. His jaw clenched as he looked back toward Jade. “Did you sleep well?”

“What do you care?” Jade glowered.

With thinned lips, he replied, “I’m your husband, and thus required to care.”

“Some husband,” she mumbled.

“Breakfast is ready.”

“Did you poison it?” she said in a sardonic tone.

“No,” he grated through clenched teeth. “I realized you never ate dinner last night after…”

“You accused me of being a spy and using my feminine wiles to seduce you and lure you into a false state of security?” she finished for him.

“Discussion,” he corrected. “After our discussion.”

Jade snorted. “I would love to see you discuss your problems with Zikas.”

A muscle ticked in his jaw, indicating his rising anger. “I came to tell you breakfast is ready. You can come down on your own, or I can carry you there. Your choice.”

“You can’t—” She started to argue but stopped when he took a step toward her. “Fine! Fine! I’ll be down in a minute.”

Theo exited the room without a word.

Jade used the bathroom and washed the sleep out of her eyes, grumbling about Theo all the while. “I made you breakfast.” What did he want? Why suddenly be civil?

Mornings did not agree with Jade. She was a night owl through and through and was often grumpy in the morning. This morning was particularly vexing since she hadn’t gotten much sleep the night before.

After arguments, Jade had the bad habit of stewing. She replayed the scene over and over in her head to figure out what she should have said or done.

When she finally fell asleep last night, her treacherous subconscious had made her dream about steamy encounters in kitchens with one infuriating alien. More than once she’d woken up hovering on the verge of an orgasm.

She was sexually frustrated, tired, hungry, and more than a little pissed. Theo had better watch himself around her today.

When she entered the living room, she spotted him through the windows and groaned. He was stretching shirtless on the patio. Soft, early morning sunlight highlighted every muscle as he flexed.

“Why did you have to be crazy?” Jade sighed, watching him appreciatively. “We could’ve had so much fun.”

Theo turned as if he sensed her watching him. She glanced away and started walking casually toward the kitchen. Spinning in place, she stared at the ground.

She was currently standing in exactly the same spot the stone island had been except now, the area was empty. Her stomach gave a hollow rumble and she decided she’d solve the case of the missing island later.

When she reached the small dining table positioned in front of the windows, she found plates and plates of odd-looking food and a steaming beverage that smelled slightly sweet.

She hadn’t heard him come in when she sensed him standing behind her. Clenching her teeth, she prayed he’d put a shirt on.

“I didn’t know exactly what you liked so I put out a few different things,” he said softly behind her.

“Why are you being nice all of a sudden?” she asked wearily.

“I told you. I’ll play along. You’re my wife. I’m your husband. This is what husbands do.”

Jade turned to look at him suspiciously. Thank God he put a shirt on. She was so aroused and frustrated from her sleepless night that she may have been provoked to jump his bones if he’d come in sweaty and naked.

“What, so you’re just going to treat me well from here on out? After the way you terrorized me last night? Do you expect me to just forget about it?”

Crossing his arms over his chest, he said, “I didn’t say that. I’ll treat you like a wife but I’ll be watching you closely. If you are a spy, you won’t get what you came for. If you’re not a spy, then you’ll spend three uneventful months with me.” He shifted his shoulders and added, “Yesterday was…unexpected. I behaved badly, and I apologize.”

Jade was unconvinced. “What evidence do you have that makes you think I could be a spy?”

“The fact that you’re standing in my house as my wife is evidence enough for now. If there’s more, I’ll find it.”

Jade rolled her eyes, “So in other words, none. You have nothing. Which means you’re just one paranoid alien and I’ll have the pleasure of being the subject of your paranoia for the next few months. Great.”

Apparently done with their conversation, he declared, “I’m going for a run. I’ll be back soon.”

“Aren’t you worried I’ll rifle through your things while you’re gone? Report back to my contacts using my nonexistent communication device?” Jade quipped.

All Theo said before leaving was, “I’ll know if you do.”

***

Cebo bounded around Theo’s legs excitedly when he entered the small domed guesthouse.

Squatting down, he said, “Sorry you have to be locked up in here.” He scratched behind his ears. “Females don’t like animals in their home.

“Want to go for a run with me? I need to clear my head.”

Cebo barked in response and then tore out of the house, Theo on his heels.

Theo dodged trees and hurdled fallen limbs as he sped through the forest. Running helped him clear his mind, and boy did he need a clear mind at this moment.

His last plan, allowing Jade to incriminate herself, hadn’t worked well at all. He found he was unable to control his reactions around her, which was highly concerning.

No, he’d have to approach this problem differently. She didn’t scare easily, that was for sure. In spite of himself, he admired her courage.

The way he’d spoken to her last night would’ve caused many males to cower in fear and tell him whatever he wanted to know. In fact, a handful of unlucky males had done just that when faced with his rage.

Pain would probably get her talking. He waved that thought away. I couldn’t hurt a female. Would never want to.

Starve her?

No.

Lock her up?

No

He couldn’t use any of the methods of information extraction he was used to using. Frustration caused him to pick up speed. Cebo fell behind.

What she’d said this morning was right. He had no real evidence that she was a spy. He needed to remember that and not let his erratic emotions punish her more than she might deserve.

Recalling her responses to his accusations last night got him thinking. She claimed to have been abducted from Earth and brought here directly. From what he could gather, she also acted as though everything she experienced here was foreign to her.

The look of wonder on her face as she’d walked through his home would’ve been difficult to fabricate. She’d stared incredulously at basic items he’d never given much thought.

He needed to make sure she was put into situations that surprised her and forced her to drop her act, if one existed.

Coming to a stop, he grinned as an idea formed.

In order to keep up this ruse, she’d have to pretend to have little knowledge of how a husband and wife behaved. If he told her, for example, that a husband was required to massage his wife nightly, she wouldn’t be able to contradict him without giving herself away.

She claimed she liked his scars. His cock gave an involuntary twitch when he recalled her saying that she wanted to lick them.

If he came in close contact with her enough, her disgust would surely come through and she’d have to admit that she was lying about finding him attractive.

He needed more, though. He had to make sure she wanted to leave badly enough to come clean.

Ecstatic at having finally caught up, Cebo licked every part of Theo he could reach.

Glancing down at Cebo and grinning widely, he said, “I think I’ll start with you.”