Authors: Allie Ritch
When his last appointment came in late that afternoon, he finished the guy up on one of the treadmills near the far end of the room. From there, Quinn could catch glimpses of Xindra teaching her martial arts class. She was in a glass-front room a few doors down, and gods was she beautiful. He watched her demonstrate a sweeping kick that made her look like she was dancing through water. Then she smiled and applauded her student when the girl used the move to down her opponent. Knowing he was just another love-stricken sucker, he sighed in appreciation.
Quinn reluctantly returned his attention to his trainee. “Three more seconds. That’s it. Three, two, one. Good. Now hit the showers and make sure you hydrate.”
His client, who’d only recently lost the cadaverous look he’d originally arrived with, managed a weak nod before he chugged his way back to the locker room.
“He didn’t throw up on you this time,” a female voice said. “Must be newlywed luck.”
Quinn turned to see Mera, who taught a combination aerobics and gymnastics course here at the gym. The Oquaran female was a stunning woman with a lithe swimmer’s build and glittering silver hair, but she was one of the few females he’d never put a move on, even before he’d hooked up with Xindra. Although she definitely seemed attracted to men, she also came across as a bit wary of them. He wondered if she’d been hurt by someone. Xindra, who was firm friends with the other woman, had mentioned some bad experiences.
He offered her a warm smile. “That wasn’t luck. That’s just what good training can do.”
Mera’s laugh was as gentle as trickling water. She dropped her bag and came close enough to give him a peck on the cheek. “It’s good to have you two back. I felt like I didn’t really get to tell Xindra how honored I was to be included in the wedding. Being part of her Allurian bridal escort was a lot nicer than playing Oquaran handmaiden at my cousin’s ceremony.”
“She was glad you agreed,” he assured her, knowing it was true. “The wedding was the first thing I’ve ever seen her get all teary over.”
Her grin was slightly mocking. “You can play it cool, but I could have sworn I heard you clearing your throat a few times.”
Despite his reputation as a jaded man, Quinn came close to blushing. “It was a wonderful wedding.”
“But not as wonderful as the honeymoon, I’ll wager.” Mera chuckled mischievously. “The way you two were throwing off sparks with your eyes, I expected you to burn yourselves out and come back limping. If the glow on Xindra’s cheeks is any indication, you sure tried your damnedest. I almost wish I could have been there to see it.”
Quinn jerked one eyebrow up at that, but they were interrupted by his wife’s class letting out. There were still a few stragglers from the aerobics group, but even they disappeared within minutes. Mera ducked in to say a few words to Xindra before hitting the showers herself.
Knowing his wife liked to do her own short workout to finish the day, he stripped off his shirt and moved to one of the weight machines to do some reps. He always liked the end of the day, when the music shut off and all the other employees and customers went home. The peace and quiet put him into a sort of meditative state, forcing him to focus on the physical and clear his mind. He was so lost in what he was doing, in fact, that he didn’t notice his wife was watching him until she stood only a few feet away. Her eyes were glued to his taut abdomen as he froze mid curl.
“You are so freaking lickable.” She flicked her tongue against her lower lip for emphasis.
“I’m sweaty,” he pointed out just to say something. He lay back without taking his gaze from her face.
“I like you sweaty. Watching you strain makes me hot.”
The way she was devouring him with her gaze was making him downright molten. “You seem to have energy to burn. Perhaps you need a professional to give you a proper workout.”
“Mmm. Maybe.”
Sauntering over to him, she straddled him where he lay against the flat bed of the exercise machine and lowered herself until she was sitting on his covered erection. A tortured hiss escaped him as she made contact.
“I’d need someone strong and firm,” she teased him. “I wouldn’t want him to go easy on me, and he’d have to have lots of stamina.”
He was already reaching up to pull off her shirt. “You’ll have to earn your rewards. I’ll work you very hard.”
Quinn pushed up her exercise bra until her breasts popped free. Her nipples were already budding for him. His eyes crossed when she began to rock herself against his lap, but he still zeroed in on one of her areolas with unfailing accuracy. He made her whimper with nothing more than a lick and suck.
“Now,” she demanded. “I’m already warmed up.”
“Damned right, now.”
Sitting up, he lifted her like she was weightless and swapped their positions so that she was the one sprawled on her back beneath him. It was a matter of seconds to whip her shorts off her legs, but he left her running shoes on. For some reason, that struck him as even more erotic than having her fully naked. Not bothering to discard his own clothing, he simply pushed his pants down to free his erection. His dick was so hard it hurt, so full he thought it would rip at the seams. Aiming quickly, he stabbed into her with a fierce uppercut of his hips.
She yelped so loudly he thought he’d hurt her, but her athletic legs tightened behind his buttocks and pulled him deeper. Pleasure didn’t just fill him now. It roared through his blood. He started thrusting helplessly.
“Oh my,” someone exclaimed beside them.
Quinn jerked his head around so fast he heard his neck crack. There was Mera, staring at them with round, twinkling eyes from no more than ten feet away. Although she’d obviously just rounded the corner and stumbled on them by accident, she looked more amused than shocked. What amazed him more, however, was the fact that he couldn’t stop thrusting. He slowed his movements, but he couldn’t be still, and he certainly couldn’t force himself to withdraw. Glancing at Xindra to see if she was embarrassed, he saw her staring up at him with a thoughtful expression.
“Sorry,” Mera said. “I just came back for my bag. I’ll leave you two alone now.”
“Wait.” Xindra sounded remarkably calm.
Her friend stopped.
“I thought Oquarans were at ease with public sex,” Xindra said.
Mera smiled. “We are. My race tends to take each other whenever, wherever, but our lovemaking doesn’t last very long.”
“Neither will this,” Quinn said with a moan.
He was now drawing circles inside his wife with his shaft. Or at least he was trying to, but that ridged sheath of hers had a chokehold on him. He could practically feel his seed entering the chamber, waiting to be shot into her welcoming womb.
“My husband promised me a workout.” Despite the sultry note in her voice, Xindra still sounded relaxed. “Since this is our first public attempt, maybe you’d like to instruct us. You can help make sure we get our aerobics in. He’s certainly gotten into the spirit of the thing.”
She swiveled her hips to demonstrate, which made him hiss and buck.
“Xindra,” he warned.
She was sharing a mischievous glance with her girlfriend.
Quinn expected to see embarrassment on Mera’s face. Instead she looked…oh, gods save him, she looked interested. She was going to do it. She was going to watch them have sex and coach them like this was some indoor sport. The very idea should have had him flagging with shame. To his surprise, it made him throb with eager anticipation.
Mera rubbed her hands together with maniacal glee. “Okay, boys and girls. Since it’s obvious you’ve already warmed up, let’s begin with some lunges. You start, Quinn. Give me twenty.”
Without knowing why he obeyed so easily, he drew out and began to lunge forward in time to her counts. He didn’t think he’d last even that long, but he’d sure go out trying.
Mera counted down. “Fourteen, thirteen. Tighten up those butt muscles on the forward thrust. Ten, nine…”
His heart thundered as he continued, and he nearly lost it when his wife slipped her hand between his working butt cheeks to make sure he was good and tight. To get through it, he had to breathe in the same steady pattern he taught his clients.
“Two, one,” Mera finished. “Now rest. Xindra, your turn. I want pelvic thrusts. Feet shoulder width apart, and lift, down, lift…”
Quinn locked every muscle in his body to keep from moving as his wife worked herself around his shaft beneath him. Never one to skimp on effort, she managed an undulating pattern that held him enthralled as she began to cry out on every new up-thrust. Judging by the quivering of her sheath, she was as close to climax as he was. He ran one hand under her to cup one smooth, rounded buttock as it clenched and unclenched in effort.
“Three, two, one. Good.” Mera didn’t let up. “Xindra, reach up and brace your hands against the bar over your head. That’s it. Now feet wide apart. Quinn, push up on your arms and use your core muscles. Together now. Twenty, nineteen, eighteen…”
Judging by the string of words flowing out of his mouth, both filthy and reverent, Quinn was pretty sure he’d just found religion. They were moving in perfect sync, which meant he could feel the rippling caress of Xindra’s sheath as she danced under him. He could also give her an extra-firm poke every other thrust so that her breasts bounced and her arms shook over her head. They were both grunting and puffing as they raced faster and faster towards culmination.
“Come on!” Mera shouted. “Finish it out. Push it, Quinn. Push it. Push hard. Xindra, feel that burn, honey. Work it; work it. Three, two…”
On the final count, they both seized up. He couldn’t hear anything over his roar as his balls lurched and he hemorrhaged his seed inside her. The orgasm was short and brutal, demanding everything he had in a few potent bursts. Hot and cold waves swept up and down his spine as he tried to clear his vision and regain control. He watched Xindra writhe with one last hard contraction and then collapse.
Mera laughed. “Good workout, you two. Now cool down and hit the showers. If you’ll excuse me, I need to go get laid.”
With that parting remark, she retrieved her bag and walked out, leaving them too boneless and wrung-out to even mutter goodbye.
Chapter Four
Sex Ed
“So did you?” Xindra asked her friend the next day.
They both had ten more minutes before their final classes started, and this was the first chance they’d had to really talk. After that special workout, Xindra was eager to hear what her girlfriend had to say.
“Did I what?” Mera asked innocently.
She snorted. “Did you go get laid last night? You said you were going to.”
Mera shrugged as if to say yes, but that it wasn’t a big deal. “I couldn’t find any Oquarans, so I ended up trying an Allurian male of all things. After watching the two of you go at it, I was already primed, but it just doesn’t work for me with these alien men. I got my orgasms, but now I’m so damn sore I’m not sure it was worth it.”
Immediately, Xindra’s teasing smile disappeared. “He was too rough with you?”
This wasn’t the first time her friend had mentioned being in pain after indulging with a partner. Was she attracted to abusive jerks?
But Mera was already shaking her head. “No, he was fine. It’s just a compatibility issue. I’ve tried sex with more than one race of man, and I’m not built for all this brutal thrusting. Don’t get me wrong. I can see the appeal for other women. The way you and Quinn moved together was really beautiful, mostly because I could see how much you enjoy each other. For Oquarans, though, the male strokes in once, both sexes come instantly, and then he withdraws. If we’re feeling frisky, we might couple half a dozen times over an hour, but there’s not all that constant chafing.”
Xindra was sure she must be goggling. “You never told me that.”
“I told you our lovemaking didn’t take very long.”
“Yeah, but…” But what could she say? “I’m learning all sorts of new things these days.”
“No kidding.” Mera laughed. “You’re not the only one. I still can’t believe you wanted me to watch you and Quinn together. I know we’ve talked about fantasy scenarios like that, but I never thought you’d actually do it or that he’d play along.”
Xindra’s grin was smug and satisfied. “I was surprised myself. He didn’t just go along with it. The moment he realized you were watching, he swelled harder inside me. That’s when I realized the idea of having an audience really did it for him. I think it helped that it was you—for both of us. Having someone safe and trustworthy watch in a familiar environment made it exciting, but still relaxing enough to be fun. The idea of doing it outside for tons of strangers or, gods forbid, being holo-recorded makes me feel ill. I’m sure Quinn wouldn’t like anything like that either.”
“I understand.” Mera touched her arm in reassurance. “To be honest, I’m kind of grateful you included me. Seeing you two together, witnessing the love as well as the lust, it…well, it made me realize what I hope to find for myself one day.” She laughed, sloughing off the sentiment as she lightened her tone. “Besides, I always like working with you. I’m going to miss seeing you every day now that we’re heading into our slack season. Just what we get for living in a transient area, huh?”
Xindra agreed with a wince. “I’m still working on a game plan this year. Quinn has more temporary clients than I do, so his income will be hit the hardest. Usually I do all right, but I’m losing three of my permanent students in a few weeks. One couple is moving off-planet, and Yizzy Ell just lost her job, so she can’t afford any more lessons. Between our honeymoon trip and our new place, we’ve kind of put a dent in our savings too. We can make it, but things could get a little tight if I don’t come up with an extra class.”
Her friend looked sympathetic. “Last year, I thought our interim yoga class would be a real hit. I just don’t understand it. None of the usual fitness programs seem to fare well in the off season—too much competition with the other gyms, I guess. Is there anything else you could teach? For some reason, Balarko dancing seems to be in.”
“Which would be great if I knew that dance,” Xindra retorted. “Unfortunately, that’s not my forte. I’ll have to come up with something else. What are you doing?”