Free Speech

On Deltan Kubra, the rundown alien pleasure station for adults only, romance blossoms again. Austin, a human who works in the smallest and most intimate casino on board, is confronted with everyday situations like troublesome customers. He thinks he has it all under control, but he's distracted by daydreams of Iath, the tall and gorgeous alien security guard. Iath is a sensory psychic and communicates only mentally, so Austin manages to accidentally scare him off just as their flirting gets good. When Iath comes to save him from a situation gone wrong, what will blossom between them?

Warning: This short story contains scenes of an explicit nature between consenting adults and is intended only for an 18+ audience.

Word count: 9,300.

Excerpt:

Iath's eyes flicked past Austin to take in the room behind him before quickly looking back at him. “Will you be fine?”

Austin nodded. He'd manage somehow without his voice, maybe just nap. Unbidden, an image sprang to mind: himself tangled up in Iath's limbs, an arm around him, cuddling him under the blankets...

“Sorry,” Iath quickly added, his ear-ridges completely indigo now, and Austin stared. He'd thought it was his own mind, but was that... something from Iath? “I didn't mean to – I should leave you be. It's just. Yes. You're here now.” Behind his words, Austin could feel something else, but he wasn't quite sure what that was. Iath dropped his arm from around Austin's waist and folded his hands behind himself, standing properly and at attention like he did in the casino.

Austin nodded, missing the warm contact already. He paused, then leaned in and rose up onto his tiptoes, straining up towards him until their lips brushed together.

The contact was warm and electrifying. Iath's lips felt just as smooth as they looked, and somehow Austin's fingers tingled at the brief brush. He kept the kiss lighthearted right now, even though he wanted so much more.

After a few moments, Austin drew back and ducked into his room, smiling.

Iath was still standing there, gradually raising one of his hands to rub at his ear. Then, he raised his hand in an approximation of a human wave. Austin could see his smile widening as he turned to hurry off down the hall.

Austin's door slid closed and he turned to head to the kitchen. A second later, he felt a gentle squeeze of his shoulder and whirled around to take in the empty air around him. Iath, then? He nodded, not sure how to acknowledge and welcome Iath, and then... a quick brush, shy and cautious, of Iath's lips against his own. He could swear he felt Iath's warm breath against his lips for that moment. Then, Iath drew back and broke the connection.