Novel

April23, 2019

Keywords

• Bondage
• Dom/sub
• Dominant male
• M/m
• Memory of abuse
• Submissive male
• Science Fiction
• Soldier
• Suspense
• Tail Sex

Expedition, Estimation, and Other Dangerous Pastimes

Tuk-Palteia Liam has survived the front lines of a civil war and a return visit to his home planet, but now he has to face the ultimate obstacle. Stubborn lovers.

As long as Liam and Ondry have the same goals—the pursuit of profits and status—they are the perfect partnership. But now Ondry wants to protect his palteia at any cost, even if it costs him his newly won rank. Liam hates the idea of Ondry sacrificing for him, and he is not going to allow Ondry to lose status under any circumstances. Add in the Imshee, a predatory companion animal, a new human, and an obstinate Grandmother, and Liam has the recipe for a serious headache. Despite what Ondry believes, not all problems can be solved with a good trade, a tail or a flash of tooth. This time, Liam and Ondry are going to need to find a compromise.

Review at Dear Author

I just felt that characters became even more complex in this book. Liam learned a lot about Rownt and in some ways is behaving like one, but he is still making discoveries about how Rownt view the world and sometimes being surprised by those, but also learning how to turn those discoveries to his own advantage in his arguments with Ondry.. READ MORE

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

The author shows Liam and Ondry established in their relationship of mutual trust and love. Liam’s confidence has grown and as Liam has become more Rownt in his thinking, Ondry has also become more human in his. Ondry has also gotten even more overprotective the more he reads human medical texts. If fact, the whole reason for this book is fear of human physiology and aging–Ondry wanting Liam’s lifespan to be more compatible with his and for Liam to be less breakable. READ MORE

Liam snuggled into the pile of pillows. The ship’s engines were too soft to hear, but when his fingertips brushed the edge of the nest, the slightest vibration reached him. He sighed two seconds before his brain registered the stretch in his ass. “What—?” Liam didn’t get any further before Ondry wiggled the tip of his tail. It pressed against Liam’s prostate, and every ounce of sleep fled. “Oh fuck!” Liam gasped.

“I believe that is the correct translation,” Ondry said in a smug voice. Then he sniffed at Liam’s neck. That should not have been sexy, but every time Ondry took pleasure in Liam’s body—in controlling it, or smelling it—Liam got hard. Every time. Liam tried to reach up and stroke Ondry’s arm, but Ondry pressed down on him, trapping Liam in the nest of pillows.

Liam wiggled and then yelped as Ondry thrust his tail in farther.

“Oh God.” Even though he was pinned, Liam arched his back and kicked out. He hit the edge of the nest with his toe and cursed again, this time in pain.

Ondry flipped him over and tucked Liam into the center of the nest. “You should not hurt yourself.”

“It wasn’t intentional,” Liam said.

Ondry’s tail slid out of Liam’s body, and Liam couldn’t contain the small whine.

“Humans break too easily.” Ondry shifted so he knelt near Liam’s knee before he brought the wounded toe up for inspection.

“At least we don’t die from swelling,” Liam countered.

“No, your skin splits, which is deeply upsetting.” Ondry laved Liam’s injury with his thick tongue.

When the tip slid between Liam’s toes, a laugh burst out. Ondry stopped, his eyes wide in confusion. Hoping to retrieve his foot before Ondry could put two and two together, Liam tried to jerk himself free, but Ondry was far too strong.

His eyes grew even larger before he tentatively licked Liam’s foot again. This time, the soft touch ran up the arch before ending between Liam’s second and third toes, and Liam lost himself in a fit of wild laughter. He was still gasping when Ondry settled his weight on top of him.

“You smell pleased, but your breathing is irregular enough to distress me.” Ondry supported most of his weight on his elbows, but he still rested enough on Liam’s chest to pin him.

Liam took several breaths before he could answer, and then he had to fall back into English. “I’m ticklish.”

“What sort of response does that require?” Ondry asked.

Liam was endlessly comforted by Ondry’s habit of asking for clarification when confused. “You don’t have to respond at all. Some humans are ticklish and some aren’t.”

“And what is the function of ticklish?”

“I have no idea.” Liam wondered if the medical database the Rownt had traded for would have that information, but he didn’t know, since it wasn’t a medical issue.

“Is it pleasure-based?”

Liam should have anticipated the question. Ondry did tend to evaluate everything in terms of how much profit it earned or how much pleasure it brought Liam. The ilsil and status were the only pleasures he cared about for himself. “A little is pleasurable,” Liam admitted. “Too much makes me feel like I can’t breathe and distresses me.”

Ondry paled. “Have I caused distress?”

“No.” Liam rested his palms against Ondry’s face. “I smell of pleasure because I liked that small amount.” He frowned as he questioned his use of a quantity qualifier with an action, but he trusted that Ondry understood what he meant.

Ondry’s cheeks tightened in pleasure. “Then I have traded your injured toe for a pleasure. That is a good trade.”