Chapter 10
Teril plotted his wooing of Tasha like a general going into battle. According to his friend Zabron he needed to provide romantic venues, champagne and exquisite foods, also, find something that pleased her and buy it. As he had never been to Paris before he needed help with all of that.
Contacting the Executon of the Interplanetary Pod was his first move. Callem was bonded to an Earthling life-mate, whom he had wooed successfully in a very short time—that was the one he needed to get help from, he decided. Added to that, Callem was a linguist of incredible abilities and had travelled extensively throughout Europe. He would know where the romantic venues were---maybe. Teeronites weren’t used to having to do the wooing thing.
Luckily, Callem came through as Teril had hoped, and even made the calls from Pod Six, in impeccable French to book everything.
Plans in place, Teril knocked eagerly on Tasha’s door for breakfast the next morning. They had arranged to meet later than usual so as to get some much needed rest. Teril couldn’t wait to get the wooing started now that he had everything organised.
“Good morning sweetheart,” Teril pulled a delighted Tasha into his arms as she opened the door and proceeded to kiss the socks off her. Warm, firm lips captured her mouth as his arms fused them tightly together. Tasha figured she could draw a picture of him in the nude after that, she knew his contours so well.
“Good morning yourself, are you ready for breakfast now?” Tasha didn’t know if she was going to be seduced or fed after that kiss.
“You bet; I have the next two days all planned out for your wooing.” Teril answered with a pleased grin on his, oh, so handsome face.”
“Hmm!” muttered Tasha, “wrong answer.” she finished with a suppressed sigh.
“What was that my love?” Teril turned attentively to look at her as he headed for the stairs.
“Oh nothing, nothing important, just hungry.” Yeah! She thought, for more than food. With a shake of her head and a forced smile, she followed the thick-headed male she was in love with, down the stairs to the dining room. It looked like being a long two days.
By late afternoon Tasha had toured the incredible Louvre, had lunch at one of the best restaurants near there, and was now sitting back, relaxing in a seat at the cafe in the magnificent Luxembourg Gardens. She had to admit that this wooing ritual that the Teeronites had thought up had its up- side.
Even though she had visited the Louvre several times in the past, she had never been there in the company of a loved one. Thrills of excitement had run up and down her spine, as they wandered through the rooms hand in hand, and Tasha introduced him to her favourite paintings and sculptures. Lunch had been more of the same, with food to die for in an elegant setting.
Tasha was curious about dinner as he’d hinted at something special and appeared to be hard pressed to contain his excitement. She had tried several times to get the secret from him but, he just smiled and kissed her, which blew the question out of her head for another hour.
Teril tugged on her hand as he rose from his seat and spoke for the first time in several minutes. They’d been mesmerised by the atmosphere of this Parisienne oasis.
“Let’s wander through the gardens for a while, it’s so beautiful here and we have an hour or so before we need to change for dinner. No wonder so many of the students from the Sorbonne come here for lunch.”
“Mummn! Good idea,” Tasha murmured in reply. She was too affected by the lazy, contented feel of the park’s atmosphere, to want to leave yet.
The next hour passed in a haze of love and contentment, Teril stopping often to wrap Tasha in his arms and whisper heated words of love. Tasha felt surrounded by an invisible bubble that blocked out everyone and everything except the two of them and their love. Finally, after one such heated kiss in the shade of the trees Teril reluctantly put a little space between them, as he checked the time.
“We have to leave now, my love,” he groaned into her silky neck, hot breath scorching her ear as he tried hard to gather his thoughts. “We need to be ready to leave for dinner in two hours time.”
“OK,” mumbled Tasha. She really didn’t want to move from this enchanted spot but, it seemed the Teeron courting ritual ran to a time table. Damn, whoever conceived this ridiculous system wanted shooting. Frustration would probably kill her before she managed to get this Teeron Terror into her bed.
Two hours later Teril didn’t know whether to swallow his tongue, cough or simply choke to death as he took in Tasha in all her finery. She had mentioned days ago that she always carried a dressy outfit in the bottom of her backpack, however, she had failed to mention that it made her look like a fiery siren. Teril had been filled with desire at his first look as she opened her door.
The knee length, silky, black outfit caressed her curves then flared out into a flirty little skirt. The bodice had looked quite restrained at first glance, with its high boat neck and long fitted sleeves. That was, if you were blind and failed to notice the full breasts outlined by the closely fitting material. But, when she turned to lock her door that was when he almost lost his power of speech. Her copper hair, shot with glints of gold and amber, cascaded down her slender back in soft waves, a back that was made naked to the waist, by the cut of her backless dress.
“Hail Hera, what happened to the back of your dress?” He finally managed to sputter out.
“Do you like it?” Tasha did a little twirl in front of him, her emerald eyes gleaming up at him as she leant in on her high heeled sandals to give him a quick kiss.
“I think I’m going to have to set down a few rules if I want to have any peace of mind,” Teril answered with a wry grin. “First would be that you never wear that dress anywhere without me. Second would be, that you kiss me again before we head out,” he smiled as he leaned in to seal her lips with a sensual kiss of desire. Tasha was sure that flames were shooting out of her ears by the time his lips left hers, and his hands stopped burning into her naked back.
“Hot damn, I think this evening just got off to a great start,” she gasped as breath rushed back into her starved lungs.
Teril laughed happily as he led her downstairs to what he hoped would clinch the deal for him.
Tasha stepped outside the front entrance of the hotel, then, stopped dead in her tracks. “Teril, is this your surprise, please say it isn’t here for someone else?” she pleaded. He smiled his agreement, bowing and waving her towards the equipage, well pleased by her reaction.
Standing, gleaming and sumptuous, was an open, shiny black carriage drawn by a large black horse. The burgundy velvet upholstery beckoned warm and inviting, as did the matching rugs draped over the back of the seats, waiting to wrap them in their warmth. But, the first thing that caught Tasha’s attention was the beautiful black carriage horse.
“Oh, you sweetie,” she murmured softly, as she ran her hand over the horse’s velvety neck and rubbed under his jaw. A soft snuffle and gentle nibble of his lips on her hand was her reward for the caress. Swinging back to Teril, eyes gleaming with happiness, she held out her hand to be helped into the carriage.
“I take it you’re pleased with my surprise,” he grinned, content with her reaction.
“Oh, you darling man, I couldn’t have dreamed of anything more perfect than this.”
“Good, now come here and enjoy the ride,” as he finished speaking he tugged her back beside him and wrapping his arm around her shoulders, snuggling her into his warmth for the length of the drive.
For the next two hours they were entertained to the streets of Paris as very few people are. They rode through the cobbled back streets of Paris and on to the Louvre, all lit up and sparkling in the moonlight; around the Place de Concorde and then on up the Champs Elysees and finishing at the Eiffel Tower, where Tasha alighted as if in a dream.
Teril led her over to the lift that ascended to the restaurant.
“You will have to help me out here, my love,” he smiled ruefully. “You’ll need to inter
pret for me now. I’ve managed to book and pay for everything with the help of my Executon, but now I need you to get us up to the restaurant where I have dinner arranged.”
Tasha smiled mistily at his fallen expression. “You couldn’t have planned a better night out. I’ve never been spoiled so much, and you know the language thing, is a no brainer for me.”
The ride up to the restaurant was made quickly and easily with them both marvelling at the terrific view both inside and out. Tasha looked around the room at the elegant women with their very sophisticated escorts but, felt absolutely no envy. One thing was for sure, thought Tasha she had the most handsome, caring escort in the restaurant.
After they were seated Tasha remembered something he had said earlier.
“Teril, what’s an Executon? You haven’t mentioned him before.” Tasha was curious about this unknown person.
Teril smiled at her interest. “The Executon is the commander of an Interplanetary Research Pod. In my case it’s Callem Radinor; he’s also a phenomenal linguist who probably knows nearly as many languages as you. He’s the one I appealed to for help arranging all of this.”
Taking both her hands in his across the table he squeezed them, rubbing his thumbs over her knuckles in a gentle caress. “Enough of boring logistics, I want to concentrate on you, and only you, for the rest of the night. This is our night to remember.”
Tasha melted, and stayed that way all through the fabulous dinner, and right up to the minute when Teril served her a glass of champagne with a gorgeous diamond and emerald ring in it. With a cry of delight she fished it out of the glass and handed it to him.
“Please put it on for me,” she whispered, too choked with love to think past the moment.
Taking her hand, he placed the ring on her finger, it fit perfectly and he felt relief soar through his body, leaving a feeling of euphoria behind. Then, one by one, he slipped each finger into his warm mouth and slowly sucked the wet champagne from them. Tasha had never felt anything more erotic in her life. No way was this man going to escape her clutches, he wanted a life-mate and that’s what he would get.
“I hope this means that you just proposed to me because, I’m saying ‘yes’ most definitely yes and forever.” Tasha smiled through a mist of happy tears.
“I hope the tears mean you’re happy and not regretting your decision already.” He teased.
“I’m going to make sure we’ll both be happy for the rest of our lives.” vowed Tasha.
They left the restaurant soon after, with the congratulations of the whole staff ringing in their ears.
The carriage waited patiently below for them, just where it had let them out; the driver having used the time to put the top up, giving them privacy on the return trip. As soon as they were inside Teril pulled her into his arms and kissed her urgently in a fever of need and desire. She went willingly. Long minutes passed before either of them spoke again.
“Hail Hera, I need you so much, I don’t know how I’m going to wait for our life-mating ceremony.” groaned Teril
Tasha laughed happily, sure that this man could, and would, do anything necessary to make her courting perfect. She really needed to get to the bottom of how this Teeron courting ritual had come into being. One thing for sure--- she was never going to reveal that it wasn’t needed and spoil the moment for future couples.
The next thirty six hours passed in a haze of love and shared memories, unfortunately it ended all too quickly, and long before she was ready to leave Paris she was saying ‘goodbye’ to Teril at the CDG airport. Teril held her close as he promised to be waiting for her when she de-planned in Australia.
“I’m going to be there as you come through the doors in Brisbane; nothing can stop me from being with you again as soon as possible,” he kissed her desperately before continuing. “I’ll spend the waiting time arranging our life-mate ceremony on Teeron and a formal marriage here on Earth. I’ll contact everyone on Pod Six, and your brother Jethro. Is there anyone else you want to invite to the Earth wedding?
“There’s no one else left in our family,” Tasha replied a little sadly. “We’re a family that until now only produced one child each generation. Also, Jethro is the first boy to be born in over a hundred years.” Teril grinned sexily into her sad eyes before replying.
“Maybe we’ll change all that, maybe those quads are going to be real.” Tasha’s eyes immediately lit up as she considered that scenario.”
“Well, we can try really, really hard to make it come true.” She grinned cheekily in reply, as she threw herself into his arms for one last tender embrace before going through check-in.