“Quill?”

“It’s behind my front teeth. I can let it out and retract it in an instant. It releases a powerful serum into your body.” His hands slide down to my biceps. “You should start to feel even more bound to me.”

Jesus. I think he’s right. In addition, my nipples are hard points. I’m pretty sure I’ve been slowly growing more aroused by the moment since he approached me, but now I’m acutely aware of it. My breasts feel heavy, and there’s no way he could miss the bumps of my nipples against the front of my dress.

Why had I thought leaving the house without a bra was a good idea? Now I can’t hide my arousal.

Ganrax inhales deeply, taking his time. His eyes glaze over as he does so. It’s mesmerizing and strange at the same time.

“Are you smelling me?” I ask.

“Mmm. Definitely. And you smell so divine. Your arousal is potent and making my mouth water.”

I clamp my thighs together. My dress is so very short. Another poor choice on my part apparently. I wonder if he picked me because I looked like a sure thing. “I’m not the kind of woman who has sex on the first date,” I blurt out, hoping to make myself clear.

I have no idea why I feel the need to say something like that. It’s not even true. Not tonight anyway. I have little doubt this night will end with this enormous man inside me.

The thought makes my pussy tingle. Wetness is soaking my thong. To make matters worse, I’m confident Ganrax knows this.

He kisses my neck again. “We will not be dating, Little one.”

“We won’t?” My voice sounds absurdly high-pitched. My brain isn’t firing on all cylinders.

“No, Ava. You’re mine, Baby girl. It’s done. But I won’t rush you to have sex with me. When you’re ready, I’ll claim you fully.”

He won’t rush me? He’s already rushing me. My knees are about to give out. And he’s still calling me Baby girl. “Ganrax, I’m not a Little.”

He lifts his face to meet my gaze, hesitating several seconds while mesmerizing me with his penetrating green eyes. It’s like he’s hypnotizing me. “I’d like you to call me Papi,” he whispers.

My eyes widen, and I rub my neck where he pierced me. “You’re not listening to me. If you’re looking for a Little, you need to find another woman. You might be able to work your juju magic on me with your weird quill thingy, but this won’t work out in the long run if you’re looking for a Little.”

His jaw tenses slightly. “It will work out, Baby girl. It’s fated. You can fight it, but it’s a battle you will lose.” His hand is on my neck again, stroking my pulse point, making my head spin. “We’re going upstairs now, Little one.”

One second my feet are planted on the floor in the corner of this loud room; the next second, I’m in his arms, cradled against his chest, being whisked from the noisy dance floor.

“Ganrax. Please. We should talk about this.”

He keeps walking, his steps wide, fast, and determined. He opens a door and steps out of the main room. As soon as the door closes behind us, silence welcomes us.

My ears are ringing from the abrupt change in volume. I’m grateful for the reprieve. It will help my mind settle. But I’m confident letting him take me upstairs is a bad idea. “Please put me down.”

Ganrax lowers me to my feet, but he keeps an arm wrapped tight around me.

I realize we’re facing an elevator, and it opens a moment later. I really need to stand firm on this issue, so I duck and squirm free of him, stumbling backward until I run into the wall.

Glancing around, I realize we’re in a hallway of some sort. It’s white and pristine. My God, the man towering over me is huge. He’s seven and a half feet tall and broad. He’d make any woman on Earth drool. Starting with me.

I shake my head to clear it, failing. “Let’s talk about this,” I insist.

He reaches out with one hand and strokes a lock of my hair. Even that miniscule contact makes my panties wet. He’s cast a spell on me. “We’ll talk, Little one. Every day for the rest of our lives. I know you’re confused, and you have a million questions. I will answer all of them in time.” He holds out a hand. “Please come to my apartment with me.”

I shake my head and dig in my heels. “I’m a grown woman, Ganrax. Twenty-four years old. I have a college degree and a full-time job as a graphic designer. Will I be able to get a job doing that on your planet?” I’m grasping at straws here. I can sense this thing between us is inevitable, but I don’t want him to steamroll me. I need him to understand I’m not submissive.

He steps closer, still toying with a lock of my hair. For some reason, it feels like he’s touching me directly as if my hair has sensation. “You won’t need to work on Eleadia, Little one.”

“Grrr.” I stomp my foot. “Stop calling me Little one. I’m not Little.”

“You are to me, Ava. It’s a common term of endearment on Eleadia. Most Papis call their Littles Baby girl or Little one.”

Flames are coming out of my head. “But I’m not Little,” I shout.

He doesn’t flinch. In fact, he’s kind of smiling, or smirking, and he lifts a brow. “Do you have a lot of tantrums like this ordinarily, Baby girl?”

My face is so hot I think it’s going to explode. I’m so frustrated, and he’s right. I’m having a tantrum. “No. Never. But I’ve never been faced with someone so imposing who wants me to be someone I’m not.”

“You’ll never be someone you’re not, Ava. You’ll always be you. It’s just that I suspect you don’t really know who you are.”

I set a hand on one hip and cock it out to the side defiantly. “And you think deep down I have a hidden Little who is going to submit to you in all ways for the next fifty years.”

“I’m hoping for several centuries, Little one.”

I gasp. “Centuries? Do you not realize the lifespan of a human is about eighty years tops?”

“The lifespan of an Eleadian is far longer, and your body will adjust when we reach my planet. Our scientists believe even the human females who are moving to Eleadia will live centuries.”

I’m so shocked my eyes are bugging out. “How is that possible?”

“We have cleaner air, richer oxygen, and better nutrition. Our metabolisms are slower. Yours will be, too. The only foods you will ingest will be natural, free of chemicals, and far healthier for your body. You will feel younger and age slower.”

I narrow my gaze. “How old are you?” He looks about thirty.

“One hundred and twenty-five.”

My breath hitches. Is he serious?

He strokes his fingers through my hair before reaching to touch my fingertips with his. The contact sends shock waves through my body. It’s unnerving. Every time he touches me, I feel like I’m falling deeper under his spell.

“Come, Little one.”

He won’t stop calling me that. I can tell I’m not going to be able to dissuade him. He’s asserting his dominance in a firm way.

“Am I really never returning to my apartment?” My lip quivers as I start to absorb the reality.

“No, Baby girl. But I will send someone to retrieve some things for you if you’d like. John will do it.”

“John? The bouncer at the front? He was a condescending ass to me and Mia. If you tell him we got chosen, he’ll laugh for the rest of his life. There’s no way he would be willing to go get anything for us.”

Ganrax narrows his gaze. “No cussing, Little girl. This is your only warning. The next time you use a naughty word, I will discipline you.”