The constant clicking of keyboards drilled a migraine into my skull. My eyes scanned the large office, desks of employees stretched through the large room, each working away at their stations. Some with clients, others doing file work. I chewed on my lower lip as I looked back at the screen. My eyes blurred. I had been working on this report for my boss for nearly three days and was getting tired of the dull work. Where was the fun in compiling database stats?
Sighing, I glanced at the booklet I was working from and typed next name into the military database.
I had worked for the Military Tracking Unit since my father left for the war with the red planet. The MTU served as a way of keeping track of current and ex soldiers, deceased or discharged. Clients came to us looking for their friends and family, and we did our best to find them.
I didn’t care much for the two human worlds fighting nor did I wish to show any support for it, but my father was the only family I had left, and even though we hadn’t spoken in months, working for the MTU made it easy to keep tabs on him. At least I still knew he was alive.
The war had been waged for nearly five years now, starting when I was only nineteen. The red planet was tired of its treatment from the Earthen leaders, and they rebelled. The whole idea was beyond me, as far as I knew the people of Mars were never mistreated. Though, we had been taught of their selfish nature. Many Earthens’ struggled to believe that the humans on Mars were descended from the same ancestors as ours simply from their entitled attitude. But even they couldn’t deny our resemblance to one another.
The bell over the office door chimed and I glanced up from the screen. Our receptionist, a high school intern named Rosie, stood and greeted the arrival, another client no doubt.
But this one was different, making my stomach do flip-flops. He acknowledged Rosie, then pointed in my direction before heading towards me.
This man was a perfect 6’2, broad shoulders with a uniform that hugged his toned muscles just right. My lips parted and my mouth went dry. Shaking my head to clear the dirty thoughts rushing in, I stood from my chair, clamped my mouth shut and straightened my skirt. Still, my heart pounded against my chest; it wouldn’t be silenced.
When he stood before me, he held his cocoa skinned hand out and grinned. “Major Brody Campbell.”
I swallowed the lump in my throat and grasped his hand, unable to look away from his dark green eyes. “Aspen Reid.”
“I know.” He released my hand and took the chair in front of my desk. “Colonel Jeffrey Reid told me to find you.”
I frowned, lowering myself to my own chair. “I haven’t heard from my father in months.” I flipped my blonde hair over my shoulder before looking back at the screen on my desk.
Brody leaned back in his chair. “I know.”
I raised my eyebrow at him, acting more confident than he made me feel. Still, heat crept up my neck.
God it’s hot in here. I resisted the urge to fan myself.
“Then what would you like?”
A quick glance around the office told me every woman in the room was listening to our conversation. Come lunch, they would all know the name of this fine specimen and each would research all they could on him and his service.
His dark eyebrows knit together. “He said you would help me out.”
I blinked several times, wanting to shake myself. It had been a long time since I found a man this attractive and this one was very distracting. Focus on your job.
I looked back at my computer. “Who do you need to find?”
He leaned forward and glanced around nervously. His dark hair fell into his sight line and a pang of lust swept through me. I shook my head to be rid of it.
“It’s fine,” I said, motioning to the desks surrounding us. “People like you come in here all the time looking for missing family or friends. War sends us to the opposite ends of the world, or in this case, worlds. But if whoever you’re looking for is on Earth, then I can find them.” Major Campbell wasn’t the first of my dad’s friends I’d helped, and he wouldn’t be the last.
Brody cleared his throat, but never said the name. Instead, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a slip of paper, sliding it across my desk.
Again, I raised an eyebrow and took the paper from him. It wasn’t a name, only a six digit number, which was fine. It actually made my job easier. I typed in the number and his information scrolled down the screen in front of me. Marcus Donovan-Roy was his name, though all I cared about was his status and the coordinates attached to him. In bolded letters at the top of his profile it said WOUNDED IN BATTLE and the coordinates were right beside it. 44.908°N, 74.283°W. I quickly screen captured the page with the name, status and coordinates and printed it out for Brody.
“It’s not far from here.” I offered a half smile as he took the paper. “Don’t say I never helped you with anything.”
He frowned. “Why would I?”
I looked away, letting my hair fall back into my sight line and shield my red face. “Never mind,” I mumbled. “An old joke.” God I could be awkward.
Brody stood before me for a few more moments before speaking again. “Well, thanks, it was nice to meet you.”
I watched him disappear out the door.
When he was gone, I returned to my computer screen, opening the database once more. I typed in his name “Brody Campbell” and hit search. It took only a minute to come back empty.
I raised my eyebrow. This man was a major but had no record in the system?
I tried searching my father’s unit, knowing he had a major working with him. This search turned up positive, except for the name. My father’s major was Brent Donovan, and he was recorded as recently deceased.
# # #
Three more days past before I saw Brody again. It was after ten on Friday night, I’d gone for dinner and drinks with some of the ladies after work ended, but I didn’t want to stay late. So few people were around these days, even fewer looking for a good time. Besides, my roommate was visiting her parents who lived two towns over, so I had the house to myself, a welcome change. But when I turned onto my street, I noticed a light on in my front window.
I frowned. Odd. Maybe Janet had decided to stay home.
This, however, proved false when I slipped through the door attached to the garage and saw her car was gone.
Did she leave on a light?
Janet was usually very anal about the environment and saving electricity, so that was unlikely.
Reaching into my purse, I wrapped my hand around the handle of my .25-caliber pistol and held it ready. Then I slipped through garage entrance. Immediately I could see where the was coming from: my sitting room. I drew several slow breaths then crept around the corner and saw Brody sitting on the couch.
“Major Campbell,” I gasped, holding my gun on him and looking around in case he wasn’t alone. “What are you doing here?”
His eyes looked down at the gun, then he held his hands up. “Nice way to greet someone.”
“Excuse me?” I was shocked. “You’re in my house, unexplained. You claim to be military but I have no record of your existence in my company database. Further, my father’s major is dead, so I know you aren’t him. You should consider yourself lucky I didn’t fire a few rounds off on site.”
“You’re right. I’m sorry.” He stood, and I stepped back two paces, keeping the barrel aimed at him. His eyes looked wild, as if something had happened in the past three days.
“You didn’t answer my question,” I said. Despite being as intruder in my home, and a possible liar, he was sexy. I could easily let my mind wander to fantasies of why he came.
“Right.” He released a long breath between closed teeth. “Honestly, I didn’t know where else to go and Colonel Reid said if I was stuck to find you.” His hand slipped into his pocket, and fear rose on the back of my neck for a moment, but he only withdrew a folded piece of paper, a note.
I eyed the letter, interested, but unsure I wanted to be vulnerable to this unknown man. He seemed to sense my wariness, because he placed the letter on the table next to the couch and backed several steps away from me.
“I’m not going to hurt you, Aspen. I have no intention of doing so,” he said. Then he motioned to the letter. “I had nowhere else to go.”
What the hell? Why not home?
I stepped forward, and grabbed the note, managing to unfold it with one hand and scan over the words. It was quite clearly written in my father’s hand, his shorthand, actually. Something I had picked up on many years ago. We often exchanged letters like these.
I read the note three times before looking back at Brody, making sure I had my father’s words right. He didn’t tell me anything reliable, only that I could trust him. Had it not been in his shorthand, I wouldn’t have listened.
I shifted from foot to foot several times before lowering the gun, and flicking the safety before placing it back into my purse.
“Okay,” I said, motioning back at the couch. “You sit there and explain yourself.”
I lowered myself to the armchair across from him. He sat, but looked away, shifting back and forth as if trying to get comfortable.
“Well?”
“Can I trust you?” he asked when he stopped moving.
I scoffed. “I’m certain I’m the one that is struggling with my trust for you at the moment. I’m going on my father’s judgement alone; perhaps you should do the same. He obviously sent you to me for a reason.”
He stared down at his hands and spoke quietly. “Okay, but you can’t freak out.”
I rolled my eyes. “Fine.”
“The reason I have nowhere to go, and why you can’t find my record, is because I’m not from here,” he said.
From here? That makes no sense.
“Yet you’re a major for our army?” My eyes traced down the army outfit he still wore, navy blue, with the Earthen crest on the left breast pocket and three silver lines – two thick, one thin – to indicate his rank. it seemed he hadn’t changed since he walked into my office three days before. He’d definitely showered, however, as his spicy musk was all too distracting even at this distance.
He tilted his head from side to side. “Sort of.”
This guy was so cryptic.
“Can you just say it?” I asked.
“I was born on Mars.”
My gaze shot to him, eyes wide and mouth agape. Then I glanced around quickly, instinct I guess, though no one was around. If anyone found out, they’d kill him, maybe even me for keeping him secret. What was my father’s intention? Further, why was a Marsian on our side? My father had failed to mention this bit of information in his letter. He was always vague with details.
“Does anyone… know?” I asked when my eyes settled back on him.
He shook his head. “No.”
“Then why are you here and dressed like a major?”
“On your father’s insistence. I was caught in a battle waged around Phobos; some even say Earthen ships destroyed much of the small moon,” he said, “Very few Marsian ships survived and much of the debris fell on to the city of Aether.”
I leaned forward in my chair. “Is the war over?” Aether was the planet’s capital. If it had fallen, would the rest of Mars be quick to follow?
“I don’t know.” He looked away. His gaze was filled with pain and sorrow and glistened in the low light. “Aether fell, that much is true. I can’t be sure, but it is likely that Mars will surrender with their capital in ruins.”
“And you’re here because?”
“Your dad offered me a choice.”
A part of me doubted that, remembering the things we’d been taught about Mars. The red planet bred liars, despite this man’s insistence; perhaps he was one and the same. Still, I wanted to know more.
“What choice?”
“Death, or help him.”
“And you helped him?”
Brody looked at me, his green eyes making me melt and momentarily forget where he was from. “Would you have picked differently?”
I shook my head.
“Your dad’s major, Brent was his name, was killed in a ship malfunction during the battle. Colonel Jeffrey requested that I take his place and watch his back. My squadron had been killed in a ship raid. I didn’t have another choice. Figured I’d die anyway.”
He paused, seeming to choke on his emotion. Was this only an act? Could I trust his emotions?
Brody didn’t seem to notice my internal struggle and continued. “I saved your dad’s life shortly after joining him. Because I did that, he no longer wished to hold me in Major Donovan’s position where I would be forced to fight against my people. So with his major’s uniform and forged passport, he had me on a ship here, discharged as a wounded Brent Donovan. Your address, that note and number in hand.”
I shook my head. I still didn’t get it. “Who was the number?” Did I even want to know?
He smiled. “You Earthlings have a strange way of doing things.”
I raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”
“You number your citizens, yet the numbers are nothing but data. Is that how your people are seen?”
“It may be a flawed system, but it’s how things have been done since before your colony even existed. Many of your ancestors would have been numbered people.”
We sat silent for a moment before he spoke again. “The number was a relative of Major Donovan’s. Your father wished that I return his belongings to his family after I landed and reported his death.” He shook his head. “I don’t enjoy bringing people sad news.”
I couldn’t disagree.
“So then, what now?” I asked.
“Well…” his intense gaze was on me again, “Your dad was sure that the war was ending, and, I guess once things are settled on Mars I can go home…”
“But until then you want to stay here?” I asked, actually wanting him to stay.
His eyes lit up. “Oh really? Would you mind?”
I sighed, but grinned just the same. “Janet’s probably going to freak, but I’ve always liked to keep her guessing, so let me make the up guest room.”
“Thanks Aspen, you really are as great as your dad says.”
I rolled my eyes as I ascended the stairs.
# # #
Breakfast was on the table by the time Brody finally came downstairs. His dark hair was a mess, sticking in every direction, and he released a long yawn when he sat at my kitchen table. God, even as a half asleep mess he looked like a sex god. I shook my head to clear the thought.
“How did you sleep?” I asked, sitting down across from him and grabbing the slice of toast from my plate.
“Good, thanks.” He smiled at me, but that smile soon faded when he looked down at his plate. He picked up the fork and poked at the fried egg I’d cooked for him, piercing the yolk and sending the yellow liquid spilling over the rest of it.
His eyebrows furrowed together. “What is this?”
I stifled a giggle. “An egg?”
He looked up at me, poking the egg again. “What’s that?”
Now I forced my eyebrows together. We’d learned about the Marsian colony back in high school, but since the war began we had been offered little knowledge of the place. I guess the climate and food there were much different than Earth. To be honest, I hadn’t really considered it. Glancing back at the food on his plate I run my tongue across my teeth. How exactly did one explain an egg?
I shrugged. “It’s food, from a chicken’s butt.”
He made a face. “Sounds gross.”
I grabbed my fork and scooped a big bite into my mouth, finishing with a smile and a soft ‘mmm’. Then I went to do the same thing. All the while, he watched me, his nose wrinkled in disgust.
When I finished my egg, I placed my fork down and smirked. “Are all Marsians this picky?” I crossed my arms. “Who knew a little egg would scare a big alien like you.”
He picked up his fork. “Do I look alien to you?”
My smirk broadened. He didn’t. “No, but what’s more surprising is that you sound Earthen.”
“We are from your planet, despite peoples’ disagreements. Besides, I’ve had practice. I was an Earthen Major, however brief.” He scooped a forkful of egg into his mouth and swallowed it without chewing. Only three more bites like this and he’d finished it. Picking up a napkin, he gently dabbed his perfect lips.
“I’ve had better things on Mars.”
My cheeks burned. What a rude thing to say when I had just cooked him breakfast, even if I was giving him a hard time. This was my house.
Pursing my lips, I said, “Then perhaps you should look to Mars for your next meal.”
I pushed my chair back from the table with a loud screech. His expression was shocked, as if he hadn’t expected my reaction. Perhaps Marsian girls enjoyed when men insulted their cooking.
I turned to leave, but his hand shot out and caught my wrist, pulling me back. I resisted, pulling my arm from his grasp and storming up the stairs to my bedroom. Brody was quick on my trail, bounding up the stairs, and sliding through my door before I could get it shut.
“What?” My ears turned pink, embarrassed by his insults.
Brody reached out and caught my hand. “Aspen, I’m sorry, I was only joking. I thought we were having a good time, you and I. Just friendly banter.”
I pursed my lips again, trying to think of a clever retort, but finding the closeness of our bodies suddenly distracting. His spicy musk made my head swim, and his zip up sweater did little to hide his chiselled chest. My throat went dry and my breathing erratic. I couldn’t stop the thoughts that invaded my mind, the need to touch him. To devour him.
As if reading my mind, his grip on my arm loosened and I closed my eyes, whispering a silently thank you, knowing I wouldn’t be able to resist my urges any longer if he didn’t back away soon.
But my thanks was too quick, as while my eyes were closed, he brought his perfect lips down onto mine.
I froze at the first touch, my eyes shooting open and I started pulling away. But his hand on my neck held me in place and the kiss continued, deepened, growing in passion. His tongue dipped inside my mouth, tangling with mine and asking for more. A feeling stirred in my lower abdomen and I couldn’t resist him any longer. I wanted him, now.
My fingers laced through his dark hair, pulling him closer to me, devouring his lips in the kiss. Such soft lips.
He gripped the hair at the base of my head, pulling me back from the kiss and gasping for air. I stared into his green eyes, now nearly black with hunger. I swallowed, nervous from the want in his gaze.
“We shouldn’t,” I whispered, looking away. Though I didn’t know why I said it. I wanted to more than anything.
Brody chuckled. “What else are we going to do?”
The question was ridiculous and I could think of a hundred answers. Wait, could I? Maybe I didn’t want to. I was swimming in ecstasy, wanting nothing more than his body pressed against mine, needing nothing more than his perfect mouth kissing every inch of me.
When nothing else could come to my clouded mind I managed, “Only this.”
He reached for the nightgown I wore, not having bothered to change, and pulled it over my head. I was immediately exposed, being commando underneath. I didn’t mind though, his eyes devoured my body and the wanting grew.
He wore only his plaid bottoms and sweater, both easily removed and revealing the perfect specimen beneath. As I had imagined, hoped, prayed, his chest was flawless. Muscles carved into the finest of flesh, a creamy cocoa masterpiece. And below the belt was even better.
Kneeling before him, I grasped his member with both hands. A moan escaped his lips as I began moving slowly up and down his shaft. I watched the pleasure grow on his face.
I parted my lips, slipping my tongue between and flicking the end of his hard cock. Another moan. I glanced up at his face, pleasure, but he hadn’t taken his eyes off me. Watching him, I flicked his cock with my tongue again. His eyes closed and his erection grew. My hands grasped his ass and I took his cock into my mouth, pushing as deep as I could. I slid my tongue along his smooth shaft savouring each stroke.
“Fuck,” Brody moaned, pushing into my movement.
A salty taste came on my tongue and I drew back, not wishing to ruin all the fun. He released a breath as I stood. Reaching into the top drawer of my bedside table, I withdrew a condom and placed it on top before crawling on to my bed and beckoning him to join.
“I’ve always wanted a Major in my bed,” I purred as he climbed on top of me. He caught me in a rough kiss, biting on my lower lip. I moaned into his lips, pushing my hips against his hard cock.
Brody broke contact and trailed kisses down my neck and shoulders. My skin heated under his soft touch. He caressed my breasts and teased each nipple unmercifully with his warm tongue before gently nipping and sending a wave of pleasure through my body. My nipples responded, growing more rigid with each stroke. Trailing his tongue down my flat stomach, he dipped into my belly button and proceeded down my pussy. He pulled his mouth away and plunged two fingers inside me, and I gasped, tilting my head back and biting on my swollen lip.
He moved his fingers against me, replacing two with three, then four. The tension built inside and as I begged for release, Brody withdrew his fingers and used his tongue instead. The warm sucking and swirling around my clit sent chills through me. I quivered as another moan drew me closer to release. If he kept this up I’d come before I had a chance to try his cock. I reached down and grabbed a handful of his dark hair, pulling his mouth from my clit, but he resisted and continued his assault on my clit.
Pleasure shot through me and I let my hand fall, letting him finish. Brody was determined to get me to climax. I couldn’t stop the moan that escaped my lips as Brody’s tongue delved deeper. Unable to hold it any longer, my body went rigid as I released. Brody raised his head and grinned at me.
“I’ll take that as good,” he said.
I smirked, though breathless and said. “So you can eat like a champ, but what about fucking? That’s what you’re here for, isn’t it?”
His grinned faltered, but only for a moment, and he crawled further up the bed, capturing my lips in a deep kiss and letting me try my own sweet taste. I licked it from his lips before he pulled away.
“How do you like it, dirty girl? Can I fuck you from behind?” he asked.
Placing my hands on his chest, I pushed him off of me and turned onto my hands and knees to answer his question. I loved a vulgar man in bed.
“You’re gonna fuck me hard?” I asked, watching him over my shoulder.
Brody knelt behind me, and ran his hand down my spine, pushing my shoulders down.
He slapped my ass. “Yeah, that’s how I like you, face down, ass up.”
“Then fuck me,” I said.
He didn’t need the encouragement. The rip of the foil was followed by his thick cock sliding inside me. I pushed back against him, moaning with pleasure as his shaft filled me. Brody teased me at first, taking his entrance slow. His hands knead my ass as he moved in an agonizing motion against me. It was torture. I just wanted him to fuck me hard.
I propped myself onto my elbows but Brody was quick to push me back down.
“Naughty girl.” He drew out only to drive his cock back into me with alarming force.
I gasped and he continued to slam into me, pushing his cock deeper, fucking me faster. I gripped the sheets of the bed, feeling the pleasure building as he rode me like a wild animal. He took it further, plunging a finger in my tight ass. A new wave of pleasure shot through me, a sensation I’d never felt. I bit on the sheets, and came around his cock.
Pulling out, he flipped me onto my back and spread my legs. He thrust his cock deep inside my pussy again. Again he moved slowly within my swollen folds. The movement was even more of a tease after coming so hard and soon I was begging him to resume his pace.
“Fuck me harder, Brody!”
Grabbing hold of my ankles and holding them over my head, he resumed pounding with even more want than before.
I closed my eyes, trembling as I came again. Brody cried out in pleasure. Releasing my ankles and leaning forward, he gently bit on my shoulder.
Then he collapsed onto the bed beside me, his breathing matching my own. I rolled my head to the side and gazed at him through my tangled hair. His eyes had lightened again and stared back at me, grinning. Leaning in, he planted a light kiss on my swollen lips.
“Major Campbell reporting for duty, ma’am,” he whispered.
I smiled. “Duty successfully served, major.”
We didn’t speak again, and eventually he stood and went to my bathroom. I heard the shower flick on. Apparently Mr. Major had no problem getting comfortable.
I pushed myself from the bed and followed him in.
Drawing back the curtain gave me another pleasant view. Mr. Major, cocoa skin slick, and damp dark hair sticking to his forehead.
He grinned. “Hey.”
“Hey,” I responded.
“What’s wrong?” His dark brow furrowed as he stepped aside and let me beneath the spray of water.
“You never told me your plan, now that you’re here,” I said, staring up at him. “It’s one thing to stay, it’s another to sit around the house all day.”
His grin faded and he looked away. “I didn’t have one.”
“Well come Monday, you’ll need one.”
His hand shot out and caught my wrist. “But we have until then?”
I raised my eyebrow at him.
His lips twitched into a smirk and his hands lowered to my hips, wrapping around and grasping my ass. His cock immediately hardened, aroused and ready. My eyes grazed over his perfect member, parting my lips slightly. I quickly jumped from the shower, returning with condom in hand and a small smile playing on my lips.
“You’re lucky I have nothing else to do this weekend.”
He grinned and lifted me from the floor. I wrapped my legs around his waist and he slid his smooth cock back inside of me.
My nails dug into his shoulders and I couldn’t help but think about my luck. Maybe the war would end soon and he would return to Mars, or maybe not. Either way, I’d have Brody’s cock until then.
Temptation Magazine 