Choosing Theo: The Clecanian Series Book 1 by Victoria Aveline (i can read with my eyes shut txt) 📕

of a knight in shining armor became something women referenced when they were wishing for a good man to come into their lives.”

Theo continued to scrutinize her.

“So today instead of saying, ‘I wish a strong, handsome man would show up and take care of me,’ they say, ‘Where’s my knight in shining armor?’” Jade was starting to get heated thinking about the way Theo had gotten his scars and about how everyone had treated him like some kind of pariah for it.

“The problem with that expression is that no woman should wish for a knight in shining armor. A knight with shining armor has probably never been to war. They’ve never fought or been hurt. If you want a strong man who can protect you, then you should hope for a knight in dented, scratched, rusted armor. That knight has fought and survived.”

She motioned toward Theo and said, “You earned those scars. You survived. The marks that cover your body are an outward representation of your inner strength. Those marks represent the opposite of weakness, and anyone who thinks differently is an idiot.”

He was staring at her now with his head cocked to one side.

“Also, perfect people are boring,” she snapped. “Every imperfection tells a story. I’d be very upset if I didn’t have some of my scars. That’s why I told that doctor not to heal them.”

That caught his attention. “You chose to keep your scars?”

“Some of them. My tattoo…” she pulled her ear forward, exposing the small star tattoo behind it, “…and a few others that remind me of different things.”

He scanned the exposed parts of her body.

“They aren’t in a place you can see right now.”

Theo’s eyes lowered to the thin sheet of bubbles shielding the view of her body and growled low in his throat.

She shivered and felt the inexplicable urge to jump out of the water and give him a better view. Cool your jets, girl! He’s the enemy, remember?

As she learned more about him, Jade started to wonder if that was still true. Sure, he had a temper and was a little heavy handed with her, but he hadn’t actually done anything to hurt her. Physically or verbally. All his bluster was meant to scare her off because he believed she was there to betray him in some way.

If what Asivva had said about his job was true, then she could understand how a deeply insecure man might come to that conclusion.

Jade wanted time to think through her feelings. For now, she couldn’t trust herself around him. She’d have to make sure and choose her words more carefully.

Even after what everyone had told her, Jade still didn’t understand why women didn’t want him. She’d assumed the inexplicable draw of the “bad boy” was universal. Did he ever interact with women?

Jade was feeling bold, so she decided to voice her question. “Do you have sex often?”

He wasn’t expecting her to ask him that, that’s for sure. It took him only a moment to recover. “Every few weeks. Why?”

“I think you’re exaggerating about your scars. You said women don’t like you, but they like you enough to have sex with you occasionally.”

With a deep scowl, he said, “There are some females from around here who like to visit me every so often, it’s true. They chose to marry soft, pretty males and have pretty babies. They come to see me when they want to be fucked.”

Yep. Jade was right. The draw of the “bad boy” factor was universal.

“When these females visit, I bend them over the closest surface. They don’t spend much time admiring my looks.” He sneered. “How many males have you been with?”

Jade guessed it was only fair that he ask her about this as well. “Been with in what way? Dated? Had sex with? Kissed?”

Theo looked puzzled. “Kissed?”

“You know…kissed. With your mouth.” Jade didn’t know what to say. Kissing was kissing. Did they not kiss here?

“Do you mean oral stimulation? Do females do that for males on Earth?” he questioned.

Jade’s face heated as she deduced what he might mean by “oral stimulation.” “Yes, women from Earth do…that, but that’s not what I’m talking about. Kissing is when you press your mouths together.” Explaining how to kiss wasn’t easy, Jade realized. She couldn’t think of a way to describe it that made it sound pleasurable.

The expression on Theo’s face made it clear that kissing wasn’t common on Clecania. “That doesn’t sound pleasant.”

Jade’s eyes locked on his lips when she imagined kissing him for the first time. Although he’d never kissed before, something told her he’d be a fast learner. “Kissing is wonderful. I guess it may sound gross at first, but trust me, it can be wonderful. If you kiss the right person, anyway.”

He looked at her mouth, brows drawn, trying to imagine it.

Uh-oh. Have to change the subject before I decide to teach the alien more about kissing. “Theo, I was wondering if I could ask a favor?” His eyes focused on hers.

“I wanted to invite a woman named Asivva over to help me finish picking out the things I’ll need. She was very nice to me at the ceremony, and she said that she knew you.” Jade noticed a muscle twitch in Theo’s jaw at the mention of Asivva’s name and again she had the sense that there was a long history between them.

Still raptly gazing at her, he said, “I’ll let her visit, but I want something from you.”

“That’s not surprising,” she mumbled. “What do you want?”

Oh God, what was he going to ask for now? She was already naked and in a bath with him. Now that he knew Earth women gave blow jobs, he’d probably ask for that. Especially if women here did not.

“I’d like to take you up on your offer.”

“Offer?”

“To lick my scars.” He gave her a predatory grin that made her core clench.

This was obviously some kind of test. The way he stared at her smugly as if he was about to catch her bluffing stopped