Aran: Love me Harder - Alien Paranormal Romance Read online

  Aran

  By

  Serena Simpson

  (Love Me Harder, #1)

  Acknowledgments

  I want to give a big shout out to my daughter who has sat in my room with me on more than one long night to keep me company when I was writing. She has put up with my few hours of sleep and the ‘can we do that tomorrow dear.’ I love you Jazzie and I always will.

  I want to give a big thanks to Lori Merlotti my editor and beta reader. She is the best! She is also a friend that continues to encourage me. I may still be spinning in circles without her.

  Copyright

  Copyright © March 2015, Serena Simpson

  All rights reserved

  Cover Art by Melody Simmons

  Edited by Lori Merlotti

  Published by Serena Simpson

  Sernasimpsonbooks

  Aran is a work of art and the characters, events and dialogue found within the story are the author’s imagination and should not be taken as real. Any resemblance to event or people living or dead is totally a coincidence.

  Reviews and Where to find me

  Once you are done please consider leaving a review for Aran. I would appreciate it!

  I can be found at my website

  I am also available on Twitter @serena789books

  Look for me I am happy to connect with all.

  Chapter One

  “Rena, you’re turning into a stuffy old woman.”

  “Thirty two is not old and I am not stuffy.”

  “You could have fooled me.”

  “Dee I don’t want to mix and mingle tonight and I definitely don’t want to pick up men. Even hot men from your job.”

  “So you just flirt with them Rena. How will you meet Mr. Right sitting at home?”

  “I have to go Dee. Talk to you later.” Rena hit the end call button on her phone like it had offended her, when she was really mad at her best friend.

  Dee didn’t understand. How could she understand something that Rena herself still didn’t understand? She was simply tired of it. She wanted something different, someone different, but that wasn’t going to happen. She felt like she had stepped back in time, where everyone had to hold up certain appearances and no one was really free. Free love. Free sex, when really everyone was trying to show the other person up. Few people in her opinion ever felt free enough to be themselves even with the one they said they loved.

  Dee wanted her to go to a company party. They could meet up with some of the men from the departments Dee hadn’t had time to explore yet. Maybe hook up with someone. Another night of boring sex didn’t excite her. She wanted to tell Dee, but how did one tell someone, even your best friend, something like that.

  Sighing in frustration, she grabbed her stuff and walked out of her apartment. She would just wander around a while, maybe hit a bar and pretend to get drunk. That might take her mind off her problems.

  She had plenty of problems. There was word going around that they may be downsizing at her company, another reason not to jump in bed with anyone from Dee’s company. She may have to look for a job there. If the prospect of losing her job was her major worry, she would be ok. Yeah, downsizing sucked, but she had a stash and had been paying some bills in advance. She was in much better financial shape than some of the people she worked with.

  Right now her job didn’t matter. It was her life that was bothering her. She was thirty two and lived alone. She had no boyfriend, fiancé or husband. Was she butt ugly? No, not even close. She wasn’t a model or beauty queen, but she wasn’t bad. True, she was a little bigger, maybe a smidge bigger than she liked to admit, but she could twerk with the best of them. So why didn’t she have a man? She liked sex just like everyone else.

  Well, she thought she liked sex like the next person. There in lay the issue. She had never had sex. Well good sex. Yes, she had been with men before who thought she was so adorable. They touched her like she was going to break. Maybe some people liked that stuff, but she was a big girl. She had mentioned that right? Big girls liked to be touched. They liked to feel their men thrusting inside of them. She would not break, but for some reason men thought she would. Rena, the sensitive. Please, give her a break!

  So in the end it had led to this, her life of fantasy and a refusal to have one more man that had no idea how to please her, sweating over her. Who needed a man she had her toys? Ok so she would prefer the right man.

  The sound of a car horn tore her away from her thoughts and back to her surroundings.

  She had only managed to walk about two blocks up her tree lined street. The car that had slowed down to blow at her was a red Dodge Charger, her friend had a thing for muscle cars.

  “Thought I would find you wandering the streets like no one loved you.” Dee smiled at her as if she had just spouted the last words of wisdom ever to be said.

  “Leave it to you to track me down.” She had to smile at Dee. They had been friends for years, she always seemed to be there when needed. Rena never had to ask.

  “So am I going to take you back to your place so you can change before we go to the party or am I going to follow you in slow motion like a horrible stalker movie for the rest of the night?”

  She would vote for the stalker movie. Unfortunately, Dee would ditch the party and actually follow her. “Sounds like a change of clothes and a party is in order.”

  She slid into the car and listened to a new Ed Sheeran song pumping through the stereo. She tried not to sing along. Rena was a closet Sheeran fan. That was the other secret she kept from Dee.

  “You might as well sing girl, you know I know you like him.”

  She got out the car laughing and was still laughing when she entered her apartment.

  “You might as well sit. I am going to be a few.”

  “I will sit, but you know you’re not as bad as I am when it comes to getting ready.”

  Rena took a quick shower and then bumped the curls in her hair. She usually wore a ponytail, but had decided to do her hair earlier in the day. She was a minimalist when it came to makeup. She looked good in less and she liked it that way. Not too bad on time. Now all she had to do was find something to wear. It was a company party, but she had seen pictures on Dee’s phone of them. They dressed rather sexy for a company function.

  She pulled out a formal black number she had and discarded it. It was not her company party. Then she pulled out a beautiful sea green dress that screamed do me now, so not the message she wanted to send. Standing before her closet, she tried one more time.

  “Hey girl, what’s taking you so long?” Dee called from her living room.

  “Looking for a dress.” She was surprised her best friend had not waltzed into the bedroom yet. It’s not like she hadn’t done it in the past.

  “Looks like I am going to have to save the day. Move away from that closet. Love your clothes. If we were the same size borrows would be on.”

  Dee brought out a red dress Rena had just recently purchased. Why? Not because she needed it. Just because when she felt bad, she shopped. The dress had spaghetti straps of gold chains at the shoulder, then came down into a simple red dress. There was a beautiful sash around the middle and a short skirt that moved when she walked.

  “What do you think?”

  “I think you look hot.” They laughed as they headed for the party.

  “Thanks Dee, but no one will notice me when they get a look at you in that number.” Dee wore a blue dress that would drive the guys crazy. It moved over her like a second skin. Every now and then, Rena wished she looked like her.

  ***

  Aran watched as the all too breakable human
focused on him. She was slowly working the floor as if she was just aimlessly wandering, but he knew better. She was coming for him. Her breasts were on display for all to see and her arousal screamed for him to do something about it. She was petite with nice tan skin and ruby red lips and she wanted a man tonight. Correction, she wanted him.

  Why was it that he seemed to attract every fragile female ever born? He watched as she gathered enough courage to approach him.

  “Hi, I am Sally.” She gave him a bright smile and offered her hand in greeting.

  “Aran.” He said introducing himself. Taking the hand she offered up he raised it to his lips to kiss the back of it while giving her wrist a small squeeze.

  He watched the small look of pain on her face from having him barely squeeze her wrist and acknowledged again that he wouldn’t be getting laid tonight. He could imagine her under him, her blonde hair spread out over the pillow, her ruby red lips swollen from his kiss, her nipples a dark color because they had been pinched and sucked and bitten too hard. Her body would be twisted like a limp rag doll because she had been unable to accept the force of his thrust when he lost control. He would contain his need to fuck and she would live a normal life. It was a win for everyone involved.

  She had been talking, but he had not been listening. “Excuse me, Sally. I need to go see my partner.”

  He walked away and left her to the very human male that approached her the minute he deemed it safe.

  “Sergey.”

  “Aran. She is a pretty number.”

  “Yes she is and she will stay that way.”

  “The harder we look, the further we get from what we are searching for.”

  Aran looked around the floor. Their party was filled with beautiful women, many of who did not work for them. That was part of the reason for the parties, to meet other potential women. Unfortunately, each new party was a disappointment.

  “We can hit an underground club after this affair is over.”

  Sergey nodded, but they both knew that would barely tide them over. Neither of them wanted what those clubs offered. He scanned the room again, this time looking for the rest of his brothers. They worked for the company, posing as simple employees, but they were family. They had followed him here, looking for a better life. If they did not find what they needed in this city soon, he would relocate them to a more female friendly city.

  Chapter Two

  The music made Rena want to dance as they entered the ballroom that had been rented for the occasion. Dee’s company, Aran’s Dare, had obviously not spared any expense. The party was being held in one of the private ballrooms at the Westin William Penn. It looked like it had drawn from every faction the city had to offer. The good thing is that the party was lively, lots of people on the dance floor. God bless whoever put it together. Dinner was a buffet, no one to supervise what you ate.

  “Let’s get a drink.”

  She nodded and followed Dee to the bar. She didn’t drink so she would get a Pepsi and sip on it like she had something. She didn’t really like the taste of alcohol, but that wasn’t what kept her from drinking. She had decided a long time ago it was not fun to fall or step on toes if you were tipsy.

  Besides, she had gotten drunk in college at her friends urging. What she had woke up with the next morning was enough to make her swear off alcohol forever. She shuddered and ordered her drink when the waiter got to her.

  “So what do we do now?”

  “We mingle. We have been standing here too long. Let’s get closer to the dance floor. Sometimes you have to move the good stuff to where the men can actually see it.”

  Rena laughed and followed her to the floor. The music was good. It had been a long time since she had gone dancing. Letting herself go, she let her hips start to sway to the music. She loved to dance. Always had. Mmm. Some dirty dancing would be nice about now. Sighing, she gave up on that. She would need a man who could take a bump without breaking.

  Catching Dee’s laughter she looked over to find her dancing with a man. A shaft of jealousy shot through her chest before she ruthlessly killed it. She wouldn’t be jealous. She would find her own chocolate man soon enough. Who was she kidding? She liked white chocolate too.

  She felt herself stumble as someone knocked into her, causing the pretend drink she was still nursing to slosh in the glass. She hated it when she forgot to pay attention.

  “Please accept my apology for hurting you.” Hands reached out to stabilize her.

  Who was hurt? She wanted to ask that question, but the body and the face to go with those hands and that voice had come into focus. He was hot. She wanted to look at her arms to see if he had singed them. He stood close to six five. He towered over her, even though she was five eleven with her three inch heels on. He had beautiful green eyes. She wanted to fall into them like they were a pool of water or a seductive drink. His body was thick and if the arms she was presently clutching were any indication, his thickness was all muscle. Yes, please. All this was topped off with beautiful black hair that brushed his shoulders. Dee should have told her months ago how hot the men were here.

  “Are you alright? Can you stand?”

  “What?”

  “Did I bump your head?”

  “Ahh no. I am fine.”

  “Are you sure? I hit you rather hard.”

  “What, that slight bump? Please, I am fine.”

  “Glad to hear that. My name is Aran.”

  “I am Rena. Nice to meet you.”

  “Were you dancing with someone?”

  She felt a small blush try to take over and hoped her darker skin would hide it. Was she the only woman on the floor by herself? Yep. Nothing like looking like a loser in front of a hot guy.

  “No, I came with my girlfriend and we hit the dance floor before sitting. Seems she found company, though, so it’s just me.”

  “This may just be my lucky night. I just happen to run into a beautiful woman who is not spoken for. Will you allow me to be your escort for the evening?”

  She must have died and gone to heaven not that it mattered. He might actually be a keeper.

  “I would like that.”

  “Shall we refill your drink?”

  “It’s just Pepsi, but that would be nice.”

  Aran led her over to the bar and had them give her a real glass filled with Pepsi. That was a lot better. He took her to a private table to set her drink down and then they went to the buffet.

  “Everything looks so good.” The buffet table was on the side of the room. It was long and well stocked with lots of dishes. “The company hosting this party must have had a good year to treat its employees like this.”

  She picked up a plate and began filling it. Should she pretend she was not hungry or simply eat? Looking at the food again, she decided if he didn’t like what she ate he could move on. She wasn’t here for a pick up anyway.

  “They believe if employees are treated right and well compensated, they will be loyal to the company. A loyal employee is worth his or her weight in gold.”

  Rena nodded in agreement as she followed him back to the table.

  “Is this your first time coming to one of the company’s parties?”

  “Yes. My friend Dee has worked with them for about a year now. She kept inviting me, but I kept blowing her off. Tonight I said no again, but she came and practically dragged me here.”

  “I think Dee should be paid a bonus for that.”

  The smile and laugh that came to her lips at his words were so natural that they actually caught her off guard. When was the last time she had simply laughed with a man?

  “I will have to tell her. She will never let me live it down.”

  “Rena, tell me a little about yourself.”

  “There’s not much to tell. I was born and raised in Pittsburgh. Lately I have been thinking of moving before I get too old to explore. I go to work every day. I work IT for Dow’s. I love my job it allows me to trouble shoot on the computer as well as work fro
m home. Some of the things I like to do include bowling, going to plays along with various others things. Now tell me about yourself.”

  “As you say, there is not much to tell. I work security. I run this company. I do have a few hobbies, but mostly I work.”

  “You are Aran as in Aran’s Dare, the owner?”

  “Yes, Sergey and I own it jointly.”

  “I guess I really will have to tell Dee to collect that bonus.” She flushed when she realized what she said. She hoped he took it as a joke and not like she was a gold digger.

  “Does my being the owner of the company bother you?”

  “No. My comment embarrassed me. I don’t want you to think I was after something, other than getting to know you better.”

  “I was not offended, nor did I think you were trying to take advantage of me. If you wanted to take advantage of me, I do believe I could arrange that.”

  She felt the smile come back to her lips and knew her eyes were glowing. He had definitely piqued her interest. Her eyes flicked to the dance floor and back to him.

  “Would you like to dance?”

  “Yes.”

  He stood and took her hand, leading her to the dance floor. His nice firm grip felt good. The song had changed to a slow dance. She was already regretting the desire to dance with him.

  He pulled her close to his body, melding his hips against hers. She felt every inch of him glued to her, like it should be in a good slow dance. She also felt his interest and boy was she suddenly interested. The hand on the small of her back pressed her against him, while the other burned the side of her hip. When was the last time she had felt so good being held in a man’s arms?

  “You feel good in my arms.”

  Oh, he was a sweet talker. The world needed more like him. She tightened her arms around him.

  “Thank you, I like the way you feel too.”

  The music changed to a wilder beat and they broke apart to dance. Several songs played before they found their seats.

  “Rena, there you are. I’ve been looking all over for you.” Her friend was just a tad bit tipsy.