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NOX
Kissing his glowing mate’s forehead, he gathered her to him, cradling her against his chest. He was quite pleased with himself, having made her come twice. Surely she would accept that she was his mate after that stellar performance.
After a few minutes of blissful cuddling, she patted his back and rolled out of his arms. “I’d say, all in all, our experiment was quite successful,” she said, scooting to the edge of the bed.
Distracted by the curve of her heart-shaped ass as she slid out of bed and stretched, her naked body bowing as she lifted her arms towards the ceiling, it took him a moment to parse her words. They were, in fact, not enthusiastic acceptance of him and their mating bond. “What do you mean by ‘quite successful’?” he asked, his brows drawing together.
“I mean, don’t get me wrong. It was great.” She flashed him a bright grin over her shoulder. “And I’m sure we’ll do better next time. But I’d say we definitively proved our species are compatible. Panspermia for the win.”
And with that, she disappeared into the bathroom, the door sliding closed behind her.
He stared at the flat panel separating them. Was she teasing him? Kidding aside, two words reverberated through his brain. “She said ‘next time’,” he said to the empty room. A wolfish grin replaced the frown, and he pumped a fist in the air. “Hells yes.”
Showered and dressed in clean clothes, Nox and Lis left their temporary refuge.
“You mean, you actually pulled together a team of people to get my stuff back from those horrid trolls?” Lis asked, pulling the door shut behind her.
He raised an eyebrow as he slung his pack, which now also held her scant wardrobe, over a shoulder. “You sound surprised.”
“Well, I mean, yeah. I am surprised.” She paused to admire a framed landscape of an endless desert. “You weren’t all that enthused about the idea when I mentioned going after them last night. I figured you chalked my rant up to too much alcohol and an incredibly stressful couple of days, and I’d have to figure it out on my own.”
“You’re my mate,” he said simply. Why couldn’t she understand he’d do anything for her? She needed her belongings back, she needed vengeance, and she was determined to rescue the other captives. So, to him, it was a given he’d help her accomplish all that. What was important to her was important to him. Besides, he needed to be there to watch her back.
She paused at the door that led back into the bar. “Thank you,” she said, sliding her hand into his and interlacing their fingers. She cocked her head, studying him. “You know, I’ve always wondered where men like you were.”
“Men like me?” he asked, tucking a lock behind her ear.
“Supportive. Protective without trying to control or run roughshod over me. Not an asshole.” She stepped closer and placed a hand on his chest. “I was looking in all the wrong places. Turns out you were here, all the way on the other side of the universe.”
His skin warmed at her touch; his blood heated at her words. “As your mate, it is my honor to be your shield and protector.” He smoothed a hand over hers, bringing it to his lips and breathing in her sweet scent. “I’ve witnessed your strength and determination. I have no desire to hold you back, only to support you. I want to explore the stars with you and view them anew, through your eyes.” He took a deep breath, steeling himself. “Lis, join me on my ship, and I will show you the galaxy.”
Color flooded her cheeks, her eyes widening. “Wow. That’s some speech.” She paused, nibbling on her bottom lip. “I, um, I’m a little overwhelmed, to be honest. Okay if I think about it?”
Fuck, he thought, the hope in his heart wilting. As soon as those impassioned words left his mouth, as soon as he asked her to fly with him, he knew he’d made an error in judgment. He was asking too much of her too fast. She didn’t yet comprehend the power and draw of a mating bond, how it pushed him to keep her close and ensure her safety.
But he would abide by her request. He gave her a sharp nod. “Certainly. Take all the time you need, my mate.”
He could give her that, but it didn’t mean he’d leave her to face the dangers of Cinzia and the galaxy alone. Already, he’d taken action to erase any sign of her rather conspicuous arrival, just in case anyone with hostile intent came poking around. While she was healing in the medi-bed, he had Navi scrub the desert of any sign of her crash, along with the help of Feriq and the surprisingly cooperative local territory leader. Her ship’s remains should already be on the way to the cargo hold of Antana’s Luck.
On top of that, Navi had a guy who would set Lis up with ident cards, a history, even a wrist comm. Everything she needed for a fresh start in her new galaxy. Once they retrieved whatever items the trolls scavenged from her, there would be little indication that a being from an unknown, far distant galaxy ever burst through a wormhole and crashed on Cinzia.
She’d be as safe as Nox could make her and free to fly off on her own, if she so chose. But, if she rejected his offer of a spot on his ship, he would be dogging her heels, her own private protector regardless of whether she wanted him there.
Changing the subject, he said, “The clothing I gave you seems to fit well, I see.”
She lit up and did a spin for him, showing off her new outfit. “It’s perfect. You’re responsible for this?”
Holding open the door for her, he said, “Sort of. Knowing we are headed into danger, I showed Feriq your odd blue suit yesterday and asked if he could find you something appropriate for today’s mission.”
The cat-man came through in a big way, outfitting Lis with a pair of tight black tactical pants and matching thermal shirt that hugged her curves like a second skin. He’d also provided her with a lightweight, armored motorcycle jacket and a pair of high black boots that clung to her calves. According to Feriq, each layer would provide her with some protection against sharp objects and projectiles. She was as shielded as Nox could make her without activating a protective bubble around her.
She threw herself into his arms, catching him off-guard. With a surprised oof, he bounced off the end of the bar, rattling a line of glasses drying on the counter.
“Thank you,” she whispered, her body pressed tightly against his. “I love it.”
He curled a hand around her nape and stroked her back. “The armor will help protect you against what we face today.” The hand on her back slipped lower to cup her backside. “Also, these pants make your ass look fantastic.”
“I know, right? I need ten pairs.” She popped up on her tiptoes and planted a kiss on his cheek.
