AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Relief flooded through him, so intense he had to resist the urge to leap across the table and gather her in his arms. Instead,he returned her smile, pouring all of his emotions into that simple expression.
“I’m glad,” he said softly. “We’ll figure this out. I promise. For now, eat. You need to regain your strength.”
As they finished their meal, Covak felt a sense of rightness settle over him; his female was eating food he had prepared for her, thus proving he was a worthy male and would be a good mate.
It was an excellent start to their courting.
The rich aromaof the meal Covak had cooked mixed in the air and covered the metallic scent of recycled air from the environmental systems. She was used to that underlying smell, which reminded her of something… but that led to an empty place in her head where a memory should be. She was too tired to chase it, though, and Jesh’s eyelids drooped as she finished the last bite. The vibrations of the ship’s engines hummed up through her feet, a soothing lullaby threatening to pull her into sleep right there at the table.
Worry jolted through her, laser fast. Had he drugged her food? No, that was ridiculous. She shook her head to clear the fog of exhaustion. Why would he do that? He and his crew had saved… and she’d been unconscious in their medbay for hours. They would have drugged her there if they’d wanted to, surely?
Trust, but verify.The thought came from the back of her mind, the place that was all darkness and lost memories. She closed her eyes and reached out to the voice in her head. Her onboard.Analyze ingested substances.
A moment later, a list of ingredients scrolled across her mind’s eye.All substances within normal parameters. Nutritional content optimal for replenishing depleted stores.
She let out a breath in relief, and the tension in her shoulders eased, replaced by a wave of fatigue that threatened to drag her under.
Covak’s deep, rumbling voice cut through her exhaustion. “Tired, little one?”
She looked up and met his gaze. His eyes, alien yet familiar, were warm and open. Either he was an excellent actor, or he was just what he seemed to be—someone who wanted to help her. A wide yawn escaped her before she could respond. She clapped her hand over her mouth, blushing slightly.
The big alien chuckled, the sound whispering along her skin. Seriously, how could he make a chuckle feel like he was running his fingertips up her arm? “I’ll take that as a yes. Come on. I’ve arranged quarters for you.”
She stood but her legs wobbled. Instantly, he was there, reaching out a huge hand to steady her elbow. She bit her lip as his touch sent a jolt of electricity through her. She looked up at him, suddenly aware of how close he stood, how his scent—a mix of something spicy and distinctly alien—enveloped her.
“Your quarters are next to mine,” he said, his voice dropping low. The rumble of his words vibrated through her, sending a shiver down her spine.
She looked up at him, her exhaustion forgotten for the moment. His eyes were filled with a warm darkness that made her breath catch in her throat. Was he flirting with her?
“Is that so?” she asked, her voice coming out huskier than she intended.
A smile played at the corners of his lips, revealing a hint of sharp teeth. “Just in case you need anything,” he said, holding her gaze.
The air thickened, charged with an electricity that arced between them. She swallowed hard, very aware of his massive frame next to her and the heat radiating off his body.
“Anything?”
His smile widened, a low chuckle escaping him. The sound sent a shiver down her spine.
“Anything at all,” he confirmed, his voice a near-growl that made her toes curl as he glanced down her body. It wasn’t the glances she was used to, from doctors assessing a patient, or, worse, when they’d looked at her like a machine that was malfunctioning. This was the gaze of a man who saw a woman he wanted.
They walked in silence for a moment, the only sound the soft thud of their footsteps on the metal floor. Her mind raced, torn between exhaustion and awareness of the alien man beside her.
He’d put her next to him. And she hadn’t seen any of the other crew since he’d snarled at them when she’d been freaking out in the medbay.
“You know,” she said after a moment, “you can’t keep me hidden away forever.”
As soon as the words left her mouth, his expression shifted. The playful glint in his eyes cut off, replaced by something more intense, more… primal.
Shit… if he could keep her to himself, he absolutely would.
The thought should have alarmed her. Instead, it sent a thrill of excitement and heat coursing through her veins, chasing away her fatigue. “I don’t need protecting; I’m a?—”
She frowned as the words died on her tongue. Whatever she had been about to say was gone like mist in the morning sun. There was nothing but emptiness where the knowledge should have been.
He moved closer, curiosity and anticipation written across his features. “You’re a what?” he asked. “What were you about to say?”
She shook her head, looking up at him mutely. She reached out to her onboard again, desperately seeking answers, too disconcerted to even form a proper query. Somehow it picked up the question from her jumbled thoughts and answered her.
