Page 41 of 20% Stud 80% Muffin
“I’m fine now,” I lied. He embraced me, holding me steady as I gathered my feet. I stayed pressed against him because my legs had turned liquid, not because of the warmth of his chest or his soothing scent, and definitely not because of his display of strength. He carried my larger body across the harsh terrain as if I weighed nothing.
“Wanna tell me what happened?”
I swallowed. “Certain things…” The casual air I’d hoped to project fell flat, replaced by a barely there whisper. “Trigger panic attacks in me.”
“Yeah… Like giant-ass worms?” The calm he exuded loosened my shoulders, and my arm settled on his lower back.
“No. More like alphas… I mean…things that destroy for no reason.” I choked. He swept me into his arms once again before I could protest, and I drifted back to sleep.
“Wake up, little lion,” Geo murmured, placing me on my feet, his hold solid on my hips as we arrived at my hoverbike.
Geo passed me the water container JayJay had left for us. “Here, have a drink. Do you think you can drive?” The concern in his pale green eyes made it difficult to hold to my new rules. Acquaintance only. Be professional. When I flicked my tongue out to catch the drop of water on my lip, his pupils dilated, and the blatant desire forced me back a step.
“Yes,” I squeaked as I clambered onto my bike. When Geo climbed on behind me, every muscle in my lower back tightened. “Ah, where is your hoverbike?” I gulped.
“Don’t have one.” He squared his shoulders and sucked in his belly. It still spread around my ribs like a warm hug. “I don’t know how to drive one.”
His hands seemed unsteady on my hips, so my tail wrapped around his waist and pressed him closer to my back. I loved the push of his soft belly against me a little too much. Plus, he needed to be secure. Right?
Thankfully or unthankfully, the flight home allowed for no discussion, only the hyperawareness that came from having his body flush with mine. My tail pet him, and whenever I grabbed it to hold it still, the next moment it would resume touching Geo, unbeknownst to me.
The hoverbike quieted as I pulled up in front of the archbuilder’s office. “This good?”
“Yep.” His eyes didn’t meet mine. He unwrapped my tail from around his waist, and his hand swooshed through the soft tip, sending a cascade of shivers up my spine.
Thanks for coming to my aid when you thought I was in danger. Thanks for servicing me during my heat.
Those were things that I could have said. Instead, I was tongue-tied as I attempted to meet his eyes.
“Boss man.” The boom of JayJay’s jovial voice broke the tension. “You made it back.” His brow ridges dipped as he assessed Geo. “I thought you would look more relaxed.” His laughter drew the rest of the Rock Dwellers out to greet us.
Sully passed me a large satchel and a huge set of mantu horns where I sat straddling my hoverbike. “A gift for you from D’irk, D’Rasma and D’Argon.”
Geo growled when Sully attempted to help me situate the satchel across my back. Sully held his hands up and backed away while the Rock Dwellers’ rumbling laughter filled the air.
Geo patted my back as he took over. “You’re good now. We’ll be there at seven suns tomorrow.”
I flew the short distance back to my dwelling, missing the warmth of his touch already. The tether grew taut as the distance between us stretched, longing to be near Geo.
15
Ayla Rowtee waited besideme in Dr. Ten’s lobby, her hands resting on her belly. “You must be relieved that Dr. Ten is familiar with Nacer youngling delivery?”
Her wings fluttered behind her, brushing below a neat line of framed medical certificates mounted on the wall. “I’m so luck—” She’d started to reply when I was called in for my appointment.
I shrugged an apologetic goodbye. “I’ll see you at the market.”
With a deep inhale, I braced myself to open the door. The time for getting to the bottom of this…allergic reactionhad come.
Doctor Ten was Nacer, the same species as the Rowtees, and his eyes were pinned to his datapad. “Well, isn’t that interesting?”
I shifted from one foot to the other. A bead of perspiration rolled down my temple. To sidetrack myself from my increasing nerves, I blurted, “When’s Ayla due? I mean…of course, I can ask her myself. Not trying to pry or anything.”
The doctor peered down his long beak at me and tipped his head. “Do? I don’t believe that is translating correctly.”
“The baby. When will it arrive?”
“Right, of course.” The doctor’s eyes lit up. “The first youngling on Tern. Won’t that be extraordinary?”
