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Tino snickered and rubbed his head with his knuckles. “These are because I’m on fire tonight.”
TeyTey snorted and nudged one of his shoulders. “You sound like my younglings.”
While joking with Tino and Sannit, my eyes automatically gravitated toward JayJay’s gigantic presence. He stood just beyond the communal area, blocking the narrow galley-style kitchen behind him, with a steaming mug in one hand. As if an invisible string had pulled him, he lurched toward me so fast that hot liquid slopped over his sleeve. He plunked the oversized mug—clearly his—in front of me.
“Here. Drink this,” he rumbled.
In a flash, my hat was tugged off, and JayJay had unbundled me from my coat before slamming all the windows shut. He returned with a deep red blanket to throw over my shoulders, and when he leaned in, his nostrils flared. Is he sniffing me?
“JayJay, quit babying me already.” Despite welcoming the blanket’s heat, I bristled at the manhandling, but the way his shoulders hunched at my scolding had me backtracking, so I gently squeezed his hand in thanks. His careful return grip sent a wave of warmth through my belly. Was it just me, or was the testosterone in the air extra heady tonight?
“Hey, King Kong, I’m good now. Take your spot.” I removed my hand from his to point to the empty chair. With all his attention on me, he was holding up the game. JayJay slid his chair so close to mine that I might as well have been in his lap. TeyTey snorted from my other side.
Making a concerted effort to ignore JayJay’s presence, I scooped up the deck of oversized cards in front of me.
“Take that, sucker,” I teased Sannit, discarding the worst possible card for him to build off. The half-full mug of tangy, sweet cava I sipped from tasted almost as good as chocolate and was much better than the bitter, boozy orzfoam.
JayJay’s cozy blanket grew heavier as the night went on. Buried in his intoxicating blend of earth and musk, my eyelids drooped. Is this what JayJay smells like? I inhaled deeply, barely able to focus on the cards in my hand.
“Wake up, sleepyhead.” Sannit leaned across the wobbly table and nudged my shoulder with his huge hand. “It’s your turn.”
Was JayJay growling at Sannit? And why was I this tired? I’d slept in past noon today, taken my medicine, even eaten my greens. It must have been the cold knocking me on my ass.
I straightened my spine in the extra-large chair, narrowed my eyes at Sannit, and didn’t have to fake a yawn. “I can do this in my sleep.” Then I slammed my cards against the table. “For the win.” I blew the imaginary fire off my freshly manicured nails—a charcoal-to-black ombre.
“I don’t know how you’re doing it.” Sannit’s deep voice broke, rising an octave.
I smiled at how cute it sounded. Apparently, Rock Dwellers reached maturity later than humans—he was close to eighteen.
Sannit placed his hand over his heart. “But I can’t take this losing streak any longer.” He gazed at the ceiling before he pinned me with a taunting grin. “I fold.” He dipped his face tomy level, meeting my eyes. “Until our next match.” He squeezed my shoulder.
JayJay stood so fast his knees hit the enormous table, sending Sannit tumbling.
“Bish, JayJay, I get it.” Sannit backed away with his hands up, his eyes twinkling with something I didn’t understand.
A chorus of “yah, I fold,” and “until next time,” filled the air as chair legs dug into the earthen floors. I bid TeyTey and her family goodbye from my chair, trying to muster the energy to wrangle the pups and walk through the freezing cold. The lyrics of a Christmas jingle kept replaying in my head—“but baby, it’s cold outside”—and I started to drift, still wrapped in JayJay’s warm blanket.
I must have dozed off again, waking when a powerful waft of earth and musk penetrated my senses. JayJay’s gray nose loomed less than an inch from mine. His pores are so tiny. Does he wash with cold water?
“Why are you so tired?” The ridge above his eyes tipped inward like a hairless eyebrow. He placed his hands under my elbows, encouraging me up. “Come on, I’m walking you to Geo and Makir’s dwelling.”
I barely stopped myself from leaning my weight into his giant palms. How had I fallen asleep among a house full of excited Rock Dwellers when their normal rumbling voices had kept me awake late into the night when I’d stayed here?
“No, no.” I stood, stepping out of his hold. “I’m good. The night air will be just the thing to wake me up.” I wasn’t sure who I was trying to convince, but the huge yawn that escaped me didn’t work in my favor.
“I’ll accompany you.” JayJay’s deep voice boomed.
Wide awake now, I cringed. “Inside voice, please.”
As if anticipating my next move, JayJay placed my hat on my head, lifted my arms to guide them through my jacket sleeves and scooted my mittens over my hands.
Too late, my senses returned, and I batted his hands away. “What are you doing?”
Leashing the dogs, JayJay moved to the drafty entryway. “I’m helping.”
Charz and Pika sat patiently, eyes focused on JayJay, their usual manic selves awaiting his next command. With his legs spread, arms folded and jaw set, he looked entirely too competent, too masculine, too inviting.
“If you must.” I rolled my eyes, but a rush of gratitude filled me. This way, the dogs wouldn’t be yanking on me all the way to Makir’s.
