Page 84 of Caveman Alien's Heat
“Then we go back,” she says brightly. “And we do things properly. The tribe. A wedding.” She nudges me lightly. “Not covered in snow and half-dead.”
I pull her closer, feeling the heat of her skin against mine, solid and real. “Indeed. We should try something new, not always snow and ice.”
She tilts her head, studying me with that same bright, certain look she had when she said yes. “This is our break before the next madness. Because I think you liked some of it.”
I stroke her arm, enjoying the smooth, unmarked skin. “Oh? What do you think I liked?”
She smiles. “Hunting with the tribe. Showing them a better way. Dealing with the chief and scaring them all with the dragon. You did thatincrediblywell. And then you acted all broken, so they wouldn’t expect you to escape.”
“That part worked,” I tell her. “They didn’t tie me up or put me in one of their caves with guards. They let me roam freely, helping them. It never crossed their minds that a man might let the bloodwings—never mind.” I wince, knowing I’ve said too much.
She looks up at me. “Might let the bloodwings what?”
I look away. “It was my plan. It doesn’t matter what it was. As it turned out, it wasn’t necessary.”
She squeezes me. “Your plan was to let the bloodwings into the caves?”
I sigh. This woman is too smart. “I knew you would hate the idea. That’s why I didn’t tell you my plan. I just asked you to wait. I was never going to tell you.”
There’s pain in her eyes. “That would have killed you, too.”
“Yes,” I admit, “but it would have freed you. Or so I thought.”
She slaps my shoulder lightly. “You crazykronk!You almost killed yourself for me!”
“You’re worth it, little spront. Many times over. I would have kept the caves with boys in them closed. But everyone else…well, it didn’t happen. And now the Gar tribe will keep looking up for a long time, fearing the arrival of the dragon.”
“They chose the wrong path,” Riley sighs. “I hope they don’t scare the boys about it. But those boys are more level-headed than that silly council, so I’m not too worried.” She leans into me again, pressing close in the warm shade of the trees. The tension that has lived in her for so long seems to loosen all at once, her body settling against mine as if she’s finally certain there’s no need to run anymore.
Her touch lingers, as if reassuring herself that I’m still here, still whole. Then she looks up at me again, and the seriousness in her eyes melts into something lighter, warmer, the edge of a smile returning. “I’m glad you didn’t have to do it.”
“And I’m glad you escaped before I had to. I forgot how capable you are.”
For a moment, we just stand there, the air thick with heat and quiet, the sound of the waves rolling in behind us. Then she presses closer, rising onto her toes, her lips brushing mine in a soft, almost curious kiss, so different from the urgency of the night in the snow cave. There’s no fear in it, no desperation. Just warmth and love.
I answer it without thinking. My hands settle at her waist, drawing her in. She leans into me fully, the last distance between us gone, her breath warm against my mouth as the kiss deepens, slow and unhurried. The sun, the sea, the safety of this place… it all seems to gather around us, pressing us closer together.
She lets out a small, contented sound and rests her forehead against mine, smiling faintly. “Yeah,” she whispers. “This is a lot better.”
“It will always be like this,” I say, my thumb brushing along her cheek, memorizing the feel of her as if I haven’t already done it a hundred times. “From now on.”
EPILOGUE
- Riley-
The saucer sets down on the red rock. It’s about sunset, because the flight back from thebeach took longer than I thought.
I turn to the Plood. “Well done. What’s your name?”
He blinks once with his giant, black eyes. I get the feeling he doesn’t have one, which makes sense since he’s grown from a spore and just matured from a mushroom.
“Your name is Myron,” I tell him. “Myron. Do you need food? Drink? Come out with us.”
I open the hatch and step out with Nator’ax right behind me. Myron also takes some short, unsteady steps to follow us. He looks so fragile and uncertain that I change my mind. “Actually, you can stay in here if you want.”
The little alien turns on a dime and escapes into the locker where he was put before.
The campfire burns and it smells of fragrant wood and food being cooked. The air is humid and dense with the usual smells of the jungle.
