Total pages in book: 82
Estimated words: 77764 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 389(@200wpm)___ 311(@250wpm)___ 259(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77764 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 389(@200wpm)___ 311(@250wpm)___ 259(@300wpm)
Tia flinches.
I immediately feel guilty, because it’s not like me to punch when someone is down. I’d rather uplift people, bring a smile to their faces. It’s just that…she’s getting on my nerves. It might be due to the resonance hormones, or it might be due to the fact that she’s blaming I’rec as if he hasn’t been patiently waiting on her for years, but I’m not having it. “Look,” I say, trying to keep my tone as gentle and non-confrontational as possible. “Neither of us meant for this to happen. We didn’t do this on purpose.”
“It doesn’t matter if it’s on purpose or not, it’s done.” She sniffs hard, fighting back tears.
I’m tired. So tired. “I told him I wouldn’t keep him if he loves you,” I say dully. Everything in me fights the idea of just walking away from I’rec, but I know the situation is a mess. I know that if he wants to be with her, it’s going to hurt me more in the long run to try and force him to stay with me. “He’s free to leave.”
She makes a huffy sound, indignant. “So, what, I wait for him to finish fucking you and then come crawling back to me?”
“You got any better ideas?” I glare at her.
Tia buries her face in her hands. “I hate this!”
“As if I’m having a splendid time? But it happened. Now we just have to figure out how to proceed from here.” I say the words, and yet they feel wrong the moment they come out. Truth is, I am enjoying myself. I am enjoying the time I spend with I’rec. Maybe I’m shameless, but I love fucking him and he’s really, really good at it. I’m not even sorry that it happened. I’m just sorry that it’s causing such a mess.
“I don’t know,” Tia says, voice hoarse. She glares at me for a moment longer and then shakes her head. “I don’t have the answers for any of this.”
I don’t think any of us do.
Chapter
Twelve
FLOR
“We…what?” I pause in my actions, currently busy bundling several freshly cooked fish to a tiny raft. “What do you mean, we’re going on a journey?”
With his arms crossed as he stands nearby, I’rec looks short-tempered and annoyed. His tail lashes, his mouth set in a firm line, and he looks so damned sexy it’s distracting. I add another sprinkle of herbs to my food offering. Even if I’m going to be sending this into the ocean later tonight, it should be the best food I can make.
I’rec rubs his chest, watching me. “You are hungry? You should eat.”
“I’m not hungry,” I tell him. “I’m making an offering for good luck.” He’s already looking at me with skepticism, so I don’t tell him that I plan on sending this little raft off into the waves once I’ve finished loading it with fresh food. I’m not sure where the spirits on this world dwell, but if they’re watching me, they’ll see I’m making an effort to appease them.
Man, I wish I’d paid more attention to my mother’s teachings. She was full of advice from her homeland that I’d rolled my eyes at. Now I’m regretting that skepticism. I hope I’m doing the right thing and not offending even more.
I’rec saunters up to me. “I can help you with your offerings, if you like, when we return.”
I straighten. “First of all, you didn’t say where you were going. And second of all, we’re still resonating. And third of all, are you sure you want to bring me?”
He takes the spoon from my hands and sets it down, then rubs the flecks of spices off my knuckles. “You have made a mess?”
I’m distracted by his tenderness. Okay, and his nearness. And how good he looks. And his scent. And the purr of his khui. And…everything. I stare at his chest, at the hard muscle covering him and the expanse of pale blue skin. “Mm?”
I’rec rubs my hand with his thumb. “Are you sure I cannot feed you?”
“Me? Oh…no. I’m fine.” Distracted, but fine.
“I will make you something anyhow,” he says, giving my back a pat. “Come. We will eat and discuss plans.”
Well, I guess I’m eating after all. I bite back a smirk at that, because I’rec reminds me of my mother in that regard—always pushing food toward me even if I’m not hungry. For Nanay, it was a love language, a way to show she cared. I’m not sure what it is with I’rec. I just know he never offers to feed anyone else, and it makes me feel warm and a little giddy inside.
Once he sits down, I’rec stokes my fire as I clean my hands off. He puts on a pouch of tea and pulls out some dried jerky, offering me a piece. “D’see has an idea to go to the Ancestors’ Cave.”