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)
I’rec pauses, staring down at the furs in front of him. His shoulders shake, and then he wheezes with laughter.
Mood? Defused. And how awesome do I feel that I can make him laugh like that? I chuckle and nip at the side of his ear. “Don’t be grumpy. What did O’jek say to get you all upset?”
He sighs. “I said we should follow the metlaks. See if there are more signs of what they are fleeing. He wants to continue on to the Ancestors’ Cave. He says it is safest and D’see will be a big help there.”
“You trust O’jek, don’t you?” I scratch lightly at his chest. When he nods, I ask, “So are you just annoyed that he’s not listening to you? Or is it something more?”
I’rec hesitates, then gives me a disgruntled look. “I find him annoying because everything he says begins with ‘D’see.’” He makes a face. “D’see is tired, we should stop early. D’see likes this trail mix, not the other one. D’see wants to make the fire.”
Now I’m the one that’s fighting back giggles. “Are you annoyed that your best friend resonated? How do you think you sound to him?”
“Well,” he huffs. “I would not suggest that we stop early if you are tired, because I would carry you.”
I thump his shoulder, chuckling. “You would not.”
“I would! And I know you will eat everything I put in front of you—” He barks with laughter as I try to swat at him again. There’s a wide grin on his face as he avoids my mock-slapping hands, and I realize he’s teasing me back…and I like it. “What?” he jokes. “I did not speak lies. You were just chewing on my ear!”
“You are going to sleep alone tonight if this keeps up.” I fight back laughter, trying to be angry.
“No, I will not.” He takes my hands in his and wraps me around him again, like I’m his cloak. “Because F’lor likes to put her cold fingers between my legs when she sleeps. And F’lor likes to snore when she lies on top of me. And F’lor insists on kisses in the morning—”
This time I tickle him to shut him up.
Chapter
Sixteen
FLOR
It’s a little after dinner that I decide to enact my dastardly plan to toy with I’rec. In a way, I guess I’m testing him. If he wants to be my mate, truly, he’ll be down for some silly games. He’ll understand that my idea of foreplay is getting the upper hand and teasing him about it. If we’re truly meant to be together, he’ll play along with me. I hope.
So yeah, I guess I’m determined to see just how far his so-called “love” goes. Or if he’ll get annoyed with my clinginess, my sense of humor, my inability to be serious for long stretches, and go back to Tia, who will probably look up at him with doe eyes and watch him flex his muscles. Me, if he tries to flex a muscle at me, I’ll just crack up.
But really, I think I’rec needs someone to laugh with him and at him. Someone to keep him grounded and remind him that he doesn’t have to be right—or in control—all the time.
So I watch for my moment. O’jek comes in and sits by the fire for a few, praising Daisy for the tea she made and the roaring fire she has going. I sit next to I’rec on the floor across from them, and I shiver. “I’m still cold. You think you could get me a fur, I’rec?” I smile sweetly at my mate. “I’d love to just bundle up.”
My mate looks concerned. “We can put more fuel on the fire—”
“No no, a blanket would be lovely.” I point at one of the ones in the pile for our bedding that night. “That white one on top.”
He retrieves it for me, and then immediately offers me another piece of jerky. Ugh. I guess I have to eat that now, since every time he worries about me, he tries to feed me. I quickly scarf the jerky, chewing hard, and when he hands me the fur, I settle it across my knees and over my front, the edges of the fur on my shoulders. The other side, I drape over his lap.
I’rec, that irascible alien, tries to push it off his lap. “I am not cold.”
“I am, though, and I like leaning against you,” I say, demonstrating just that. “Humor me, all right?”
And I place the blanket over his crossed legs again, snuggling against him and resting my arm on the thigh closest to me.
He makes a resigned noise, but leaves the blanket this time, and we continue talking with Daisy and O’jek from across the fire. Daisy’s feeling herself tonight, enthusiastic about languages. She goes on and on about how much time she had to herself back when she was living on some cat-people planet called Praxii, and how to entertain herself she’d learn languages or something. I admit I pay less attention the longer the story goes on. O’jek is riveted, because he’s always rapt whenever Daisy speaks. I’rec watches them, but I can tell his mind is wandering.