Page 36 of Right on Time

“What?” she mumbled, shy all of a sudden. His focused cobalt-blue gaze brought butterflies to her stomach.

“It’s just that… I like seeing you smile.”

“Oh…” Yep, she was going to melt into a puddle at his feet. “The feeling is mutual.”

His wings fluttered.

She turned to face him completely and bit her bottom lip in hesitation. Was this the right time to ask him whether she was the only female he had eyes for?

He turned to face her and took a step closer–

Cheyda’s head slid between them like a barrier.

Nitiel chuckled and patted the cibiri’s rear. “Alright, princess, we’ll keep our attention on you.”

Cheyda rubbed her head in Chloe’s chest, nearly pushing her over in the process. “Whoa there, Cheyda. What is it?”

“She wishes to rest her head on your lap. It’s a sign of trust and a good way to bond with a cibiri. But if you aren’t comfortable with the idea, we can continue our walk.”

“No, I want to try. I’m honored, Cheyda.” Although, the cibiri could have waited a minute before interrupting Chloe’s emotionally-charged moment with Nitiel.

The cibiri’s reply was a shove with her muzzle that would have sent Chloe on her butt in the pink grass, were it not for Nitiel’s wing catching her. The soft appendage was surprisingly strong against her back and had Chloe stabilized in a heartbeat. She immediately missed the feel of that powerful wing enveloping her when Nitiel quickly withdrew it.

“Patience, Cheyda,” he chastised the cibiri. “And be gentler with Loe; her kind lack the extra stability our wings provide.”

The cibiri snorted.

“She is not impressed by my wingless form, is she?” Chloe asked as she followed Nitiel’s lead to a raised section of the meadow.

“Cheyda is amused. It must be hard for her to comprehend how you can stay on your two feet at all without wings to keep you balanced.”

“Well, I certainly wish I had wings.”

Nitiel cast a warm smile her way. “You can fly without them, Loe. Say the word, and your niel will provide a cibiri just for you. There are many younglings to choose from, we’ll visit their enclosure later.”

Ugh. Not that your-fated-mate-is-super-duper speech again. “Thanks, but–”

“You won’t be staying?” Mirth was dancing in his eyes when he turned to face her, motioning for her to sit on the grass.

Chloe smirked. “I’m happy to hear you’re starting to believe the ASI is glitching.”

He shook his head but had a smile on as he sat down.

She joined him with some difficulty – her ball gown was not made for sitting on the ground. When she eventually found a comfortable position to his right, Cheyda sat down beside her in a way that reminded Chloe of a camel, minus the wings tucked close to the cibiri’s body. A moment later, Chloe had a big pink head on her lap.

She giggled. “Wow.”

“Are you comfortable, Loe?”

“Yes, very. This is special!” Having such a big animal, and an alien one at that, trust her so soon after their meeting, brought on a feeling like no other. “Can I pet her?”

“Of course. That is the main idea.”

For a moment there, Chloe could not look away from Nitiel’s smile-lit face. With his features softened by the curl of his purple lips, he was devilishly handsome. Good thing Cheyda poked her in the belly with a muzzle, or Chloe would have stared like a lovesick puppy all day.

“Sorry, Cheyda. Petting session commencing right away.” Having the soft white mane of the cibiri under her fingertips gave Chloe another idea. “Hey, how about I give you a decorated braid? One fit for a princess?”

The cibiri answered with a tug at Chloe’s dress.

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