Page 120 of Bride of Choice

Rek started to growl but Gopher said something to him that had Rek chuffing, puffing, muttering, “Fine,” and storming off.

“Be good,” Gopher called out to us, which for some reason had Odix shifting awkwardly.

Spitting out hair as I struggled to turn my head to the side, I realized if I unhooked my arms I could accomplish the feat. “What’s wrong, big cuddly bear?” I prompted with a frowny face, to a nervous noise from my companion.

It started with a lower lip wobble, as I imagined all the ways he was going to try and dump me off on someone else.

“You pinky swore,” I started to blubber, to rushed reassurances from him.

Adjusting me in his arms, he didn’t walk elsewhere with me, he ran.

“Don’t take me to Rosa’s. I don’t want her to see me like this,” I got out between horrible, suck down the snot sniffles.

Pausing, he turned and headed off in another direction. “Not Rek’s. He didn’t like that he’s cute. He’s stupid.”

“Why give Rek list if Jo no want him?” Odix mumbled.

“Not Gopher’s. He’ll just kick me out. He doesn’t trust himself to be alone with me.” My hold on his neck tightened.

I loved watching his throat work as he gulped audibly.

Garbling out Bum-bum’s name, he grunted, “Go find Krampus.”

My hold on him clenched. “Don’t even think of taking me to Doogie or Berkr, I’ll scream.”

“Where go?” he blurted, clearly flustered.

Realizing he couldn’t wait to get rid of me, I mumbled defeatedly as I rested my head against him and closed my eyes. “Nobody wants me. Just take me to Bia’s.”

“No,” he rumbled out softly, as if to belie that.

“It’s fine,” I mumbled, nuzzling closer to that thickness he calls a neck. He was SO warm. Warm as hell and a badass.

Realizing I’d spoken my thoughts out loud, I frowned. “You weren’t supposed to hear that.”

“Which parts? Warm hells or how Odix have bad ass?” he countered.

“Badass,” I corrected.

“That what Odix say. Ass bad.”

“No.” A soft laugh left me. “Not that you have a bad ass but that you were a badass, you know, charging in there like a gorilla bear on steroids, all claws and fangs and touch her and die, asshole. It was… impressive. I’m impressed, and appreciative.”

“And cold,” Odix grumbled as my nose pressed to the side of his throat.

“Sorry,” I murmured, pulling back, folding my hands in my lap, where I clenched them, determined to keep my hands to myself.

“No beed sorry,” Odix grumbled.

This had the odd effect of making me feel even more sorry.

“Is feeling like an insanely overly emotional crazy person a normal side effect? How long until the worst of it’s over?” My hands clapped to my cheeks, feeling icier now that I wasn’t touching him.

“Lo denaii no drink that much Prokar’s spedshul punch,” he grunted out. “Odix no like way makes head feel. Swimmy, funny, hertz later. Hertz lots.”

The horror filling me must have shown on my face because Odix took pity on me. “Watch Jojo. No let do stupid things.”

“You mean like I have been for a large chunk of the trip?” I squeaked.

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