Reb snorted. “On this planet, the creepy crawlies are pretty safe.” He frowned. “At least for us. I’m not sure about Earthers. I’ll do a bit of research tomorrow on what you need to avoid, and I’ll program your palm print for the door. It’s a good idea to wait for me. I won’t be long.”
He turned around and set his palm on the plate by the door. When it lowered like a ramp, he slipped outside. The door closed on its own when he was a few feet away.
Cammy didn’t waste any time pulling off the robe and stripping the thin, backless hospital gown off her body. It wasn’t too much different from what they used on Earth. The material tied in a few places and gave medical workers access to every inch of a patient’s body.
Slipping on the shirt, Cam giggled. It reminded her of a gray tee shirt. Yet they created it from a much thinner material than cotton. It felt good against her skin. Warm. And hung down past her knees. She didn’t want to put the robe back on. It was way too big for her and would definitely make a better blanket.
Running her hand over her head, she wondered if the sight would bother Reb. She kept the hood up most of the time and felt a little self-conscious without it. Cammy decided if the scars and her shaved head seemed to bother Reb, then she’d put it back on. If he dealt with it okay, she’d leave it off.
But the shirt was way too big for her. To keep it from sliding off her shoulders and sagging in the front, Cammy tied a knot in the material under her breasts and that helped a bit. At least now it stayed on her slight frame.
Not for the first time, she bemoaned the differences between her and her twin. Casey was an athlete. Her body was lean and muscular. Cammy was not. She had more fat than her sister, and most of that was boobs. She wasn’t more than a C cup, but on her five-foot, three-inch body… her breasts looked bigger. Looking down, she decided the combination of thin material and the knot made them look a LOT bigger.
Before she could undo the material and figure out a different way to keep the enormous shirt on her body, Reb opened the door and stepped inside. He opened his mouth to say something. And froze. His eyes widened, and he forgot to close his mouth. He just stood there… shocked.
Cammy sighed and lowered her head. She ran her hand over hairless flesh and sighed again. “I know. It’s horrible. There isn’t a mirror, so I couldn’t see. I’ll put the robe back on and keep the hood up. I know it looks bad.”
Chapter Six
ReBOrB
With his eyes wide and his body clenched in fiery arousal, Reb heard the dejection in Cammy’s voice. He blinked and tried to make sense of what she said.
It was horrible? No… No, it was magnificent. They were. She was. It took him seconds to realize they couldn’t be thinking about the same thing. Taking a deep breath, he focused on Cammy and what she might mean.
It took a few moments before the blood surging through his body calmed enough he could function. Cammy had already picked up the robe and held it in front of her body with one hand. The other hand was on her head, fingers spread to hide the baldness from him. She wasn’t talking about those glorious breasts and her stunning smile. She was talking about… her hair. Or lack thereof.
Siluthien Hell! He could see by the look on her face that he’d crushed her spirits. Reb stammered when he spoke. “It’s not horrible. What… what looks… nothing looks bad. I was speechless and acting like a fool because… It’s… you’re beautiful, Cammy. And you’re wearing my shirt. Well. You’re wearing a shirt that could be mine… Never mind. That doesn’t even make sense to me. I’m being an idiot.“ He held out his hand. “Leave the robe. You look amazing and you’ll be more comfortable. It’s nice out here.”
He let her see how much he enjoyed looking at her. Letting his eyes slowly glide down her body. Until he got to her feet. Then he frowned. She was still wearing socks. “You need shoes.”
Cammy giggled at his comment. All thought of her shaved head seemed to be forgotten. “I’m not going hiking. I just need to pee. We’ll figure out footwear tomorrow.”
Reb nodded. Relieved to hear that giggle. He picked up the package of cleansing wipes and guided her out of the hover. “I discovered a small private area for you at the side of the ship. There are plenty of small trees and several handholds that will help keep you upright if you’re feeling dizzy. I did a quick sweep of the area for tonight. There aren’t any creepy-crawlies to speak of.”
He guided her into the tight circle of trees and placed her hand on one of the smaller ones. “Hold on to this. I’ll step back through the trees, but won’t go far. Holler if you need help.” He handed her the cleansing wipes and walked a few feet away.
As ReBOrB waited for her, he listened to the night. The sounds were peaceful. Some type of chirping creature, an occasional splash at the lake. Probably fish jumping, he decided. The small moon was high in the sky. It would be several hours before the second, larger moon would rise.
For now, the shadows surrounding him were deep. Everything he could see was in very muted shades of gray. The trees, rocks, even the hover appeared the same. Taking a deep breath, Reb smelled the tilled dirt from the nearby farmer’s field. The scent of fresh, open water layered over dirt and forest floor vegetation. The air was comfortably warm.
He lost the struggle to keep his mind on their surroundings and thought about the bed he’d created inside the ship. Before he saw Cammy in his shirt… Reb had been certain he could lie beside her and sleep. That he could easily maintain both a physical and mental distance. Now the thought of being that close to her made his cock ache.
His mating bands pulsed. Slithered. He didn’t have to look to know they’d already changed. He could feel the small pieces that had broken off his bands and were ready to become part of his mate. They were restless… twitchy.
And every movement sent a thrill of sensation straight to his cock. Gritting his teeth, Reb caught Cammy’s light floral scent. That did more than send a thrill. He was in so much trouble.
He couldn’t do this to her. Couldn’t take the chance of claiming her. Not yet. Siluthien Hell! Reb was going to have to sleep outside the hover.
Cameron
As she held on to the small tree and crouched to take care of business, Cammy wondered what color the small leaves were. The bark on the trees in the alien forest reminded her of Aspens. The ones surrounding her glowed a light color in the weak moonlight.
Taking a deep breath, she could smell the forest. At home, she would have said the aroma was pine and tree sap. Maybe decaying leaves. It was a little familiar. Comforting. Even if the trees had turned out to have pink bark and purple leaves, the scent reminded her of something she loved.
Finished, she used the baby wipes and then pulled herself upright with the sapling. She held on tight until the little glade stopped spinning around her. Cam took a moment to assess her condition. She was dizzy, and that seemed to get worse as she moved around. The nausea wasn’t as bad as it had been earlier, but she remained weak.
Walking a few feet and taking care of basic needs was almost more than she could handle. She knew the lack of energy and strength was normal after being unconscious for several days. Cam felt like the dry, alien bread helped calm her stomach a little. But it wasn’t nourishment. She was worried.