Page 40 of Make Me Bee-lieve

“You murdered your sisters before you were six?!” I bolt upright. “When I was six, I was playing with action figures with my little brother. And you were ripping the heads off your siblings?”

“You’re thinking about this way too hard, Cal.” Polina sits up next to me and puts her hand on my shoulder. “We’re from different worlds. Different species. Different cultures. Yes, some of it is shocking. I don’t even know what ‘action figures’ are. I’ve enjoyed learning about you, but if you want me to stop sharing parts of myself?—”

I turn to face her and frown. “No, absolutely not, Po. Don’t sanitize stuff just for my sake. You’re right. We’re different, but that’s fine. It’s okay. I’ve enjoyed learning about you, too.”

Even the rough, ugly parts that make my stomach fold over itself. What she had to go through was … was horrifying, of course. But nature is cruel. I’ve seen enough documentaries to know that. Yet thinking about Polina, my Sunshine, being subjected to something so terrible … it makes me want to hold her. To shield her from the rest of the world. But how can I do that when the mere thought of combat makes me want to run away and hide?

Her eyes twinkle then, and it reminds me of the stars overhead. Damn, she’s so pretty. I’ve never been in the company of such a beautiful woman before, not unless it was for a lecture at the university with a hundred other students. No one swipes right on me on the dating apps. If Po were on one of those dating apps and came across my profile, would she swipe left or right?

Let’s be real. She probably wouldn’t give me a second glance. Why would she?

“I have no idea why you even like me,” I mutter, shaking my head. As I look up at the stars overhead, I can feel her eyes linger on me. Scrutinizing me.

“What do you mean?” she asks in a small voice. Then she places her hands over mine and squeezes them. “I like you because you’re brave, strong, and interesting. Do I need any other reasons?”

“Brave and strong aren’t adjectives anyone’s used to describe me before,” I say with a soft smile. “But … thank you.”

Polina’s buzzing becomes agitated as she latches onto my arm and clings to it like it’s a life preserver. “Why do you talk poorly about yourself all the time? Don’t think I haven’t noticed. Any man who risks his own life to save the woman he cares for is brave, Cal. You did that, remember? The panicked stampede that would have left me dead like … like all the others. You stopped that from happening at great risk to yourself.”

My breath hitches in my throat as she pins me with her gaze. She’s being serious. And of course I need to ruin it by negative self-talk once again.

I snort. “Really? Because I just thought it was stupidity.”

“Absolutely not!” Polina puffs out her cheeks. I grin and resist the urge to pinch the air out of them. “Please, no more disparaging yourself, okay? I like you. And I will not explain myself any further. This is an order from the crown.”

“Oh, shit.” My eyes widen. “An order from the crown? Oh, my. Your Highness is so commanding!” I tease her, and Polina’s cheeks turn bright red. I can’t help but burst into laughter as all four of her hands turn into tiny fists and she playfully hits me in the sides. “Oh, no! Her Highness is attacking me! Nooooo! I’m going to die!”

“You are such a … such a…”

I arch an eyebrow and grin. “Such a what?”

“Such a butthole!” she yells, then playfully nips my arm with her fangs. It doesn’t hurt, but it is hilarious that she just bit me. My little Sunshine of Terror.

“Are you sure you aren’t secretly a hornet in disguise?” I jeer as I run my hand down the back of her head, over the intricate braids that have somehow managed to stay in place all day, even after everything we’ve been through. That can’t be a comfortable hairstyle to maintain. “Hey. Want me to take these out for you? That way, you can sleep more comfortably.”

Polina blinks at me, and her tiny fists relax back into hands. Good. I’m safe from her onslaught for now.

“Um … I suppose. Though we shouldn’t sleep, because I’m sure Ser Beatrix and Sylvie will be coming for us soon.”

I bite my bottom lip. The fact that she has so much faith in her knights is admirable, but … it’s been hours. They aren’t coming. And she did say we’d wait until nightfall before heading back over to check on the situation. It’s been night for several hours now, and she hasn’t made any indication that she wants to head back.

I’m pretty sure she’s in denial, but I’m not sure I want to be the one to push her to face something she clearly isn’t ready for.

Instead, I pat my lap and grin. “Sit here and I’ll get to work on them.”

It takes Polina a few seconds of quiet deliberation before she finally deigns to sit in my lap. I’ve never had a woman in my lap before, either. I brush my fingers along her slender neck and watch as the hairs on her arms stand on end. Then I unravel each braid one by one, taking my time not to pull too hard and hurt her. Finally, after what feels like an eternity and a nanosecond all at once, I’m finished.

But she doesn’t vacate my lap. Instead, she stays put and leans back to look up at the stars again. I lean down and press my lips to her throat. She shivers against my chest and wraps her upper two arms around my neck, pulling me down closer. “More,” she murmurs.

I kiss the crook of her neck again, and again, and again. I’m hard. Of course I am. My cock is pretty much aching for attention, and it’s been days since I jerked it, so I’m desperate for release.

“Cal?” she says in a sweet, tinkling bell of a voice. Her bright eyes are hooded with lust, but mine are probably the same right now.

“Yes?” I answer her.

Polina’s antennae brush against my cheek, tickling me. “I want you to be my first. I want to finish what we started in the alcove,” she says. My cock twitches at the invitation, and I suppress a groan.

“Are you sure?” I ask her in a breathy voice I don’t recognize. “We don’t have to rush anything.”

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