Page 45 of Treasured By the Alien Rogue

“Normally, I’m all over protecting myself.”

“Now you have me to do it for you.”

“Where were you when I laid Tribon on the ground twice yesterday?”

I grumbled. She’d surprised me. Amazed me. “I battled him. It’s my role as your mate to defend you.”

“We’re not mates.”

“If you’re a good girl, you’ll agree I’m your mate, and I’ll promise to lick you again.”

“Xax,” she growled.

“Amanda,” I said quite pleasantly.

Her gaze fell on the vines stretching toward us. “Do they bite?”

I kissed her cheek and nibbled on her ear. “I’m the only one who’ll be biting.”

Looking up at me, her frown didn’t fade. “You have tusks. Those babies would hurt if they sunk into my skin.”

“It’s all in the touch, mate. All in the touch.”

“No breaking the skin.” She pointed to her chest. “Praise kink, not vampire sex.”

“You’re such a good girl,” I said on cue.

Her smile returned. “If you keep that up, I’m going to fling you to the ground and have my way with you.”

While I was eager to let her try, we hadn’t come to this section of the village for that. A few low sounds in my throat sent the vines on my mission. They soon returned with stumps of varying sizes, dropping them around us.

“I’m not sure what’s going on here,” Amanda said, her eyes wide.

I righted a stump and urged her to sit. “Watch, and I’ll show you.” Stepping away from her, I started gathering the stumps, placing them in a pile. “Describe your tea shop again.”

Her breath caught. “Xax.” Did her eyes sparkle with excitement or tears?

I strode back over to her and stooped down in front of her, which placed us at eye level. “I want to help with your shop. Will you tell me how you’d like me to arrange your chairs and tables?”

“Xax.” She truly was crying now.

“I’ve upset you.”

“No. It’s sweet of you to do this for me.”

“I want to help you. This is important to you, which means it’s important to me.”

“Aw, Xax. I—”

“What are you doing?” I turned to find Cresar striding past our shroom and over to us.

“Constructing Amanda’s tea shop,” I said.

“What’s a tea and why does it need a shop?” He stopped beside Amanda. Seeing him standing there reminded me of how tiny she was compared to a Zuldruxian. Even a mere youngling like Cresar was taller than her, though he was about her same breadth.

“Tea’s a beverage I used to drink back on Earth,” she said. “Some people enjoy it hot, others cold. I like it any way someone’s eager to serve it to me.”

“Why do you need a shop for tea?” he asked.

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