Page 61 of Riv's Sanctuary

What did she want?

He wasn’t a chid anymore. He knew all the wiles females used to get what they wanted and whatever she wanted, it wasn’t going to come from him.

Grabbing a bowl of premade rai, he filled it with gada paste and returned to the main room.

The female was watching him silently, those expressive eyes studying him as if she was trying to figure him out.

Riv grunted at the thought.

As he placed the bowl in front of her, her eyes widened a little and a smile split her face.

He found himself staring at her face for far much longer than he should have and when Grot made a low rumble, it broke him from his trance.

“—yoo so much.”

She’d been speaking as well. He hadn’t heard a word even though he’d been watching her mouth move.

Shaking his head a little, he zoned in on the fact that he was still standing by her chair, their bodies so close he could sense the warmth coming off hers.

Jerking away, he shook himself mentally.

He needed to go to bed. Bed and away from this room.

Away from these thoughts.

Away from her.

* * *

Lauren ate the bowl of cereal slower this time.

She was intent on savoring every drop. There was no telling when she’d be back to eating those meal bars she still had—they never seemed to go bad.

She’d thought he was going to stay and eat with her but looking back now, she should have known better.

He didn’t want to be around her.

He wasn’t a complete dick, though. He was feeding her. He’d given her a nice room for herself. And most of all, he hadn’t tried to touch her inappropriately.

As far as it seemed, he didn’t even see her as female.

…Which she guessed was okay.

Lauren stared at the now empty bowl.

Why did that make her feel a bit…strange inside? Disappointed even.

She should be happy he wasn’t looking at her like that. The aliens that had looked at her like she was female hadn’t been subtle about their intentions. It’d been clear what they had wanted from her.

Sighing, Lauren ate in peace for what felt like a good hour, each mouthful of food savored to an extreme extent till it slipped down her throat.

From now on, she would never take proper meals for granted ever again. Not after having those meal bars for a year.

When she finally finished, she stood and moved to the room she supposed was the kitchen.

There were gadgets in there that she had no idea the purpose of.

She didn’t even see a stove or anything that looked like one.

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