Page 53 of Sohut's Protection

She seemed to stiffen, her neck stretching back a little as she eyed him and she looked so strange doing it that his eyes crinkled at the corners in amusement.

“We’re not sharing body heat…” Then her eyes widened. “Is that why you took your shirt off? … Shit, I forgot you can’t understand me.”

Her eyes widened some more. “Which girl that’s been alone for a whole year wouldn’t want a hot hunk plastered against them? I mean, thanks for the sentiment and all. But I don’t know you.”

Sohut had to look away so she couldn’t see the humor in his eyes.

He hadn’t been suggesting they share “body heat.” He had no idea what she meant by that anyway. There was no way to transfer heat of one’s body to another…at least not in his species. But now he was intrigued.

And she thought he was attractive? He’d return the compliment but that would give away the fact that he could understand her.

Fetching one of the sluu doughs from the satchel, he moved over to her, noticing her eyes were plastered on his chest before her cheeks took on a strange hue and she looked away, instead choosing to focus on the food in his hand.

“Do you want this?” He shook the sluu dough in his hand.

Her eyes narrowed immediately as if she was contemplating saying no. “Yes.” She nodded.

Unpacking the food slowly, she watched every move of his fingers.

“You only have four fingers…” she murmured, as if awed. “Four long, thick fingers…”

Her cheeks took on that funny hue again and she closed her eyes for a second, murmuring something about having no tact.

He had no idea what his fingers had to do with her tact, but something inside him was liking this little exchange between them.

Finally pulling the sluu dough from the packet, he moved close to her and her eyes grew wide, her gaze searching his face in alarm.

“Eat,” he pressed the sluu dough to her lips and for a second, she did nothing.

He knew she wanted to take a bite. Her throat was working.

She reminded him of his brother’s tevsi named Grot. As a pup, Grot had always been suspicious when anyone tried to feed him.

The similarity made him want to laugh.

Instead, he repeated, “Eat.”

Delicate zimsu-hued lips opened as the female bit into the sluu dough, wary eyes on him.

“I don’t like you,” she said as she chewed and his gaze met hers. “I don’t like you and your handsome face.”

A bubble of a chuckle lodged in his throat.

Begrudgingly, she took another bite. “I don’t like your stupidly good tasting food either.”

Holding the laughter back was hard, especially when her small pink tongue darted out to lick her lips as she took another bite of the same food she was saying she hated.

“I don’t like that you’re here.” She took another bite, her eyes rolling back a little as she chewed, the pure taste giving her such pleasure he could see it on her face. “Why did they have to send you, huh? I thought they’d given up trying to catch me.”

She took another bite. “God, this tastes so good.” She chewed. “Like, I was happy on my own, you know. But I guess they knew the weakness I didn’t even know I had. Turns out, it’s you.”

Her eyes narrowed on him again. “I couldn’t have fucking prepared for you.”

As she took the last bite, her lips brushed against his fingers and Sohut bit inside his cheek at the unexpected pleasure of that touch.

“If you’re poisoning me right now, I’m such an idiot for eating this.” She swallowed her last mouthful and attempted to glare at him. But her glare held no substance. Deep in her eyes, he knew she didn’t really hate him.

She was all talk and no bite.

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