Page 21 of Catching the Kot'oll Driver

I narrow my eyes on her and I fold my arms. It sounds like a trap. I doubt she wants to be anywhere close to me, let alone be on the same bed as me.

She peeks at me, waiting for my response. I’d love to be on my bed. It is a lot better than sleeping at the dashboard, but...

I say, “It feels like you’re looking for a chance to choke me or something, to kill me in my sleep.”

She shakes her head. “Come on... I can’t kill you. I don’t have a reason to kill you. You’ve... not done bad things yet.”

“Are you implying that I’m going to do bad things?”

She blinks, seemingly doesn’t realize that. “Um... You’re the one in the know.”

She won’t like it, but she lights a fire in my stomach and makes my arms twitch.

I say, “I mean, you’re the one inviting me to be on the same bed as you.”

“We can sleep in peace together. You just have to keep your hands to yourself. Like, all the hands.”

I wriggle the fingers of all my hands. “Are you scared of these hands?”

She gulps and stares at me for another moment. “Those look ticklish.”

“You’re lucky. I’m always going to win a tickling contest.”

She laughs. “I don’t doubt that at all. You’re going to win unless you’re matched up with your kind, or those with even more fingers.”

I head closer to the bed and also to her. “Are you sure you’re fine with me sleeping by your side?”

She pauses for a moment, seemingly trying to make up her mind. I’m not going to make her do it. I’m well prepared and expecting to sleep outside.

But eventually, she nods. “Get comfortable.”

I go to the blind and lift it to check the outside. Maybe the power is back up, then we can avoid the potential problems.

Except the power and the storms say, “Not today.”

I climb onto the bed instead, situating myself on it. She kicks the blanket and spreads it. “Are you turning off the light?”

“Right, I should do that.”

I turn off the light and the moment it goes dark, my heartbeat races. It is dark in the room except for the light that seeps into the room from the corridor outside at the gap of the door.

Now... There’s no reason to be scared of a tiny human female, but at the same time, this will be the first time since forever to have another being next to me on a bed.

How will it feel if I hold her in my arms?

I don’t think I should do that. She’s one of the police, after all, they have to have trained her to beat up bigger beings. Given her size, maybe she had a lot of training to make sure bigger ones like me wouldn’t get any advantage.

I get onto the bed. Whatever happens, I’m not standing at the door like an idiot.

She whispers as I climb onto the bed. “The bed shakes.”

“Are you complaining?”

“I’m just stating what’s happening.”

“Okay?”

She pats the pillow. “Here.”

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