Page 16 of Rhubarb 2 Go

I slung my arm around his shoulders and guided him down Main Street toward the pride house, giddy at the thoughts of our backyard.“I’ve got it covered.”

Although that was another bed in the backyard that wouldn’t get used for vegetables.Did I care?Heck no, I was going to play hide the stalk in the soil.

I guided Ricky around the house to find the three lions barbequing steaks on the grill.I wrinkled my nose at the smell, but we had a live and let live policy in our herd.As long as the lions didn’t try to fryus, me and the other herbivores didn’t worry about their need to eat meat.We had plenty of lush grass.

There was no sign of Tim, which I found odd.He and Maximus were joined at the hip now.

“Where’s your mate?”I asked Maximus, looking around.

“He said the smell of the steaks made him want to hurl.He’s asleep in our bed.”Maximus pointed behind the greenhouse, then squinted at Ricky.“You look as bad as Tim before he headed off for a nap.”

Ricky waved a weary hand.“Too much pole playing.I just need time to recover, and then I can play with my balls.”

I flushed at the lions’ amused smirks.“Don’t even go there,” I ordered before Maximus, or the others, could get started on my ball situation.“I’m going to need to use the new vegetable bed.”

Maximus shrugged and grinned widely at us.“We can always buy the veggies if our rhubarb needs the whole yard.”

I sniffled a little because that was just what our alpha was like.He never minded thinking about other members of the pride.“Thanks.”Then I sniffed at the meat.It smelled rancid.Maybe Tim had a point.“What are you eating?”

Apollo looked at his steak.“Beef.”He shoved the whole steak in his mouth.

It made me want to gag.Lions were strange creatures.

“Take me to my bed,” Ricky murmured, leaning against me, and I forgot about the meat.My mate needed my help, and I was here for that.

“Do you need me to undress you?”I asked when we reached the newly dug bed.

Ricky held up his arms.“Have at it.”

Chapter Eleven

Ricky

Burke’s thoughts filled my head.He seemed amazed I washisrhubarb.I couldn’t come up with just the right word for how it made me feel.Instead, I got all pink and leafy and did one twirl in his hands, rubbing my fuzzies against his palms, sending delightful sparks straight to those glorious balls.Then I wriggled, feeling the last of my energy drain.Gimme the soil, ballsy-bull.

He dropped to his knees in the twilight and, holding me carefully in one hand so as not to squish me, he used his free hand to create a little trench.Then he placed me down and tucked the soil around me like it was a blanket.

I was grinning on the inside at how unsure he was about fully covering me up and if he did, would it suffocate me.He was the cutest.The soil is my friend.But your fingers rubbing it against me feels soooo good.Don’t stop.

A sigh followed my demand, and in my rhubarb, all I got was his contentment at being told what to do by me, making me feel all kinds of special.I was about to tell him that he could stop when I went to sleep.My brain switched off fast, like it always did when I was in the soil.I had a level of consciousness, but not the type that could make conversation because I was so tired.

Although on my stringy insides, I grinned, stupidly happy that he didn’t stress because we had such a strong connection already.It was as if he knew what I needed without asking.Did Tim have the same connection with Maximus?I’d have to ask, just not now, when I was a rhubarb on a mission to recover my stamina.

Did I doze off?I was uncertain if Burke’s arms must finally have protested at the constant movement, because I scented a change in my bull.The soil moved around me, but I sensed the air vibrate against the soil.I stirred briefly as my bull's hide touched my stalk.

My bull snuffled at the dirt, making sure to not trample on me.I might be small, but I wasn’t concerned when he plonked himself down right by me, pushing more soil over me.His head right next to that of my stalk, his tongue licked at my leaves.Still not fully regenerated, I nudged a little closer when he settled down to have a nap next to me.I needed him to be ballsy fit for me when I woke up.No one wanted empty balls, no siree.

Movement in the bed of soil made my body vibrate with the renewed energy I’d lacked hours before.I noticed that the sky was lit with the first signs of daybreak as I lifted my leafy head at the sound of a mooing.

Wow, how long had I slept for?

I wiggled in the soil and couldn’t figure out where my bull was.I felt the earth move, but it wasn’t close to me.Burke mooed loudly and—I grinned at the thoughts of him seeking out my rhubarb—it came with a flood of panic.

I spun in the dirt.My bull was not stealthy as he tried to stalk me.He was careful as he stepped in the soil, but he was heading in the wrong direction.I giggled, about to give him a clue, when my head filled with Tim making loud gagging noises.

I shifted in time to watch my bull, tongue lolling out of his mouth.He had the most spectacularly long tongue which, it appeared, could twist and flick as good as me on my pole.Then I got all of Burke’s thoughts on how much I liked to lick him.

He flicked out his tongue with enthusiasm at thoughts of impressing me once more, only it wasn’t me he was impressing.

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