Page 29 of Rescued By the Luxirian

“Tev,” he murmured, his eyes knowing as they connected with mine. “A fresh start.”

“And you don’t ever miss being aroundpeople?” I asked.

“People are greedy,” he told me, his tone matter-of-fact. “People always wanted things from me and I guess I got tired of all thetaking. Sonix, not really.”

“And do you think that about me?” I couldn’t help but ask.

He tensed, his brow furrowing. “Nix. Not at all.”

“I’m imposing on you, don’t you think? Sleeping in your bed, eating your food, wearing your clothes,” I listed off. My eyes strayed to the jug of wine. “I mean, you just opened upkrivirowine for me.”

His hand stroked through my hair and he let out a puff of air, an exasperated sigh. “And you haven’t let me forget it,” he teased. “Vrax, female, the people I’m speaking of back home would’ve raided my damn cellar. And Ilikeyou in my bed and in my clothes. It pleases me.”

My shoulders relaxed, chuckling a bit at the way he nipped at my shoulder with the last words. His long fingers drifted through my hair.

“Would it bother you?” he murmured suddenly. “Not being around people all the time?”

There was a tone in his voice that had me studying him. Carefully.

Does he feel it too?I wondered. This strange connection between us?

Asking me something like that…it made a flurry of butterflies erupt in my belly. As if…as if he was thinking of mehere. With him.

This is crazy, I thought. So why wasn’t I scared?

“No,” I said softly, deliberately. “Though I’d probably miss market days. I’m a very thrifty shopper, you know, and I alwayslike to hunt for the good deals. Nothing is quite as thrilling as that.”

My teasing words were meant to lighten the sudden tension thrumming between us. Not that it was bad. It was just noticeable.

It worked. He laughed, the sound deep and gruff.

“Have you ever been to Nikk?” he asked.

I gasped. “No.”

“You know it’s close to Ullima, right?”

“You lie,” I accused, pushing at his unyielding shoulder, making his laugh deepen. “It’shere?”

“A half-day cruiser ride, if that,” he informed me. “I got the hydro-flame there.”

Nikk wasthemarket day destination. A massive, open-air market with vendors from all over the Quadrants, setting up shop every single day, not just a couple times every moon cycle.

I’d only ever read about it.

“One day,” I sighed, dropping back to relax on the cushion again. “One day, I’ll go.”

With a baby though?I couldn’t help but think. When would I find the time? Or the credits for the passage?

His expression was warm and his smile was gentle, making my heart thud.

“Maybe sooner than you think,” he told me, making my belly flutter all over again.

Curving my hand around the back of his neck, I tugged, making my need evident. I caught the flash of his teeth when he smiled, but then I was kissing him.

You should tell him, I thought as he groaned, as he stroked his tongue against mine, a tongue that had spent the better part of the night between my legs like he’d been starved for me.You should tell him about the fertility treatments.

I would have to soon. Before we had sex. It was only fair.

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