Page 21 of Rescued By the Luxirian

Madness, I thought.Complete and utter madness.

In turn, she didn’thaveto ask if I had a female in my life. It was plainly obvious that I was alone, though she had asked me that afternoon if I’d ever been married before—joined, I assumed she’d meant.

“Nix,” I’d told her, rubbing at my horn. “Never.”

There had been plenty of females. Females whose company I’d enjoyed, especially when I was still in the state to enjoy the fruits of my hard work. Now? The thought held little appeal. The females on Luxiria had clamored after me because of my wealth and status. I’d mistrusted everything that they ever said and slowly, I’d stopped taking lovers entirely.

She had probed about my life just as I had hers. I’d answered anything she asked and her curiosity had always started with the word ‘question.’ Like she’d needed to announce her intentions as she rapidly fired them at me.Question: did I have siblings?Tev, two brothers.Question: did I miss Luxiria?Nix, I did not, though I did miss the heat.Question: did I study to become a builder?Tev, through intensive and extensive education since I was a child.Question: do you watch any of the Quadrant networks?Tev, I enjoyed the Hyrinn races—which she’d made a face at that had me laughing.

Question: did I ever get lonely?

That question had given me pause. I’d looked up at her, shrugged, and simply said, “I don’t feel lonely right now.”

That was all that mattered.

We were still staring at each other and I couldn’t help but drop my gaze to her lips when she started, “Question.”

“Tev?”

“Can I make you dinner tonight?”

I was already shaking my head, my gut pulling becauseIwanted to feedher.

“I like cooking,” she told me quickly. “And I only ever cook for myself so it’ll be nice to cook for someone else too for a change.”

I blinked, hesitating.

“Please?” she whispered, her lips curving into that damn smile that practically had me melting at her feet. “I’ll make it good.”

I nearly groaned at the way her words sounded. A rough sounddidmake it up my throat.

“Tev, very well,” I finally rasped. Standing, before I dragged her out of the chair and pinned her up against the wall of my domed dwelling, I suggested, “Why don’t you go bathe and I’llclean up out here. I have to secure some machinery before the storm hits.”

Her grin was triumphant, her excitement palpable. Shewantedto cook for me.Wantedto feed me. For the first time, I felt a little ray of hope spear through my chest, wondering if perhaps she was growing attached to me too. Wondering if perhaps shedidfeel the pull between us.

Then she did something I didn’t expect. She went up on her tiptoes, curving her hand around my shoulder to tug me down.

She pressed a kiss, soft and sweet, to my cheek, though dangerously close to my lips.

When she pulled back, her eyes caught on mine. She smiled, shy but knowing.

“I had fun today,” she told me.

I rubbed at my chest when my heart did a strange little flip.

“Even if you took my job half the time,” shetsked, turning on her heel.

She grinned at me over her shoulder before she walked down the pathway, heading towards the front door and her bath. And I watched her go, nearly slack-jawed and drooling, my gaze glued to her backside, memorizing the way her hips swayed, feeling the heated memory of her lips on my cheek. I caught a whiff of her arousal in the humid air.

My cock gave a pulse.

Vrax.

Chapter

Ten

LYRA

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