Page 7 of The Knotty Clause

“Did you build everything yourself?” Liam swung his legs under the table.

“Yes.”

“Where did you get it?”

“I salvaged some of it from my ship and I built everything else.”

“Can I see your ship? When the storm is over?”

“Liam,” she said warningly, but Yede shook his head.

“It’s fine. What’s left is mostly scrap—and currently buried beneath the snow.” His eyes flickered to the window, where white flakes still whirled past. “Since it appears the storm may last for a while, you may stay here until it passes. But only until it ends.”

“Thank you for letting us stay,” she said sincerely.

“And I have certain conditions.”

Her heart skipped a beat as he looked at her. What was he going to expect in return?

CHAPTER 4

Yede didn’t like the way Gemma tensed at his question. What did she expect from him?

She and her son needed protection and he was honor bound to provide it, but he had no intention of becoming involved with them. Especially since her presence was creating unwelcome feelings. He’d been drawn to her since the moment their eyes met during the storm, but when she’d walked into the kitchen and he’d seen the slender curves that had been concealed beneath her clothing, his reaction had been both immediate and unwanted.

It is simply because it has been many years since I have been with a female, he told himself, but the words did not ring true. He had seen other human females during the time when he was watching the other inhabitants of the planet, but he’d never been attracted to one before. He realized he was still staring at her, his eyes tracing the delicate curve of her cheekbone, the tempting red of her lips, the tempting swell of her breasts, just barely visible above the table.

“You will only stay in this area, the bedroom, and the sanitary facility. The rest of my residence is off limits.”

Her pretty little mouth tightened, but she nodded.

“What else is there?” Liam asked, his face alive with curiosity and he couldn’t quite bring himself to rebuff the boy.

“My office, my storerooms, my workshop. The hot springs,” he added, then sighed. “You may use them as well as long as I am not using them.”

He felt an annoying surge of pleasure when her eyes lit up, and quickly continued.

“You may not touch any of my equipment.”

“Fine.”

“I will create a schedule to provide…separation, and you will abide by those times.”

He half-expected anger but instead a delicate brow rose.

“Separation?”

“I value my solitude. Clear boundaries prevent complications.”

“All right. If that’s what you want.”

He should have felt more pleased by her agreement. He cleared his throat.

“Good. Then I will draw up a contract.”

Her lips quirked up.

“A contract? I suppose that’s all right, but I have a few conditions of my own.”

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