Page 10 of The Knotty Clause

The workshop door stood ajar and she bit her as she saw he was sitting on a long padded bench, the blanket and pillow making it clear that he had spent the night there. Of course such a solitary person would only have one bedroom.

“You didn’t need to give us your bed.”

He looked up, silver eyes flashing before he shrugged those massive shoulders.

“It’s of no consequence. I frequently sleep here.”

His casual dismissal of her concern only added to her guilt.

“What can I do to help?” she blurted out.

“Help?”

“There must be something I can do around here.”

His eyes remained on her, his expression unreadable. “That wasn’t part of our agreement.”

“I know, but—” This time she shrugged. “I just need to feel useful.”

“You should rest while you can.”

“I’ve rested enough.” The fact that he was already thinking about their departure stung a little and the words came out sharper than she intended. She softened her tone. “Please. Even something small would help.”

“Do you know anything about mechanics?” he asked dryly, gesturing around the workshop.

“No, but I can cook.”

He regarded her thoughtfully for a moment, then nodded and rose. He wasn’t even wearing the open vest he’d worn the previous day and the sight of all those impressive muscles did uncomfortable things to her insides. What would that short dense fur feel like beneath her fingers? Heat rose to her cheeks and she quickly looked away.

As she silently followed him back to the kitchen she realized he was barefoot as well. He only had four toes and they were longer than human toes, but otherwise his feet were the same generalshape as human feet, except much bigger. What was that saying about the size of a man’s feet…

The heat in her cheeks increased and when he suddenly looked back over his shoulder she quickly looked away, scolding herself for her foolishness.

“Do you know how to use these appliances?” he asked, his voice rough, when they reached the kitchen.

“The wood stove, yes. The others, I’m not sure.”

He pointed to one of the metal appliances.

“That is a replicator. It is capable of producing almost anything but its capacity is limited. I use it mainly for things like spices and fruit that I cannot obtain from my surroundings. The other one cooks food very quickly but I have little reason to use it.” He opened a door to reveal a huge pantry, noticeably cooler than the kitchen. Open wooden shelves were loaded with containers of food, everything from dried goods to preserved foods. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d seen so much food in one place.

“Is there anything you don’t want me to use?” she asked, remembering the contract. “Anything that is reserved just for you?”

“If you are going to cook, it will be for all of us.” His tone left no room for argument. “Use anything you want in whatever quantity you choose.”

He turned to leave.

‘“Wait,” she blurted out. “Don’t you want to make sure I can actually cook before trusting me with your supplies?”

He paused mid-step, his broad shoulders tense. For a moment she thought he’d refuse, but then he turned back. His footsteps were surprisingly quiet as he crossed to the kitchen table and settled himself on the bench.

Her cheeks heated when he looked over at her, but she did her best to focus on gathering ingredients. Most of them were familiar enough to give her confidence. She measured them into a bowl, the familiar process comforting despite the unfamiliar kitchen.

When she glanced over at Yede, she found him watching her with a quiet intensity that sent prickles of awareness down her spine.

“I used to cook a lot,” she said, whisking the batter. “But it’s been a long time.”

“Why?”

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