Page 26 of An Alien for Her Heart

As I use a digit to brush across her lips, it’s like the world stands still. The softness of her lips underneath my claw, the softness ofher, only reminds me of all the thoughts that have begun to plague me. Of the thoughts that kept me up for the entire dark cycle as I fisted my shaft and thought of her.

“Thank you,” I whisper.

Catherine barely breathes. She’s so still, it’s like she’s frozen too. Those brilliant green eyes search mine. “For what?”

“For reminding me what it feels like, too.” Energy crackles between us. “I’ll head to work now.”

She barely nods. Her eyes are slightly wide, her lips opening slightly as my digit falls away.

I swallow hard, forcing my claw away as I turn and hurry across the porch and to the outbuilding, my mind buzzing and my shaft like a hard cylinder in my trouse.

9

CATHERINE

The day goes by too quickly.

Since I’ve come to the farm, I’ve spent most of my days outdoors, trying to wrangle the abandoned homestead into something I can really call home. Those days always went by slowly, as if the days here on Hudo III had double the hours the ones on Earth did.

But today…

I feel heat rise in my cheeks that has nothing to do with the intensity of the sun as I walk among the oogas, pretending I’m checking on the herd. Because I’m not really checking on the gentle animals, am I? Nope. My gaze is on the barn. The slanted roof is much higher than the cottage, looming over it and giving me a clear view of the work going on there even from where I stand in the field.

A lump rises in my throat and I clear it, my cheeks warming even more as I watch Varek work. He’s a monster. I’ve never seen anyone work so fast or so hard. The heavy beams that hold the roof have all been stripped, leaving the barn top completely open now. I don’t know how he’s done it. How he manages to even lift the heavy timber that looks like it needs someone on the ground assisting him with a crane or something. Even the Rakihad brought a machine along at one point to assist him in the much smaller task of my cottage roof.

My gaze shifts to the Raki now, and I notice that even his eyes are on Varek as he glides above the open barn top on one of those little black squares they use for a lift.

My heart thuds in my chest and a strange feeling that’s been growing in my belly since this morning increases. A tremor goes through me as Varek turns in my direction and I look away, pretending to pat an ooga that’s by my side.

“What am I doing out here, huh girl?”

This jittery strange feeling is so alien, it feels misplaced. I know what it is. I’m completely aware of what’s happening…and I’m terrified.

Because it shouldn’t be happening.

Is it because he’s…nice?

I might just be imagining things because Varek has been nothing but gentlemanly. But this morning, the moment his finger brushed my lips, my lungs ceased to pump air. His touch was barely there, feather-light, and my entire body reacted anyway. Tingles shot up through my spine like electricity moving up through my core straight upward.

The reaction had me breathless. Held me still. The last time I reacted to a male’s touch had been so long ago, I might have forgotten what it actually felt like. Howgoodit could be. Shifting my gaze back to the barn, I see that Varek’s no longer focusing my way.

WhatamI doing? This is silly.

I give myself a mental shake as I pat the ooga on its back and push through the tall grass toward the cottage. I’m just past the gate and heading around the side of the cottage when I hear a sound I’ve heard before. There’s a dull thud as the Raki on the roof loses hold of whatever tool he’s using. I look up, just in time to see the thing skating toward me.

But it doesn’t snag like the last time.

My eyes widen as I realize it’s coming right in my direction. I duck, trying to move out of the way, just before pain rockets through my shoulder.

“Ah!” I hiss, pulling air through my teeth as I grip my shoulder, my legs tangling in my confusion. I almost fall. I would have, if I wasn’t suddenly braced up.

A sweet scent floods my nostrils as I hear a growl.

“What thefrakkare you doing?!”

Varek? How did he…he was just on the roof.

“Curses.” His voice sounds different. Dangerous and laced with anger. For a moment, my defenses rise at the fact it seems he’s blaming me for what just occurred, but when I look up, his hard yellow pits aren’t directed at me. They’re focused on the Raki who is standing bewildered at the edge of my roof.

---