Page 41 of An Alien for Her Heart

I’m panting, my heart racing so fast I’m afraid it might burst. But as I look down at the ooga in my arms, its wide eyes staring up at me with a mix of fear and curiosity, I feel a rush of relief so powerful it makes me dizzy.

“It’s okay,” I murmur as I try to pull my thoughts from the complete velvety hardness that’s pressed against me. “You’re safe now. It’s okay.”

Varek shifts behind me, his chest pressing against my back as he leans down to examine the ooga. “It appears unharmed,” he says, his deep voice rumbling through me. “You got to it just in time.”

I nod, swallowing hard past the lump in my throat. “I couldn’t let it…I had to…” I breathe out, forcing my beating heart to calm. But all seems well with the world again. The oogas on my property no longer seem panicked. The sun is still shining. A soft breeze is blowing. It’s paradise again.

“You did well, Catherine,” Varek says softly, his breath warm against my ear. I stiffen, completely aware of him once more. “So brave and quick.”

His praise washes over me, making me flush with a mix of pride and something else, something warm and fluttery that I wish would not present itself. Not when I’m so acutely aware of his proximity, of the way his body envelops mine, strong and solid and achingly masculine.

I turn my head slightly, meeting his gaze. His pupils are so wide his eyes are almost dark, intense, swirling with emotions I can’t quite decipher.

For a long moment, we just stare at each other, my chest still heaving and every breath he takes making those muscles shift against my back. It’s like the world suddenly falls away, leaving only him and me and this fragile, precious thing cradled in my arms.

My gaze falls to his lips and Varek goes still. He leans a little closer. So close if I simply moved, our lips would brush. I swallow hard, staring at him. Because I want to. And I shouldn’t.

The ooga stirs, letting out a soft grunt, and the spell is broken. Reality crashes back in, and with it, all the reasons I can’t let myself get lost in Varek’s eyes, in his touch, in the way he’s making me feel.

“We should…we should get this little one back to his mama,” I whisper, every word of mine brushing past the alien’s lips.

“Yes,” he replies, still so so close.

I swallow hard again, finally turning away. As I try to rise, Varek slowly releases me.

“Shh,” he makes the sound in his throat as he moves around me to grab the little ooga, his gaze shifting to the long-necked animals not too far from us now.

Rising to my feet, I brush my pants off as I look at them, too. They’re large, dwarfing me, even dwarfing Varek, and I take a step back, not sure what to expect.

“Dangerous?” I whisper, gaze shifting to Varek for a moment.

“Not usually,” he replies. “They’re called tilgrans. Usually friendly, but these are wild. Best to head back to the farm just to be sure.”

“Right.” I nod, shaking off the tension that feels like it’s rising in my blood as I head back toward my perimeter fence. When I look back, I notice Varek standing guard, like a sentinel between me and the tilgrans. When I’m a good distance away, he leaves his post and jogs to catch me up.

“I apologize, sura. This was my fault.”

I look up at him, a smile of satisfaction at having caught the little animal on my lips. His gaze falls to my mouth immediately.

“It was the machine. They’re not used to it anymore. I should have put them in the outbuilding first.”

I shake my head, watching as he places the little animal on the right side of the perimeter fence. “It’s okay. Don’t worry about it.” At once, the little ooga runs off the join the now quietly grazing herd.

I blow a breath through my nose. These animals are going to be a lot of work. But that’s what I get for signing up to live on a farm. I’m still smiling when my gaze shifts to Varek again.

His gaze heightens on my lips once more.

“I will lift you.”

My eyebrows shoot up and I’m about to tell him it’s fine. Fine, because I probably can manage it on my own. But also fine, because the mere idea of his touch on my skin is already sending signals to my brain that are making something tingle in the pit of my gut.

But the fence is high. I’m not sure how I climbed over it in the first place.

“Okay, if you just—” A squeal leaves my lips as Varek lifts me off my feet. My arms wrap around his neck instinctively as he places me on the other side of the fence. My whole body tingles and my cheeks heat. I pretend to turn my attention to the animals as he hops easily over the fence post.

“I will herd them into the outbuilding. But I must prepare it first. It might take the entirety of the rest of the sol.”

I nod. “That’s a good idea. I will help.”

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