Page 59 of An Alien for the Future

My cheeks heat and I stop humming, now knowing what that word means.

“I will wash myself.”

Looking over my shoulder, I give him a slight nod.

Tovan’s eyes drop to my lips before he licks his own and my entire body heats. Not once in my life have I reacted to any man like this.

I watch him as he heads to the bathroom and soon I hear water filling the tub. There in the kitchen, my fingers twitch on the kitchen cloth before I say “fuck it” and head after him.

“Donna.” His head pops up the moment I step into the bathroom. His pupils narrow slightly, a mix of surprise anddesire flickering across his face and I’m immediately taken back to the fact that he’s taken me, made me climax, in this very room.

What am I doing? “Need help?” I’ve never been this bold.

“I would be honored,” he says softly.

As he settles back into the water, I reach for the soap, working up a lather in my hands before beginning to scrub his broad chest.

The simple act of washing him is strangely calming. My hands glide over his skin, tracing the contours of his muscles, memorizing every detail, every texture.

And my mind wanders. I think about how quickly I’ve gotten used to this male’s presence, how natural it feels to have him here. He’s thrown himself into the work on the farm with a dedication that leaves me in awe. From dawn to dusk, he’s out there, tilling the soil, repairing fences, doing all the things I have no idea how to do.

And…I like it. I like him. Not just for the work he does, but for the comfort he brings, the sense of safety and belonging I feel when he’s near.

But even as I acknowledge this, the fact remains that…I have no idea if I really am his true mate.

I finish washing him and Tovan steps out of the water, all tall and proud and undeniably male. As he towels off, I watch him, wringing my hands as my thoughts go awry. I allow him to get dressed before I take his hand and lead him to the porch. The big male is so pliant, he does everything without protest, not breaking the silence between us. Maybe because he can feel the tension rising in my blood.

As he sits between my legs, massive arms thrown over my thighs, I sigh.

I need to know. I need to know if this is it.

Tovan relaxes against me, eyes on the sky as I begin braiding his hair. The texture is different. Soft, yet each strand is asstrong as rope. I focus on the repetitive moments when his voice suddenly breaks the silence.

“Lira’an. Will you spin a melody for me?”

I pause. “You want me to sing for you?”

Tovan tilts his head back, gaze meeting mine. “I could listen to your voice for eons, my kahl. I know many beings would pay high credits just to hear you.”

I scoff. “You’re flattering me.”

But his face is deadly serious. Popping out his comm, he does something I don’t understand on the device before his lips shift, a fang flashing. “Sing me a melody. I will show you this is true.”

I roll my eyes before readjusting his head, smoothing down a stray lock of his green hair.Such a drama king. But there’s a smile on my face, one that I indulge in since he can’t see. For a few moments, I don’t utter a word. But the music is there, right at the tip of my tongue. And maybe, maybe I like Tovan Kamesh enough to let him hear me sing.

I start with the beat first, a soft tapping of my foot against the porch floor, a slow, sultry rhythm that echoes the beat of my own heart. Then, my voice, low and husky, wraps around the melody.Careless Love, a whisper of desire against the backdrop of the twilight sky:

“?? Love, oh love, oh careless love??”

My voice is a low, husky murmur that hangs in the air between us. I watch him closely even as I continue the single central braid, gauging his reaction. He’s still, so still, his breathing slow and even. For a moment, I think he’s regretting asking me to sing, but then, his claw, warm and rough against my skin, slides up my leg to grip my thigh in a hold that’s both gentle and possessive.

Encouraged, my voice grows stronger, bolder.

“?? You’ve caused me pain enough??”

I almost pause. Because this song, each note is a confession, a release. The years of heartbreak, the loneliness, the fear I’d locked away…it all pours out, transformed into something beautiful, something powerful. The seat creaks as I shift on it, a rhythmic counterpoint to the melody, the air thick with the scent of the cool air and Tovan’s sweet musk.

“?? But this time, a different tune I hear??”

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