Page 49 of Victoria's Discovery

“Fine work, er… ”

“His name’s Snitch,” she supplied when he paused.

“Fine work, Snitch. You have done well to keep her safe, and I am more at ease knowing she has you to guard her from—” He paused and eyed the bed skeptically. “—peril.”

Snitch couldn’t have looked more pleased with himself than if he’d single-handedly taken down an army of people-eating beds. Snout in the air, chest puffed out, he waddled off in the direction of the little food prep area the room boasted, giving a chair a small growl as he passed it as though daring it to challenge him.

It must’ve seen what he did to the bed, because it wisely remained inanimate.

Smart chair.

Vi’kail muttered something about not encouraging him, but he was smirking as he said it.

Clearing her throat, she regarded them uncertainly, her pulse picking up speed, wondering if they were going to bring up her earlier awkwardness.

“So, were y’all wanting to hang out or… ”

Victoria knew immediately that hadn’t translated when Thorn’s usually stoic expression turned considering, and he glanced down at his loincloth.

“Hangout?” he repeated.

She almost swallowed her tongue.

When she didn’t dispute his interpretation—partly because she was taken off guard and partly because… well, honestly, what red-blooded woman would’ve turned down the chance to get another peek at the huge, blue cock he was hiding—he seemed surprised but willing enough and reached for the leather belt holding it up.

Vi’kail, the party pooper, snorted, making Thorn pause before he could complete the move. Eyes sparkling with mirth, he gave her a chastising look and drawled, “Keep your cock covered. She asks if we’re here to visit.”

Face heating, she winced guiltily and got the sudden urge to check the wall and ceiling behind her. You know, to make sure it was structurally sound. Not because she’d been caught red-handed.

A waft of smoky man smell had her turning back around to find a muscular, tattooed, blue stomach inches away. Following it up, she found heat in Thorn’s bi-colored eyes. Or was that protectiveness?

“We do not visit, Vee. There were males askin–”

Thegan quickly stepped forward, cutting him off. “We thought you might not enjoy sleeping alone.”

Thorn flicked him a disgruntled look before gazing back down at her. “Yes.”

Vi’kail, when she peeked at him, was watching the giants and shaking his head, a smirk curling his lips. When he saw her looking at him, his smile widened. “You garnered interest from some—”

“Many,” Thorn corrected.

“Manyof the males down there. We thought it best to… dissuade ‘em from pursuin’ you as they didn’t all look to be… particularly upstandin’. And to give you time to settle in, of course.”

“Oh! Huh. You know, I thought I felt eyes on me, but—” She shrugged. “Good thinking.” Feeling a spurt of impishness, she continued, “Not that there weren’t some good-looking aliens down there, but yeah, some were plain scary. Buddy system. At least until I can size them up and get a feel for which ones are nice.”

Thegan cocked his head, brows raised and a speculative gleam in his eyes. “You measure their size then stroke them?”

Victoria laughed, caught off guard. “Oh gosh, no! Could you imagine me going around measuring guys then petting them? Ha! I doubt that’d go over well.”

All three guys snorted and exchanged a look.

“It’s just a saying. I meant observe them in order to judge their character and see which ones are nice. Trustworthy. Maybe even boyfriend material,” she finished in a deliberately offhanded way, because optimism. It was back.

Okay, maybe not for Vi’kail. She’d picked up his aversion very clearly, was still stinging over it. But if Theganhadbeen flirting with her, that might mean her crush on him wasn’t one-sided. A thought had her hiding a grimace as she eyed him assessingly.

Ugh, unless he’s just feeling that sex-after-near-death thing.

Flings were fine for some people. Victoria wasn’t one of them. She got attached. Was Thegan the love ‘em and leave ‘em type? He was handsome enough to be but, damn, she hoped not.

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