Page 97 of Aria's Ascension

More and more, Rellik was becoming someone on whom she could and did depend. He was particularly skilled with politics, covert stuff, and gently manipulating people to his way of thinking, which came in handy more often than it should’ve. It made sense. From what he’d told her, he came from a culture that was very much like a monarchy, complete with a queen, palace intrigue, infighting, and politics.

Late one night, after being briefed by the covert team, she hadn’t been able to resist any longer and asked if he’d found anyone. He’d gone very still for a moment before he stood and walked around the table to stare down at her. Lifting his hand, he cupped her cheek, sweeping his thumb over her lips.

“You continue expecting me to lose interest.” He bent until they were staring at each other from less than an inch away. “I won’t.”

The way he said it had been half promise, half warning, and exactly what she hadn’t been willing to admit she wanted to hear.

He kissed her, lightly, his soft, full lips a mere whisper over hers, but it was enough to set her pulse pounding, before he turned and walked out.

He’d started bringing her little presents after that, showing her that he was without a doubt trying to woo her. Except, her hesitation wasn’t because she needed to be wooed. Part of it was knowing Rellik wasn’t ready for real physical intimacy, much as he was trying to convince himself otherwise. But, the biggest part was that she didn’t know how Tirox and Kix felt about it.

Bringing it up would essentially be an admission that she wanted to pursue a relationship with Rellik. Besides, what if they were against it?

What if they weren’t?

Aria was having a hell of a time wrapping her head around the prospect of, for all intents and purposes, being married to two men while dating another and longing for a fourth to get past his issues.

She liked Rellik. A lot. Cared for him deeply. He was smart, funny, sweet, playful, perceptive as hell, insightful, flirty, and deliciously wicked.

No matter what shit she was dealing with, he and her mates never failed to bring lightness to her day. She depended on them for that along with a million other things.

The cherry on the hard-to-resist cake was that he got along really well with both her mates.

Aria blinked,realizing she’d been staring at the wall for who knows how long, lost in her thoughts when she was supposed to be taking stock of the element cubes the fabricator used to produce food and water.

Turning at the hiss of the door opening, she watched Tirox and Kix walk in.

“We’re running low,” she announced, eyeing the stacks again. “We’ll need more, soon. How’s progress on the gardens? Have either of you talked to Meribah about breeding livestock?”

Tirox tried to hide his grimace, but she caught it. “I do not understand it, but she is still reluctant to breed animals for food.”

Aria rubbed her forehead. “Yeah, I expected as much, but we’ve got a hell of a lot of people to feed, and we’re going to run out of element cubes eventually. I don’t know that we’ll be able to buy or steal more from the city when the time comes. We need to be self sustaining.”

Kix came to stand in front of her and tipped her head back with a finger under her chin. “We will speak to her again,aessa.”

Tirox stepped up to stand at her side and Kix tilted her head so she was looking up at her barbarian. A frown tented the skin of his brow bone as he brushed a gentle finger under her eye.

She realized she must look as exhausted as she felt, if the concern on his handsome, red face was anything to go by.

“Come to the nest, my heart.”

“I… ”

She wanted to say ‘yes’ so badly. She craved their touch, their closeness. They hadn’t spent nearly enough time together in the last couple of weeks. Everyone was always running around with their own jobs, doing their part to keep this place running with some semblance of order.

She missed them something fierce. She’d gotten so used to spending every waking moment with them that this whole being apart thing was proving damned difficult to adjust to. Instead of saying ‘yes,’ like she wanted to, she peered over at the supply of cubes.

“I should really finish… ”

“Mmm, no,” Tirox decided abruptly then scooped her up like a princess. “It will wait until the sun rises. We need you.”

Aria chuckled lightly and settled into his arms. “Well… If youneedme, how can I say ‘no’?”

He gave her a dry look and countered, “You cannot. I have stolen you away.”

Laughing harder, she turned and pressed a kiss to his muscular chest. “I love you, Barbarian.”

He gazed down at her, eyes swirling hypnotically, and smiled tenderly. “As I love you, myrwy’n la.”

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