Page 19 of The Rhino's Rose

“You weren’t kidding about raising the bar.”

Her soft voice quiets the panic in my chest, enough that I’m able to chuckle at her humor.

“Maybe a bit too high,” I say, scooping her into my arms so I can carry her to the house.

“I do feel a little high, to be honest.” More humor. A good sign. “Not that I actually know what it feels like to be high. Another thing I’ve never done.”

“There’s a dispensary in town. The troll who owns it is very well-versed in all the botanicals, cannabis and otherwise. I’m sure he’d be happy to help you choose the right product if that’s another experience on your bucket list.” When I say it like that, I can’t help wondering if that’s all her attraction to me is—a box to be ticked. An itch to be scratched.

Just because her crush on me prevented her from getting involved with anyone else in the past doesn’t mean she won’t move on in the future. In all the personal things she shared, she never once mentioned love or commitment. And why would she? She’s twenty-four. Beautiful, sexy, friendly, funny. She’s just beginning to dip her toes into the pool of sexual experiences. Our relationship, if that’s what this is, isn’t the beginning of forever. It’s a stage in her life.

“I think I’ll stick with the high you provide,” she says, smiling up at me as I pause inside the house to close the patio door. “I’ve heard stories—a couple of my friends aren’t shy about their sex lives—but I thought they were exaggerating.” Her arousal perfumes the air, and one of her hands leaves the back of my neck to caress my horn, her fingertips trailing over it while she bites her bottom lip. “Everything you did was amazing. I didn’t thinkanythingcould feel so good.”

The pride returns in a rush, puffing my chest out and making my cock stand tall enough to tap against her bare bottom.

Her eyes go wide and she cranes her neck to look down, gasping at the sight of my cock. “It’s so—it’s—it’s huge. It didn’t look that huge when you were in the pool.”

“Some of it was underwater.”

“I…” Her gulp is audible. “Have you ever had sex with a human woman?”

“Never,” I say as I cross the threshold of my bedroom. “I never wanted to.”

Her wide-eyed gaze darts to the bed. “Do you know any rhino and human couples from before?”

“There were none in my hometown. Very few humans live there.” I carefully place her on the bed, then settle alongside her, close enough to feel her warmth and breathe in her scent, while leaving enough gap to make it clear I have no expectations.

“Then…how are you sure we can…you know, fit?” she whispers, taking my hand and drawing my arm across her waist.

“Will you think less of me if I tell you I did research?”

“Only if you think less of me for admitting I’ve repeatedly asked Lexi if she could get a rhino dildo in stock at her store, so that I could see one.” Even in the sliver of moonlight from the window, her face glows with a rosy blush.

“I’m glad she never got one,” I say, leaning over to give her a quick kiss. “It might’ve scared you off, thenyou wouldn’t have had a plumbing emergency that required you to come over for a bath tonight.”

She sucks in a breath, her mouth stuck in a wide O as she stares at me. “You think I lied about the hot water just so I could come over and try to seduce you? I mean, it’s a pretty great idea, but not one I thought of. There’s no hot water at my house. Let’s go over there right now so you can see for yourself.”

Amusement rumbles in my chest, hard enough to shake the bed. “We’re not going anywhere,” I say, pulling her against me when she moves as if to get off the bed. “I was just teasing, my sweet Rose.”

Shehmphs, her copper eyebrows scrunching together. “You left outlittle.”

“Because you don’t like it,” I trail my fingers down the side of her face and along her bottom lip, “and I don’t like hurting you. I’m sorry I did so many times.”

“Oh,” she says softly. “Thank you.”

When a long yawn stretches her pretty lips wide, I pull the covers over her and stroke her silky hair until she sighs. “Get some sleep. Call my name if you need anything during the night.”

Her eyes pop open, her warm, delicate fingers tightening around my forearm. “Why are you leaving? Is it because I got a little freaked out by the size of your…”

Gods, I want her to say cock. But if she did, it’d make it that much harder to go. “Nothing to do with that.”

“Then why?”

“This is your bed tonight. You’re here as my houseguest.”

“Aren’t we more than guest and host now? Or was it just a onetime, spontaneous moment out by the pool?”

Tell her, the voice inside me demands.Tell her she’s your mate, your everything.

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