Page 29 of Fallen from the Stars

Her mouth watered at the sight of the meat. “Starving.”

Adjusting his hold on the stick, he turned it and offered her the uncharred end.

“Thanks,” she said, accepting his offering. She walked to the opposite side of the fire and sat down facing him, standing the water container beside her. All she could do was hope the fire would be enough of a barrier between them to prevent her thoughts from straying into unwelcome territory.

Vasil’s gaze remained fixated upon her, following her movements. There was something strange about the way he looked at her — like he could seeintoher, but his eyes held no judgment.

“Are you feeling well?” he asked.

“Yeah, why? Do I look sick or something?” Raising the stick, she blew on the hot fillet.

“No. But you went into the pod the moment we returned and have been whispering to Kane ever since.”

“And?” She tore off a chunk of fish off the stick with her teeth. The moment the flakey meat hit her tongue, she closed her eyes and moaned, chewing slowly.

“You seemed distressed.”

Theo waited until she’d swallowed before answering. “Nope, totally fine.”

“You crashed on an alien world, were nearly killed in the jungle, have a kraken who wants you as his mate, and have no way to leave, but you are fine?”

She glanced at him briefly before returning her attention to her food. “Already had my freak-outs. Now I’m just dealing with one problem at a time. No reason to worry about things I can’t do anything about, right?” She took another large bite.

At the edge of her vision, she saw him staring at her. She felt naked under his scrutiny despite her clothing. Oddly, it wasn’t a bad feeling.

“Should your response to my stated intentions be considered afreak-out?” he asked.

“Where are the rest of your people?” she countered.

Evade. Evade. Evade.

“Elsewhere.”

She looked up at him. “Nearby elsewhere or far away elsewhere?”

Without breaking eye contact with her, he picked up the other stick, raised it to his mouth, and took a bite of the sizzling meat. If it burned him, he displayed no pain.

Theo arched a brow. “Well, kraken?”

He chewed slowly, deliberately, the muscles of his jaw flexing and relaxing. After he finally swallowed, his tongue slipped out and slid over his lips. Her eyes focused on it, and her hand clenched her stick as she imagined what his tongue would feel like against her skin.

What the fuck is wrong with me?

It’s beenwaytoo long. That’s all it is.

“I can’t quite tell if you’re about to die, or you’re just horny,” Kane whispered in her mind.

She sent a panicked reply through their link.

What do you meandie, Kane?

“I mean give your heart a break, or it’s going to burst through your ribcage, Theo. Just fuck him and get it over with, please.”

Do you want to sleep? Cause I’ll totally put you to sleep.

“You know what? I’m puttingmyselfto sleep. Goodnight.”

Despite everything, Theo’s lips curved into a grin, and she snickered.

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