Page 35 of Minding the Minotaur
“Ten, and then there’s the Pit. Don’t even ask what monsters hang out there.”
“Cripes!”
“Mostly we all mix together fine. Levels one and two are multi-species families with kids—that’s where the eateries and markets and commerce take place. The wolves pretty much hang out on level three in their packs. They can be a bit savage if you get on the wrong side of them. Then below that, it’s manufacturing, then mining. The lawless regions are right down the bottom in the Pit. Ogres, behemoths, nagas, some nasty poisonous arachnids and other hybrid monsters thatdon’t even have names. But you’ll have no contact with them, so don’t worry. They rarely escape up to the higher levels.”
“Right.” I laugh a little shakily.
“And you?” he asks, shuffling the cards and glancing at me with genuine interest. “Do you have family?”
“Just Mom and Dad and me. It’s rare for humans to have more than one kid.” I don’t add that these days, many couples don’t even achieve that.
He’s silent for a moment. “That must be lonely.”
“You get used to it. And there’s always things going on in Sparkle—entertainment, shows, movies, concerts.”
“Yeah, I saw all the billboards the time I landed in a shopping mall. Blew me away. It looks like one big party up there,” Arlo says.
“Even fun can get boring if—” I stop myself abruptly from saying,if you don’t have someone special to share it with.
“If…?” He quirks an eyebrow, and I sense that he’s thinking of a different kind of fun altogether.
I shrug. “If you’ve done it for your whole life.” I focus my attention on Arlo dealing the cards.
He has lovely hands and forearms. Big and meaty, but also refined in their movements as he swiftly deals out the cards. Now I’m getting a bad case of arm porn lust, to add to all the other things about his body I lust after.
This time, I beat Arlo. But I’m pretty sure he lets me.
“I guess we should call it a day,” I say finally, reluctantly, as Arlo gathers up the cards once more. The wall clock tells me it’s close to midnight.
“Yeah, you must be tired,” Arlo says, putting the cards away.
“Kind of,” I lie. I’m actually horny as hell. “It’s been a lot to take in.”
We stand and face each other awkwardly. Arlo scuffs a hoof and strokes a horn; it’s cute, endearing. “Glad that wegot to, er, find each other again. Even if the circumstances are kind of weird.”
“So am I. And I’ve enjoyed today, you’ve been very easy to, um, guard. Goodnight, Arlo.”
“Goodnight.” He hesitates, then ambles over to the door and holds it open for me to pass through first.
“Guess you’re going to lock me in my bedroom?” He quirks an eyebrow.
“Not if you promise you won’t escape,” I say, mock stern, but I think I’m just trying to delay saying goodnight.
He gifts me a deliciously cheeky grin. “I promise. But you can check in on me later if you want.”
I snort out a sound that’s more like a giggle.
The Buggins blush lights my way out the door better than any sconce.
After I’ve checked that all the windows are firmly secured, I go to my room, take off my jacket, slide off my pants and stand in front of the bank of screens, just in my shirt and panties. And then I switch the screen to Arlo’s bedroom.
It feels naughty somehow, but I remind myself it’s part of my job to keep an eye on him.
It doesn’t take a second to locate him. He’s standing right in front of the camera, and by the smirk on his lips, I’m pretty sure he knows I’m watching.
And boy, do I watch as, oh so slowly, he undresses. He pulls off his shirt first, exposing his huge pecs and bunching biceps, then flicks open his belt. Bit by bit, he slides his pants down his humungous thighs with those large hands of his. I gawk at the roped muscles of his quads. He steps out of his jeans, leaving them pooled on the floor, and now his hands slide to his boxers. My breath catches as I take in theformidable bulge. But then, the tease, he turns his back as he flicks them off, displaying his rump instead.
His ass is so cheeky, so tight.
