Page 44 of Right Next Door
But he was in hersalon!He invaded her space. And there was no other word for it. He had gone behind her back and had Davard forcibly change her schedule. Something he could easily do because he was the one who helped her set it up. She didn't know what she was thinking, trusting the guy who was obviously only doing this because Tsok ordered him to and who reported on her to him behind her back. Completely shamelessly!
For Tsok to walk inside so brazenly, completely unconcerned about his neglect, daring to cast judgment – even positive judgment – on her space was too much. She didn't want him here!
And then, he had thenerveto lookhurt. Like her rejection even meant anything to him.
Andfuck! Because that was cute.
His soft, triangular ears drew back like a scolded kitten and his whole demeanor changed. His shoulders dropped, his face turned soft and sad. She had the insane urge to wrap her arms around that giant head and hold him like a baby against her belly and console him.
Maybe she could kiss it and make it better.
And there was her pussy, once again giving unsolicited and completely inappropriate and absolutely unwelcome advice. That was not helping. If anything, the fact that shestillfound this guy attractive only made her angrier.
“Is the idea of touching me so abhorrent?” He asked, his voice soft, doing an excellent job of keeping his tone neat and level.
No.
Yes!
Fuck!
“Just sit down,” she grumbled, mentally punching herself in the face for falling for this. Like a sap. Like a total sucker. “I’m doing whatever braid design I want.”
Pop! Went his ears. Right back up, his demeanor changing completely, just with that permission. He followed her towards her chair, taking the time to gently set the bouquet he brought on the drawers next to her work station before sitting down.
“You can do whatever you like with me,” he assured her, sitting back as she straddled her chair, floating it in close, her work tray following the chair automatically. She had gotten used to the hover technology already, but she still found it amazing.
“Roll up your sleeves,” she grumbled. She’d do quick wrist braids, then send him on his way. And then she’d try to see how much she had to imbibe to get drunk off not-wine. Maybe, in the process, she’d kill off the brain cells that insisted on being attracted to this asshole,
Maybe she should just fuck him to get him out of her system.
But nope. That was a human thought. Because that would be mating him, right? She was pretty sure sex was how the kreecharma sealed their bond. It was triggered by scent, but it was the sex later that sealed it. Was the scenting part required before it could bond? Or would jumping the scent thing and jumping to sex still bond them? It was a risk that she didn’t know the answer to. She didn't want to bond with him, she didn't care what the match program said about him being her mate.
Better to be alone than with someone who makes you feel alone.
“Your braids are truly beautiful,” Tsok was saying as he pushed up his sleeves, bearing his wrists as she swept her chair around, coming to his side. Without even looking, she scooped up someof the fur cream and began massaging it into the strands. It would help set the braids when she was done, and since it was slightly tachy, it made the braiding process itself easier. Helped her tame any stray fur strands, and kept the fur from slipping from her fingers.
“Glad you like them,” she grumbled, angry now at herself as well as him. Weak ass bitch couldn’t withstand a pair of big, sad, kitty eyes. The General would have hissed and smacked a kitten right in the head, while she wanted to kiss and pet this one.
“Are these braids common on Earth?”
“Yup.”
“How fortunate then that you came to a planet of only furred citizens to practice your craft.”
“Uh-huh.”
“They really are works of art. I saw that back piece you did, the one with interlocking geometric patterns? It was astounding that you could do that with fur.”
“What are you doing?” She snapped, giving him a frustrated look.
And damn it! There went those ears again! She hated how bad that made her feel.
“I was merely complimenting you,” he said, his tone cautious now.
“Why!?”
“Because… you are worthy of it?” He said carefully, like he was measuring each word before letting it come out to make sure it was the right one.
