Page 31 of Cozy Prisons
He grabbed her wrist and focused on her hand. “What happened here?”
She’d forgotten about digging her fingernails into her palm. Damn, not only had she opened old wounds, but it looked like she might’ve created a couple of new ones.
“A little accident, that’s all,” she said, trying to pull free of Daxus’s grasp. He kept his hold strong enough so she couldn’t get free, but not harsh.
“All these cuts are crescent-shaped,” he continued, putting his face almost into her palm. He shifted his focus to meet her gaze. “Did you do this to yourself?"
“By accident,” she said, forcing a smile on her lips.
“Stop,” he ordered.
“Stop having accidents?" she answered, still going for humorous deflection. “I’ll try, but you know us humans. We’re a clumsy species, or have you forgotten that I knocked myself out of my own chair earlier when Hale startled me?”
He was silent for a moment, then let go of her hand and sat back on his heels. “Why do you insist on prevaricating with me? I’ve been nothing but sincere and honest with you. I’d willingly answer any question you posed to me, but you equivocate or distract when I query you. What can I do to prove myself as trustworthy?”
Before she’d seen her struggle as shameful, but now she was forced to look at it from another angle. How would she feel if a member of her community was fighting internal demons but wouldn’t let her help?
If she were honest with herself, it would be devastating.
She pulled in a shaky breath, letting her arm go limp in Daxus’s hold. “It’s not you,” she whispered.
“Talk to me, Nataly,” he urged, purring low and soft.
She opened her mouth, trying to tell him everything that was going on, but the words caught in her throat.
“I-I-I can’t,” she stuttered.
She felt like a failure at everything.
He never stopped purring. “At least let me spend the night.”
Those seemed like magic words. The weird shakiness that made her limbs feel weak eased. “Yes, I’d like that!”
She jumped up and hurried to the shelving where all the extra bedding was stored. “I can make a bed for you on the floor next to my, um, nest.”
Daxus didn’t move from where he was kneeling. “Is that what you want?”
No. She wanted him in the bed with her, but she was scared to ask for that. There were human-Talin couples, so she knew they were a compatible species. But Daxus wasn’t expressing any interest toward her beyond that of a friend. She didn’t want to wake up to find she’d started groping him in the middle of the night and driven him away.
“Yes, this is what I want,” she said.
Getting to his feet, Daxus walked to her. “Then I’ll stay.” He took the bundle of bedding she was holding. “Let me do that. You shouldn’t be using your hands.”
Even though he was still purring, she could tell Daxus wasn’t pleased with her. That made two of them!
She went back to her bed and flopped down, trying hard to ignore the jumble of emotions bubbling up inside her. All she could hope was that they didn’t explode all over Daxus!
Once he was done making his bed, he cared for her hands. He was incredibly gentle as he cleaned her “wounds,” applied the numbing healing gel, and wrapped them.
He finally settled on his bed, leaning against the wall. It was easier to think when he wasn’t touching her, but she missed the contact.
“Can I do anything to make you more comfortable?” he asked.
She shook her head. “I should be asking you that. You’re the one stuck on the floor. You know, we could trade.” She got the answer she expected.
“This arrangement is fine; we don’t need to switch it.”
She scooted around on the bed until she was sitting as close as she could to Daxus without falling off the edge. Mirroring his position by shoving some pillows behind her back, she draped her arm down and wiggled her fingers.
