Page 46 of Keeping Freya
“Are you okay?” he asks as he steadies me.
“Yeah, I'm just tired.” I realize I am dead tired. I look up, and I see the sky glowing orange and red.
“It will get dark soon,” T’Rak says. “We will make camp and continue tomorrow.”
“But…” I hesitate, and he turns around and pulls me against him.
“You come first. We have no idea if we are on the right track. My scans show nothing, no life forms, and I want you to be in good form when we continue tomorrow.”
I sigh. “You’re right. Let’s find a good spot for our camp.”
T’Rak takes my hand, and we walk until he finds a good place to set up the tent. There’s a small clearing to the side of the track, and he places me on a fallen log as he does all the work. I try to help, but he refuses, and I am too tired to argue. Not just physically, I feel mentally exhausted as well, so I took a break to pee, and now, I watch.
Okay, I might be ogling because it’s hot on this planet, and he has shed the top of his protective suit, so all his gorgeous muscles are on display. His shoulders tighten, and his arms bulge. I mean, his forearms practically have me drooling. I clench my thighs, no… no… bad hormones, but it’s too late. T’Rak turns and gives me a heated look before he stalks my way.
“You can go in; the bed is ready. I will set up the perimeter pods and check our surroundings before I join you.”
“Okay.” My voice is husky, and I wet my lips.
“T’Rak,” I whisper when he turns to walk away. He turns back to me and places his hand on my cheek, thumb stroking my skin.
“Look, I’m—I’m sorry, okay? I know I messed up yourchance to get the High Commander. If I could have just been one second sooner, he wouldn’t have been able to grab me, and you could have shot him and ended it all. That bar fight was peanuts; you would have come out unscathed.”
He leans in and gives me a tender kiss. “You worry too much, Fr’Ya.” Then he pulls me in and takes a deep breath. “Seeing you in the hands of my worst enemy was the most terrifying moment of my life. Worse than the Krait, worse than anything I have experienced. I could not stand to lose you.”
I’m quiet after that declaration, because he will lose me when I return to Earth.
I push myself off his chest and look at him, really look at him. “I’m sorry, T’Rak, for everything.”
“Do not worry,” he interrupts me. He balls his fists, and his tail slides across my ankle. “I do not like it when you are not close to me. Especially here.”
I take his hands in mine. “Nothing can get to me when you’re here, T’Rak. I trust you, and that’s something coming from me.”
He gives me a sad half-smile, and I rise to the tip of my toes to kiss his lips. He leans in when I step down. Pulling me against this body as he continues the kiss.
T’Rak has really paid attention to our previous kisses. His skills improve with every kiss, and I think he’s better than some of my human exes.
His kiss is deep, desperate, and claiming. He holds me so tenderly, but kisses me so fiercely. The utter contradiction makes my heartbeat speed up even more, and I feel a need pulsing in my core. Breathless, I whimper his name, and his hand moves up my side, caressing my hip, pulling me close to him. Panting, we break the kiss.
“I should go, we cannot out here—it is not safe.”
With disappointment in my heart, I watch him leave.
I look around the clearing before moving towards the tent and spot a bush with berries on the side. Big, red, juicy berries. They pull me in, it has been so long since I’ve tasted real fruit! They come off easily, and I pick as much as I can carry. The berries tempt me to have a taste, but I’ll wait for T’Rak. He’ll know if it’s safe.
I’m seated in the center of the tent with a buffet of different foods in front of me, when T’Rak returns.
“Look what I found!” I lift a berry. “Do you think we can eat those?”
He pulls out his scanner with a grunt before nodding. “Not poisonous.”
“Yay!” I can’t remember being this excited about food, ever. The sweet taste of the berry explodes on my tongue when I bite the skin, and it’s almost overwhelming. I let out a deep guttural moan.
“That good?” T’Rak asks me in a strained voice.
I swallow before replying. “Amazing.” Handing him one, I stuff my face with another. Then another, then another. T’Rak also eats at least three, then we feast on all the other food. I’m so tired I can barely keep my eyes open. Wordlessly, he tugs me against him and we immediately fall asleep.
I wakeup because something is poking me in my back. It’s hard and long. Did T’Rak miss a branch on the jungle floor when setting up the tent?
