Page 5 of Grumpy Alien Lumberjack
"Remove your clothing so you may enter my bed." He gestured toward a doorway that presumably led to a bedroom.
"Absolutely not!" Her cheeks flamed. "I'm not—we're not—no thank you.”
He cocked his head, brow furrowed, genuinely confused. "Humans sleep in their clothing?”
"I mean—some do, but—" She sputtered, trying to find words. "You can't just tell someone to strip and get in your bed!"
"The nights are now cold. Pressing bodies together to share heat is efficient."
She didn’t respond. His eyes widened slightly with what might have been understanding. "Ah. You believe I'm propositioning you for mating."
"Yes!"
"I'm not."
Of course he wasn’t. Why would he? Now she felt ridiculous. "Well. Good."
“You are too weak, too frail for mating. You would never be able to accommodate my…”
His voice trailed off, probably from the look of shock she felt on her face.
With a heavy sigh that conveyed his exhaustion with the entire situation, Methic grabbed more furs and constructed a surprisingly comfortable-looking pallet on the floor near the fire.
"I will add more furs to the bed," he announced. "Then you will be warm while you sleep fully clothed."
He gestured to the room again.
"I can't take your bed."
“It will be easier for you to rise from the bed in the morning than to get up off the floor.”
She wanted to argue, but honestly, he was right. The adrenaline had completely worn off, leaving her shaky and exhausted. Every muscle ached, and her right side throbbed with the familiar pain that never quite went away.
"What else do you require? Food or water? To... relieve yourself?"
The clinical way he asked the last question made her want to laugh and cringe simultaneously. "No, I'm fine."
"Then we will speak in the morning.”
Before she could respond, he simply walked over, scooped her up and carried her to the bedroom. He deposited her on the bed with surprising gentleness, pulled a fur blanket over her, tucked it in around her body and left without another word.
Jeneva lay there in the darkness, listening to him settle by the fire in the other room. The bed was comfortable, the cabin warm, and despite everything, she felt... safe.
Even with a grumpy Majaki warrior sleeping just one room away.
Even though she had nearly died.
Even though she would be shipped back to that awful ice planet as soon as Rusik got a hold of her.
She pulled the blanket up to her chin, breathing in that impossible spiced scent, and allowed herself one small smile.
Methic. It was an interesting name. Could be said with hard syllables, or with gentle softness. Like a contented sigh.
He had been kind to her, helpful, when he certainly didn’t have to be. She had questions but tonight hadn't been the time to ask them.
One question pushed its way to the front. Why did her pulse stutter and her heart race when he touched her? After so long in the asylum, she had given up the idea of finding someonewho made her feel that way. That was her life before. When she wasn’t broken.
This was after, when she was too broken to walk without a crutch. So, no, she absolutely would not be thinking about her rescuer’s brilliant silver eyes or the gentleness of his touch.
