Page 6 of His Little Garnet

She shudders and then winces when her arm jostles. “What does that even mean?”

“When we meet the right Little girl, we just know. She does too, but human females seem to fight the connection sometimes. It’s fascinating.”

I love the way she stares into my eyes. “You’re not kidding, are you?”

I shake my head. “No, Olivia.”

“You’re claiming me.”

“Yes.”

“What if I don’t want you to?”

I inhale slowly, not dropping her gaze. “At this point, I could still let you go. I could call the others back in and have them take you to the human hospital. You could go on with your life. I haven’t altered you in any way yet. But you would wonder. Forever.”

She flinches. “And you?”

I stroke her fingers. “I would go back to my planet alone.”

Her lips part, and she gasps. “Can’t you, uh, find another woman?”

I shake my head. “No, Little one. I already found my female.”

“Why haven’t you simply tossed me over your shoulder and whisked me away? I thought… I thought since I signed that waiver, I didn’t really have a choice in the matter.”

“I’m pretty sure you would scream out in pain if I tossed you over my shoulder with that broken arm, Little one,” I tease. “But to answer your question seriously, I’d rather not start our life by me coercing you while you’re under duress. I’d prefer you accept my invitation willingly.”

She swallows. I can see her thinking. Her heart is beating faster again. “If I hadn’t fallen and broken my arm, would you have noticed me?”

“Eventually. Yes. I hadn’t looked at the monitors yet this evening. If I had, I would have seen you and claimed you before you fell. I’m sorry I didn’t. If I had, you wouldn’t be in pain.” I glance down at her slightly misaligned arm, wishing I could fix it right now. It would take seconds for me to nick her skin and pop this bone back into place.

She hesitates.

“I know you feel the chemistry, Baby girl. It’s sharp in the air. It’s consuming the room.”

“It’s sucking out the oxygen,” she adds.

I smile. She feels it. “Your scent calls to me. It’s strong like a drug. I want to wash off the scents of all the people you bumped into tonight and the lotion your roommate is wearing. I want to bathe you in the soap from my planet and then nuzzle your neck and inhale nothing but you.”

She gasps, shuddering again as she shifts her weight in the chair. This is when I notice her little nipples rubbing against the front of her dress. She isn’t wearing a bra. I can smell her arousal too.

She licks her lips yet again. “Do your people always give women an option like this?”

“It’s not usually necessary. If you had come here hoping to be chosen and slid into my arms on the dance floor, I would have kissed the tips of your fingers and solidified the connection immediately. You would already be mine, and you wouldn’t hesitate.”

She furrows her brows. “From a kiss to my fingers?”

I glance down at where I’m stroking her small hand. “Slightly more than a kiss, Baby girl.”

I love how she trembles at the suggestion even though she has no clue. She glances at the door, probably thinking about her friend.

“Do you have family, Little one?”

She shakes her head. “No. Unless you count Janie. She and I are like sisters.”

This makes me feel better. I’ve heard it’s harder on Little girls who leave behind family they love. “I know you’ll miss her, Baby girl, but I promise to give you the best life imaginable.”

She stares at the door again. “I can’t believe I’m even contemplating this. It’s like you’ve cast a spell over me.”

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