Page 60 of Theirs to Crave

???

“You look like hell. What, do your new roomies snore? Or did they keep you up in...other ways?” Mariano waggled his eyebrows, leering.

“Shut your mouth.” Why the hell had I been so excited to see this ass? “I could ask you the same thing. You pay extra for the baggage you’re packing?” I asked, tapping under my eye with a smirk. “Don’t tell me, you found Kurz’s stash of alien porno mags? You better not hide your used socks inhislaundry.”

“That was seventeen years ago! I was fourteen! Let it goooo,” Mariano groaned, a red flush high on his cheeks.

“Never.” I waved my hands imperiously, demanding a hug. At the last moment, I stopped him. “Wait, is it safe? I just remembered there aren’t any socks on this planet.”

“Very funny.” Mariano rolled his eyes and snagged me with his arms, holding me tight for a long second before straightening. “How long was the walk? These trees are so fucking big, I’m having a hard time getting my bearings.”

I wasn’t great with time, especially without a clock, but the consensus had been that our slog to the village had taken about an hour and a half. According to the map my three had drawn with berries at breakfast, our place and my brother’s new place with Kurz were about the same distance from the village, and only half that far from each other. The hot springs, I’d been happy to see, were even closer.

“Maybe forty minutes? We stopped for a couple breaks.” I wasn’t used to walking everywhere, and I was increasingly convinced gravity was higher on this planet. Stronger? Whatever the right phrase was, it was harder than it should have been to pick my feet up, and I wore out fast.

The Teterayuh had strapped the big baskets they used to haul food onto their backs before we headed out, and around our third stop I got the feeling Revik was tempted to toss me in just to speed up the process.

I probably would’ve let him. I was sore as hell, and sweating had never been my favorite pastime. Especially without deodorant.

“Not bad. Next time we’ll come visit you. I want to learn my way around.” Mariano was watching the Teterayuh—who weredebating the plan for the day—with an unreadable expression on his face.

No, he was watchingKurz. The fluffy tan colored Teterayuh laughed, flinging an arm over Revik’s shoulder, and my brother’s eyebrows lowered.

“Hey, what’s up? Is the Murder Puppy secretly a dick? Do I need to smack him? I will.”

“What? No, no. He’s good.” Mariano waved dismissively, then his head snapped in my direction. “Murder Puppy? Jesus, Estrella. I’m just trying to figure these people out. Your three are together, right?”

My insides did a little dance at the phrasing, but I tried to look thoughtful as I nodded. They shared a bed and were pretty cozy, so...

Mariano jerked his chin at the group of aliens heading our way, apparently having come to a decision about the plan. Kurz had dropped his arm, but he and Revik were close enough their fur brushed as they walked. “So, just friends? Or is this a free love situation?”

“Does it matter?” I asked, the question aimed at myself as much as him. Kurz was cute, but he made me want to pet his head, not his...other parts.

Mariano just grunted.

When Revik and Kurz disappeared into the jungle together, we watched them until there was nothing more to see like the gente metiches we were.

“Estrayuh, Naryanuh, sethit. Zha’a iltal aylat ays.” Litha beckoned us to follow, the tilt of her head showing uncertainty.

I felt a pang of...regret? Shame? Whatever it was, it didn’t feel good. I’d been trying for some safe distance after last night, as that seemed like the smartest move. Give me some space to think.

I hated it. Going by the confused, walking on eggshells way Litha and Zafett had been acting this morning, they didn’t like it either. Revik—as always—was silent and watchful.

Fuck it.

I trotted over, taking Litha and Zafett’s hands in mine and smiling brightly up at them. Life was short. I’d rather be dumb and happy than smart and lonely.

They blinked down at me, surprised. Then Zafett ducked his head, giving me the sweetest smile as he squeezed my hand gently in his.

Litha chuffed and stepped away, but before I could feel anything but surprise she’d rearranged us, putting Zafett and I on her left. She twisted, took my hand again, and set it on her tail. When my eyes shot to hers she smiled, patted my hand, and reached up to tap the spear rising over her shoulder.

Ohhhh. Of course, with only one arm she’d want it free to grab a weapon. I hadn’t thought about it—both because I wasn’t used toneedinga weapon on the day to day, and because I tended to forget she onlyhadone arm.

Shyly, I petted her tail. It was thick enough I couldn’t close my fingers around it—a thought that made me giggle like a teenager—and solid muscle beneath the plush fur.

“Ray?” I asked. The Teterayuh word for good was one of my most frequently used, along withhet/yes,ix/no,relyat/thank you, andix ilatah/I don’t understand.

“Het ray, Estrayuh,” Litha answered in a husky tone that made me shiver.

---