Page 28 of Married to the Alien Rogue

I took the can and did as he said, sinking to the ground as I drank.

Next, he brought out the ration bars.

At the crinkle of the wrapper, Lila bounded over, her purple eyes latched onto Raxnor’s hands.“Food?”

“Yes, food,” I said, running a hand down her back.

She rubbed her cheek against my knee, then walked up to him, her eyes big and pleading.

His lips twitched. He ripped open a bar and tore it into chunks for her, setting them on the ground with the wrapper spread out like a little plate.

I went all melty inside. This guy! That gruff exterior hid a heart of such sweetness.

Then he handed me a bar, growling, “Eat.”

I suppressed my desire to salute. He wouldn’t get it, and even if he did, he probably wouldn’t find it funny.I want to find something thatwillmake him laugh.

Hunger made the fruity protein bar taste pretty damned good, and it disappeared quickly.

As soon as she finished hers, Lila turned three times beside me, then plonked down onto the soft moss in a perfect ball, her tail curled over her eyes.

The moss seemed to glow brighter now that the sky had darkened, bathing the entire glen in its ethereal light.

I glanced over at the pool, longingly. What I wouldn’t give for a bath! Or a shower, with the way the waterfall sprayed out over the back of the pool.

As if he’d read my mind, Raxnor said, “You can wash, if you want. The water on Tularia is safe.”

“Hell, yeah!” I’d been in the same clothes for two days, and all the running and hiking hadn’t helped. I pulled off my shoes and stood, careful not to nudge Lila. But she didn’t move a muscle, and no sense of her presence brushed against my mind.

Dipping a toe in told me the water was warm.Yum!I grabbed the hem of my shirt, then hesitated. I didn’t have on undies—the lizards hadn’t given me any—and I didn’t know if Raxnor’s people had any nudity taboos.Might as well wash everything!I shrugged.The clothes are stinky, too.

I plunged forward, the first step bringing the water up to my knees, the second sinking me to my hips. By the time I made it to the middle of the pool, the warm water lapped at my chin. I spun around.

Raxnor stood at the edge of the pool, barefoot, his arms spread wide, pulling the shirt from his shoulders.

“Ungh.” I lost the ability to form words. That chest! Those abs! Smooth skin stretched tight over impressive muscles outlined in shadow by the low light. The blue of his face covered his shoulders and arms, lightening to a beautiful teal in the middle of his chest before darkening to purple at his waist.

His hands dropped to the front of his pants, unfastening them.

Dios mío! I should turn around, not look. But I remained frozen to the spot, my eyes widening as Raxnor shoved his pants down his muscled thighs and straightened.

Naked.

One-hundred percent not wearing any clothes.

Utterly and completely naked.

I shook my head, trying to restart my brain. His cock was long and thick.

And very, very purple.

I fuckinglovedpurple.

His legs lightened to blue and then teal by the time it reached his feet.

But the purple…

I jerked my gaze from his cock and met his eyes. The heat in them set me on fire.

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