And God, was he big…
A sharp snap broke through Callie’s thoughts, dashing away images of nighttime bathing and memories of sensual touches. She jerked back to the present, eyes widening.
“Hello!” Lacey snapped her fingers again beside Callie. “Earth to Callie!”
“We’re not on Earth,” Will said with amusement.
“You know what I mean.”
Callie looked between the two of them with a furrowed brow. “What?”
Lacey chuckled. “We asked what has you biting your lip with that far-off look in your eyes.”
Callie’s skin flushed as she reached forward, picking up a piece of smoked fish. “Nothing.”
Lacey smirked, one red brow arching. “Uh-huh.”
“That definitely wasn’t the expression of someone thinking aboutnothing,” Will said before tossing a nut in his mouth.
Callie stuffed the fish into her mouth, grabbed another large, fanned leaf, curled it into a circle, and picked up her knife to cut notches in the stem. “Like I said, it’s nothing. I was just enjoying the riverberries.”
“Callie,” Lacey said, holding out a length of silk string, “We’ve all had riverberries, and I’ve never once seen anyone make the face you just did while eating them.”
“Maybe I justreallylike riverberries.” Callie took the offered string and tied it around the stem, hooking it in the notches she’d made.
“Okay, okay. Keep your secrets.” Lacey picked up a wedge of moonblossom fruit and leaned back, propping herself up on one hand as she ate.
Callie tied one more string around the stem before she began weaving the fronds.
There weren’t any secrets to spill. Urkot had come upon her while she was bathing; what was the big deal? It wasn’t like nudity was taboo here. The vrix didn’t care one way or another since they didn’t really wear clothing. Urkot had probably beenstaring at her in curiosity because their species were so different, and she was reading too much into it.
I will find more pretty stones for my pretty female.
Or maybe there had been more to his gaze…
“You guys don’t usually drag your asses out of bed this early,” Cole said as he jogged down the stairs from the above platform, where Callie and Lacey lived. Ahmya’s home, tucked between both of theirs, was vacant since she and Rekosh had been given a larger den next to Ketahn and Ivy’s.
Will glanced up from the basket he’d started. “Good morning to you too, Cole.”
“Not everyone wakes up at the ass crack of dawn,” Callie said.
“We’re amazed ifyouwake up before noon.” Cole laughed as he hopped off the last step, his boots making a loud thump that vibrated the wooden planks. He was wearing dark green shorts that were laced low on his hips and a matching vest that showed off his muscled arms and skin that had been bronzed by hours spent in the sun. A bow was hooked over one of his shoulders, and a quiver of arrows hung from his hand. Apart from his modern-day boots, he looked like a ranger from a fantasy novel, ready to lead his companions into the depths of a monster infested forest.
“I mean, he is right,” Lacey said with a smirk.
“Hey!” Callie threw one of the long, broken leaves at the red-haired woman. “I’m up when I need to be.”
Lacey caught the leaf with a laugh and extended it to tickle Callie’s arm. “Not always. It can take some coaxing.”
Callie chuckled and scooted out of Lacey’s reach, batting at the leaf. “Okay! Okay! So I’m not a morning person. Sue me.”
“I’ll get my lawyer right on that.”
“Going hunting, Cole?” Will asked.
“Yep.” Cole laid his bow and quiver on the floor, then swung his backpack off to set it beside them. He plopped himself downbetween Callie and Will and snatched up a couple slices of fish. “Joining Telok with the hunting party. Nalaki wants plenty of meat for tomorrow night.”
Lacey wrinkled her nose with a huff as she worked the long, thin leaves, weaving them into a tight, layered pattern. “And here we are on basket duty. Why do you get to do the exciting stuff?”
