“Oh god,” I said. Jerking the headband off and wrapping an arm over my boobs. It was chilly in the bathroom, and my nipples were showing through my pink satin cami. “Um. I was. I’m… I could talk to you for a few minutes, though.”
“That would make me very happy,” he said, his voice low and rumbling. “Tell me about yourself,Aneah.”
“What do you want to know?” I asked, taking my phone to bed and propping it up on the nightstand.
“What will you miss most about Earth?” he asked.
I laughed. “IfI decide to leave, you mean?”
“Whenyou agree to be my bride,” he said.
“Hm.” I pulled down my duvet and crawled into bed, thinking as I got comfortable. “I don’t know,” I said. “I have a few friends, but no one I’m super close to. I could probably make new friends… wherever I went.”
“You’ll be someone everyone is excited to meet, here,” he said. “My family will welcome you, of course.”
“Tell me about your family,” I said.
“Tell me about yours,” he countered.
I pursed my lips. “Not much to tell. My grandparents are all gone, and I’m an only child. And my parents are… um. They don’t talk to me anymore.”
He frowned. “Why not?”
“We have different views,” I said, “on a lot of things. And they’re kind of crazy. It sounds awful, but I won’t miss them much.”
His mouth curled up into the first real smile I’d seen on him, and it was so distractingly attractive that it took me several long seconds to realize what I’d said to bring it on. “No, you won’t,” he agreed. “I’ll see to it.”
“You’re really handsome,” I blurted, biting my lip as soon as the words were out.
His face went blank for a second, like I’d shocked him. “Am I?” He ran a big hand back and forth over his angular jaw. “I wasn’t sure I could be appealing to a human.”
I snorted. “Seriously?”
He just tilted his head to the side in answer.
“So wait. Do daernir women think you’re handsome?”
He glanced away from the camera for a second. “Some do, I guess.”
“Just… some?” There was no way he wasn’t considered a daernir hottie. He and Qhev were both absolutely stunning males. Any human woman would find them objectively attractive.
“Some females don’t like body art,” he said. “And some like it because it looks... Dangerous.”
“Yeah,” I said. “Totally get that. But forget the body art for a second. What aboutyou? Your face and your, um, body?”
He shrugged. “Some like those things.”
I stared at him, waiting for more, and he huffed a quiet laugh. “Uh, I guess it’s the same issue. Some might be attracted to mysize and rough appearance for the same reason they like the body art. Others steer clear.”
“Yeah, well, the others who steer clear still think you’re sexy,” I said. “You know that, though, right?”
“You think I’m sexy,Aneah?” he gestured to himself. “My face, and my body?”
I laughed, my cheeks warming. I really set this up for him, didn’t I? “Yeah, I do. Your face, your hands, your shark bite scar, and everything.”
“Good,” he said, looking smug. “It helps to appreciate your husband’s appearance, doesn’t it?”
“Tell me about your family,” I said. “If they’re going to be so welcoming.”
