“How badly are you injured?” I demand when I gather myself a moment later.
A voice I don’t recognize comes from behind. “He’s bruised up pretty badly. I’ve done all the emergency medical care I can. He cracked some ribs and twisted his tail badly, which is more of a nuisance, but it hurts like hell.”
Thorne lets out an annoyed huff. “Itdoes.” He gestures to the alien cowboy. “This is Raven. He is part of our security team and a healer.”
“We need to get him back to our main medical facility. They’ll have him in working order in no time,” Raven tells me.
Although I’m worried, I’m so relieved to be back with Thorne that the relief overwhelms my concern. I hold tight to his hand, fussing over him as the queen’s team quickly gets everyone into the ship. Some of the women on the ship are experts at repairing things and will stay to repair the hovercraft and bring it back in a few hours.
“Minus the dents!” one of the women calls as we get ready to depart.
I’ve taken a liking to her. Her name is Trina, and she’s tiny and fierce, with a sharp purple tail that twitches when she smiles. She tells me she’s analien cowgirl, which I think is hysterical. I’m surprised I haven’t met her before, but she explains that she keeps to herself at home—although she’s curious about the horses from Earth and wants to ride them. We’ve already made plans for her to do so.
When we get back to our town, my heart relaxes. I realize I’ve never felt this way about a place before. The closest I came was when my mother was still alive because I loved her so and felt safe when she was near. But even then, it washer, not the place.
Here, it’s different. It’s the place and the people. Thorne, Jane, Nadine, Melody, and their mates. Trudy at the coffee shop. The flower shop. The king and queen. The prince. Theyallmatter to me. They’ve made their presence in my life something meaningful. They’ve created a sense of community I’ve never experienced before. With that community comes a sense of safety and protection. Ever since I mated with Thorne, that sense of protection has eased the anxiety that has thrummed inside me for as long as I can remember.
At the medical center, I can tell Thorne doesn’t like being fussed over. He wants to be strong. To beokay.But all of them have to be cleared—including Raven. Raven had done some emergency stitches on himself for an injury in his side, but themedical team decided they needed to open it up and clean it properly.
He’s frustrated, but he goes along with it, flashing a grin at the queen. “My queen, I will be fine.”
She rolls her eyes. “Iknowyou will, Raven. You always are.”
She glances at me and laughs softly. “He’s like another son to me. We have Asher, but his parents were our closest friends before they passed, and we have always doted on him. He is a funny boy—a sly one. He hides the depth of his heart behind his jokes.”
When Thorne is finally cleared to leave, he reaches for my hand. “I just want to go home, love.”
“I’ve already arranged for one of the local transport services to take us home,” I say.
Thorne meets my gaze, rolling his eyes. “Youcan’tbe serious. I can walk. Also, where is Silver and the rest of our mounts?”
“They already picked them up. Your horses got back before you all did.” I smirk. “I’m still in a huff about that.”
When we get home, the moment we step inside, I canfeelThorne’s relief. He sits down on the couch and reaches for my hand. When I sit beside him, he curls toward me, smoothing his palm over my belly and whispering, “How is our baby girl?”
“She’s strong and healthy. Just like you.”
I lean closer, and he gives me a lingering kiss. When he slides his hand down over my thigh and hooks his fingers on the edge of my dress, I sigh with relief.
Even I have taken to wearing dresses—they’re so comfortable. And now, with my pregnancy, I like the loose, soft fabric. I savor the touch of his palm on my bare skin, but when he brings his fingers to tease between my thighs, I murmur, “Thorne, you need to rest.”
“But Iwantyou, love,” he protests. “And I asked the doctor—she came to see me while we were at the medical center. She says I can still have you.”
When he starts dusting kisses along the side of my neck, my body shivers, telling him just how much I want him. And of course, I’mdrippingfor him because it feels like it’s been too long. Because ithasbeen too long.
He is gentle, guiding me to straddle him right there on the couch. He fills me in slow, deep strokes, murmuring, “I love you, Romi. I missed you. You are my heart. You are my mate.”
The moment he says that, my orgasm crashes through me, scattering pleasure like the sun inside me. Isavorthe feel of him, his release filling me as he holds me close.
That night, we fall asleep together, his palm resting on my belly as he whispers once more, “I will always come home to you. I will always love you.”
Chapter Seventeen
THORNE
The wind gusts as my mount comes to a landing. Silver slows quickly, his wings tucking in before he comes to a complete stop. I dismount swiftly, tapping my communicator as I jog across the field.
Asher’s voice comes through instantly. “I already sent them. You should see them in a minute,” he says. “Romi went into labor early.”
