She really was. This was impossible. All of it.
“Wait, you crash landed.” Her eyes narrowed. “Did you damage some of my trees?”
Then the rest caught up. “Is that why you were so out of it last night? I really thought you were going to kill me.”
Maelic’s antennae drooped. His face pinched with something that looked a lot like shame. “I truly apologize for that. It was beyond unacceptable. I believe it must have been my body reacting to… the adrenaline of the crash.”
Right. Sure.
“As long as you don’t try to eat me again.” She nodded, letting it slide. He wasn’t being fully honest, but she wasn’t going to push.
Maelic’s eyes went wide. “I did not try to eat you.”
“Uh-huh. Okay.” She stood and carried their empty mugs to the sink. The window above it gave her a full view of the property, and what she saw made her stomach drop. The snow was raging.A full-on storm, white and furious, swallowing everything. She frowned.
“I don’t know about your species, but for us? This weather is dangerous. I don’t think you’ll be able to get to your ship.”
The words were out before she could second-guess them. Her gaze dropped to her crudely bandaged hand that he had outfitted earlier outside. He had been so gentle and kind. She couldn’t kick him out.
“Why don’t you stay here? At least until the storm passes.”
Maelic inclined his head, something unreadable flickering across his face. Then he nodded. “If you would find that acceptable, I would be very much in your debt.”
“I couldn’t send you out there right now.” She glanced toward the window. “It looks brutal.”
She shifted her grip on the counter and winced. The cut pulled against the makeshift bandage. Maelic’s gaze dropped to her palm, and his antennae flattened.
“That needs proper attention.”
“It’s fine.”
“Do you have a medkit?”
She almost argued. But the look on his face said he wasn’t asking. Somehow she ended up on the couch in the living room while Maelic crouched in front of her, treating her wound like it was his personal mission. It wasn’t even that bad. Just a shallow gash. But she still winced when he applied the antiseptic.
“Does it hurt badly?” He frowned, gentling his grip like she was something fragile.
“No. I’m just being a baby.”
“It is okay to show pain, little human.” He huffed and finished wrapping the fresh bandage.
“Sure, but it’s not like I’m dying.”
When he was done, she told him to wait and headed toward the downstairs bathroom to put the first aid kit away. She paused in the hallway, her gaze catching on the entry.
Wait.
She turned back, frowning. Something nagged at her. She walked over to where she’d hung her wet clothes earlier and her heart stuttered.
One glove. Just one, hanging on the hook. A little worn but clearly handmade.
No. No, no, no.Hot tears pricked at her eyes.Why are you always so careless?
She was already yanking on her coat, shoving her feet into her boots. Maelic appeared in the doorway, alert. His wings shifted as he scanned the space behind her for a threat.
“What is wrong?”
“I left my other glove outside.”
