She dipped her face into the bowl again, this time for a little longer than comfortable. When she finally lifted her head up, she sucked in a much-needed breath of air.
“I was worried you were going to drown yourself,” he teased, setting the bowl down and pulling a towel off his shoulder. She let go of her hair and tried to take the towel, but he ignored her hand and began patting her face dry.
When that was done, he tossed the towel over his shoulder and ran his hands over her arms and legs. His touch was too gentle and tickled her in several places.
“Hey, stop that,” she said, stifling a giggle.
“I’m checking for other injuries,” he said, tugging the Fielden clothing off. She was still wearing the tight wild-human costume under the loose garb, but she still wasn’t happy with his actions.
The problem wasn’t being naked. She wasn’t shy. There was little privacy in the circus, and it was common for acts to change clothes backstage in front of everyone. She spent her entire life sharing a room with Nikla, the youngest of Melee’s cubs.
She didn’t like that he was stripping her down without asking. Especially after the intimacy they’d shared on the shuttle. That had been heat and warmth, this felt cold and forced.
She slapped at his hand when he reached for her shoulder. “No.”
He drew back with an impatient sound. “I wasn’t going to take off any more clothing. I was trying to see if you were bruised or if it was dirt on your shoulder.”
“How would I know that was your intention?” she snapped.
She expected harsh words in response, but instead he took a deep breath, then let it out in a long sigh.
“I’m sorry. That was uncalled for. You’re injured, and I’m acting as if I own you.”
She didn’t point out that he did own her or at least owned a share of her. He was apologizing, and she knew when to keep quiet.
Sometimes.
He continued. “I shouldn’t have taken the robe off without asking first. I let my concern override my good sense.”
Standing up, he walked away. He became a fuzzy mass to her degraded eyesight, but she could hear him opening a cabinet. When he returned, he tucked a blanket around her shoulders.
“I was concerned that I caused you more injuries by carrying you from the ship. It made me act before thinking.”
She could understand that. Worry or fear could make someone act inappropriately. Melee had only been harsh a few times, and they all were because she was scared Nova or one of the cubs was seriously injured.
“You didn’t hurt my eyes, the sand did that. Stupid sand. The Fielden poetry all lied. It’s not pretty at all!”
“Hissa doesn’t have sand,” he offered. “You’ll never have to deal with sand ever again when you get there.”
She waved a hand in the air. “Yeah, yeah, I’m sure Hissa is perfect in every way.”
He chuckled. “I wouldn’t say that. Things can get pretty muddy during the rainy season. And if you don’t keep cutting the jungle back, it will overgrow a house in only a few days. We have special droids for shearing vines, but they aren’t always foolproof. When I was a child, one of the droids broke down, and we didn’t realize it until a back door ended up impeded by growth. It took us an entire day and three borrowed droids to cut back all the vines. My sisters fought over who got to fix the droid because they both wanted to be repair engineers, but there was only space for one of them to attend classes. In the end, Mom told them to fix it together. They spent half the time laughing.”
The way his voice softened as he told her about the memory made her want to hear more. Love shone through every word.
“Did both your sisters become repair engineers?” she asked.
His entire demeanor changed. The smile disappeared, and his body stiffened. When he responded, his voice was flat and emotionless. “They’re both gone.”
She’d never lost anyone close to her. Couldn't imagine the pain of losing two siblings! Miran must’ve been devastated.
Impulsively, she grabbed him in a hug. He was kneeling on the floor in front of her, so all she had to do was lean forward and wrap her arms around his neck.
“I’m sorry, Miran. I bet you were the best brother while they were alive,” she whispered.
He didn’t say anything, but he lowered his head to rest on her shoulder. The silence in the room felt strangely comforting, as if he needed a moment to remember them with someone who didn’t know the whole story.
Or maybe she was making up scenarios in her head. She was good at storytelling, and it got away from her sometimes.
