Aunt Ann nodded. “I’m good for now, though. Timber? Leigh? T’raat? Anybody in need of some shuteye?”
Timber shook her head, and I peered around them into the room. Cozy enough, with a queen-sized bed loaded down with rust-colored pillows and more woven blankets. I didn’t know about T’raat, but I, for one, was exhausted, and those blankets looked rather inviting. The heater in the truck worked well enough, but the Midwest fall weather had a nip to it, and I kind of wanted to burrow into those blankets and pass out for a few hours.
“I’d like a nap, if that’s okay,” I said, tugging on T’raat’s arm. He patted me on the back but didn’t follow me.
“I am capable of shutting my eyes out here,” he said. “I will give you privacy.”
Everyone else snickered, and Timber whispered something Xalanite in T’raat’s ear. His yellow eyes widened, and he answered with, “Alone?”
Timber pulled something out of her suit pocket and handed it to him. It looked like a slim foil packet, almost like … no. It couldn’t be … Did she just give him what I thought she did?
As the rest of the group headed back down the hall to the living room, Timber caught my arm and pulled me aside. She motioned for T’raat to go into the bedroom while she kept me a moment longer.
“That was azi’in. Xalanite condom. Pretty cool little thing, actually. It doesn’t hinder sensations for either of you, but it won’t rip on the Xalanite scales and risk an oopsie. If you two insist on doing what I think you’re gonna do in there, use it. You’re young, and you don’t need the added complication of an interspecies pregnancy in your life right now. Maybe a few years down the road, when we see what happens with my little nugget, but until then, be responsible. Okay?”
She followed my aunt and her two friends, leaving me gaping in the hallway.
Chapter 14
T’raat
With the door shut behind me, I quickly stripped my clothing and climbed under the bed coverings,zi’inin hand. I turned the small package over several times, staring at the dim light reflecting off the foil.
Was this really about to happen? Did the circumstances cause Leigh to change her mind, or was this now the third date?
Leigh returned a moment later and closed the door behind herself. She turned the metal device on the knob, which I knew to be the lock. My eyes widened as she slowly removed her clothing before getting into bed with me. She pulled down the covers, and her eyes locked onto my hardn’ril. Something changed in her expression, and she paused. Hesitated. Slowed in her actions.
Once we were both under the covers, Leigh wrapped her arms around me and pulled me down next to her, but she did not touch myn’ril.
“Leigh, is this—”
“Shh. L-let’s not worry about that for now. Maybe we’ll just sleep, and … maybe later we’ll use thatzi’inin your hand. Right now, I’m a little … exhausted. I could use some actual sleep before we—before that gets used.” She kissed my cheek and held me close. “Let’s just snuggle to start. You can be the Big Spoon.”
Snuggle: An affectionate physical act unfortunately not always involving mating.
Big Spoon: After some confusing searching, my nanites found the less-literal meaning of this. She did not mean utensils for eating; she meant to have me lie behind her and hold her to me. Also not always correlated with mating.
I did not understand her sudden change in enthusiasm for mating with me.
Regardless of her hesitation, I returned her embrace and rested my head on one of the copious pillows provided by the two men whose home we had invaded. Since Leigh did not wish to mate yet, I willed myn’rilto calm themselves as I positioned myself as the Big Spoon.
Leigh’s breathing slowed. Evened out. For quite some time, I thought that she slept. I stroked her soft, golden hair in a lazy rhythm, grateful for the touch but still frustrated.
After some time units, there was a hitch in Leigh’s breath. A sniffle from her nose. Another hitch, then another. Was she in distress?
“Leigh? Are you all right?”
More sniffles. She curled in on herself, wrapping her arms around her chest. The hitching continued. Then, a sound I was not familiar with. I anxiously awaited an explanation from my nanites. Finally, the word for the sound came to me: A sob.
She was crying.
“Leigh?” I sat up, hovering over her shaking form. Something was wrong. Crying was not a positive reaction in most instances,but I did not know what I could have done to cause this. I had not argued with her. I had been the Big Spoon. What could have happened?
I did not know the proper protocol for aiding a crying human. She needed comfort, perhaps, but what comfort could I offer if I did not know what bothered her?
With cautious care, I patted her shoulder. “I am here, Leigh. I do not know what has upset you, but I am here. I will not leave until you are well.” There. I had reassured her. Certainly that would help …
“I’m scared, T’raat.”
