He’d shaken her up.To the core.
The flash of panic she’d felt when she’d seen his blood had been like a lance, spearing straight through her.The only other time she’d felt like that had been when Kate had gone missing.It was like grief and desperation all mixed into one.
And that was when she knew she was falling for her big, horned, selfless, gruff alien.
It had happened so fast, she realized this.But Beks had never done anything half way.When she wanted something, she threw every part of herself into it, whether it was a new hobby or a project at work or comforting her best friend after her bastard of an ex had cheated on her.Beks had slashed his tires, which Kate hadn’t known about, and written—in paint—‘cheating scum’on the back windshield.She’d signed her name right below it.
So yes, maybe some things she took a littletoofar, but Beks liked to think she was passionate.She was passionate for those few people that she really, truly cared about in her life.Even though she hadn’t known Lihvan for very long, he’d just made the list.Hell, he had atopposition.
That was why she woke up every half hour it seemed to check on him, to fuss over his wound.She tortured herself all night, wondering if she’d mended it tight enough, what would they do if it became infected, if she hadn’t cleaned it out properly.
Needless to say, she didn’t get much sleep that night, but Lihvan slept like a log.
It did, however, make her feel better to feel his constant erection against her backside all night.She rationalized that if he had one, he was probably feeling A-okay, so she eventually drifted off into a restless sleep.
By the time she awoke for good the next morning, Lihvan was gone, but a piece of the animal that they’d cut up last night—after she’d patched Lihvan up—was roasting over the fire.They’d placed the butchered meat out in the cold so it would keep overnight and the chunk cooking would be more than enough to feed them both for the day.
He came back inside the cave a short while later and Beks let out a relieved sigh once she saw him.She hated acting like a clingy girlfriend, but she was genuinely worried about him and he didn’t seem to mind her fussing.In fact, she suspected he liked it.
“How are you feeling?” Beks asked, going up to greet him, pressing her body into his slightly sweaty one.It must have been warm outside already but she didn’t mind the sweat.She needed the contact with him; it helped ease her.Every day, it seemed like she neededmorefrom him.Again, she wondered if this washerownInstinct acting up, responding to his.
He leaned down to touch his forehead with her and Beks absolutely melted into a puddle of goo whenever he did that.“I am fine, female.I do not like to see you worry.”
“I can’t help it,” she confessed.
“No more tears,” he said, frowning.He hadn’t liked to see her cry last night, that much had been obvious.“Are you hungry?Let me feed you.”
“Let me feedyoufirst, Lihvan.You need your strength for your body to heal.”
He protested for a bit, but eventually she got her way and every bite of the meat that he swallowed made Beks feel a little better.And she took nibbles between every one of his bites, which madehimfeel better.
“See?” she murmured.“I can compromise.”
Lihvan only arched his brow in response, his amusement at her words obvious.
She bit back a small smile and asked, “Can I see your wound?I should clean it.”
“Nix,” he replied, making her frown.“I already cleaned it this morning.It is healing.”
“Okay,” she said, nodding.She trusted him when he said Luxirians healed fast.And when she eyed the gauze, it was clean with no signs of seepage.She blew out a breath and untangled a strand of his hair from his chipped horn.“Let me bathe you at least.You look warm from being outside.”
Thatdrew an interested purr from her alien and she laughed, grabbing one of the black tubes they had hanging over one of the cave walls.She poured the cool, fresh water into their empty stone pot and grabbed a wad of moss, dipping it inside.
When she knelt in front of him again, he eyed her from his position, lounging against the cave wall.Gently, lightly, she trailed the water-soaked moss over his skin, beginning at the tops of his shoulders and running it down his chest.Lihvan closed his eyes, purring, and Beks dipped the moss back into the water before soothing it over his skin again.
She did that for quite some time, pressing closer and closer with every dip.Lihvan tilted his head back and watched her, a continuous purr echoing in their cave.She gently swiped over raised scars, wondering how he’d gotten each one, in which battle against which alien and how old he’d been when he received them.He’d told her he was a warrior, had been raised to be one, and the word fit him like a glove.That word was stamped in every harsh, disciplined line of his body and engraved in the hardened muscles and quiet stealth of this male.
He was deadly, dangerous, and he treated her like she was the most precious thing in the world to him, protecting her, nourishing her, making sure her needs were met before his own.
For once, she wanted to return the favor.
When she gently brushed his flat nipples, he gave a little groan and Beks knelt between his outstretched legs, bringing her lips to his as she trailed the moss lower…and lower.
“Female,” he growled into their kiss, in warning.
“Shhh,” she whispered, pulling back so she could see his eyes.“Let me take care of you.”
She dropped the moss back into the pot to free her hands and then ran both of them up his thick, muscular thighs, coming to rest on the waistband of his leather pants.Whenever he’d been aroused before, he’d literally grown stronger.Beks had felt it happen.Arousal strengthened his body and perhaps it would help speed up his healing too.
