Another jarring trill sounded and he let out a rough sigh, rolling over and out of bed.
“What is it?” she asked, coming up onto her elbows, the furs falling away from her body.His eyes flared as he looked down at her, raking his gaze over her disheveled hair and wrinkled shirt.
“The Coms,” he grunted.“I will return shortly.”
Cecelia gave him a nod and once he saw it, he turned from the bed and strode down the hallway.She heard his voice in the distance, speaking with whoever was on the other end.Cecelia pushed the furs off and stood, stretching slightly, before heading for the bathroom.She used the toilet and scooped up some water from the bubbling springs to splash her face, drying it on the cloth she’d hung up.
She felt refreshed when she returned to the bedroom, only to find Rixavox stripping off his clothes from the day before.
Her breath hitched in her throat and he turned at the sound.Thankfully, or unthankfully, he’d already changed his pants to another form-fitting leather-like material, this one in a soft smoky gray.But he was in the process of fetching a shirt when she walked back in.
Even though she’d seen him shirtless before—hell, their entire first encounter had been with him shirtless—she’d almost forgotten how massive, how utterlyrippedhe was.And the scars…there were more scars than she remembered lining his back.She wanted to trace them with her fingers and ask about each one, her heart aching a bit at the pain he must’ve endured.She knew little about the life of Luxirians, but she knew enough to know they were a warrior culture, like the Spartans of Earth’s own history.
And she’d taken Classics in college.She knew how brutal that culture had been.
Rixavox turned to face her, those pierced nipples flashing, and Cecelia stood frozen, on the threshold of the bedroom.
“I apologize,luxiva, but I must begin my duties for the span,” he told her, unconcerned with his half-nudity.Then again, he had no reason to be.He shrugged on a tight shirt that clung to his muscles before bending to secure his boots.
“I-It’s okay,” she stuttered before clearing her throat.“I know that you must be busy.”
Rixavox straightened and approached her, his mouth set in a grim line.Her eyes couldn’t help but stray to his nipples, which poked through the thin shirt.She met his eyes again, swallowing.
“I think I will send for companionship for you,” he murmured.“Levrix has said that she would like to meet you.I have known her for many rotations and I would feel better knowing that you have another here with you.”
Cecelia frowned a bit.“I don’t need a babysitter, Rixavox.”
His brows furrowed at ‘babysitter,’ but he seemed to understand her meaning well enough.“I know.But it is hard for me to focus when I worry about you here.”Her gaze softened a bit.“I thought perhaps you could learn more about Luxiria from her as well.She likes to talk.She will love the attention.”
“Wait,” Cecelia murmured.“Levrix…is this the…the woman that was here?That was…”
Rixavox blew out a breath.“Tev.”
Cecelia’s lips parted and an ugly flash of jealousy slammed into her breast like a sledgehammer.“Are you serious?You want your lover to come babysit me?”
“She isnotmy lover,” he growled.
“Shewas,” Cecelia corrected, crossing her arms.He was so close that they brushed his chest.
Rixavox looked about to argue but then he cocked her a strange look, tilting his head in that maddening way.
Then he let out a huff of laughter, which only served to irk her even more.
“You are jealous, female,” he purred down at her, his neck craning so his face was only inches from her own.Those brilliant blue eyes flashed in what seemed like…delight.
“I…I am not,” she replied, but the way she sputtered gave her away.Ugh.
“If you are not jealous, as you claim, then why should Levrix not come over and entertain you?”
Cecelia marveled that she’d woken up to peace just a few moment ago and now she felt like a dragon with fire shooting out of her nose whenever he mentioned his ex-lover’s name.How crazy was that?
“Okay, fine,” she bit out, the words tasting like vinegar in her mouth.“Invite her over then.I don’t care.”
“I will,” he purred.He leaned forward and her breath hitched, thinking that he was going to kiss her.Instead he turned his head slightly so that his horns rubbed against her forehead and their cheeks were pressed together.
And just like that, Cecelia felt a little of her irritation drain out of her.She’d never suspected she was aneasywoman by any means, but Rixavox had a way of making her melt at his feet like a human puddle.
He breathed her in and she felt his exhale blow a strand of her hair, tickling her ear.“Have patience,luxiva.I will finish my duties as swiftly as I can so I can return to you.”
