My breath caught. Did he mean right now or for forever?
His tail found mine and curled around it, sending sparks of awareness up the sensitive appendage and through the rest of my body. My chest heaved as my breath sped up and arousal began to flood my body. On a normal basis, it didn’t take much to excite me, but Monqilcolnen was not, in any way, normal. Heset my body alight in a whole new way, and it took nothing for me to desire him.
“I would like to do something with you tonight,” he said.
“What?”
“An outing for the two of us.”
I chuckled, pushing my face against him. He stilled, then sagged against me, making me grunt as I bore more of his weight than I’d expected. Monqilcolnen wasn’t a small man, and I was considerably smaller than he was.
“I meant,” I said, “what do you wish todo?”
“I do not care as long as I am with you.”
I nipped one of his wings, making him grunt, but I wasn’t displeased with his response. My soul pounded and warmth suffused my limbs.
“What do you want to do?” he asked me.
“Food.”
Monqilcolnen said in his perfectly even voice, “Then you shall have food.”
“Then?”
I thought about it. “Let’s see where the evening takes us.”
“As long as you’re beside me, I’m more than fine with that.”
Chapter 27
An outing to remember.
I stepped into the promenade with my tail curled around Wyn’s. My gut roiled as if the ship’s stabilizers were malfunctioning. At any moment, I was going to vomit, which wouldn’t endear Wyn to me. The nerves were almost too much. This had to be the most perfect outing in the history of couples. I needed to show Wyn we matched and were utterly perfect together. I already knew it, but he didn’t. I had to prove it to him. I had to show him I was good enough for him, that even though I hadn’t joined the Ranks, I was still worthy. He needed to see me and accept me because… If he left… I was unable to even finish the thought. His absence would destroy me.
Wyn’s arm brushed against mine, and I suppressed a shudder. We were both out of our uniforms and in sleeveless shirts, and the mere touch of his scales to mine sent shocks of electricity through my body. Would he be offended if I suddenly dragged him back to my quarters?
No. I shook my head to banish the thought. Wyn had said he wanted to eat, and I would ensure he was fed. I might not want to share his presence with anyone, but we did need to exist and live. If we didn’t make a routine, how would he know I’d fit into his life?
He glanced at me, and I tried to smile, but it couldn’t crack through my well-affixed mask of serenity. I tried; however, my nerves were too much. Wyn’s tail tightened on mine before loosening, as if he was going to release me.No!I clutched his tail.
“Wyn?”
“Are you well?” he asked.
“Certainly. I’m with you.”
Wyn smiled, but it was strained and his eyes darted around like they used to when he was nervous of me, when he wanted to run away. I supposed he was still nervous of me; that he still wanted to leave me. That thought was enough to gut me as effectively as a claw. My mate was unsure of me. I was already failing.
I brushed the backs of my fingers down his arm, and he shivered. I asked in a low voice, “Where do you wish to go?”
His eyes landed on the cat shrine, and I shook my head. Of course Wyn wished to spend time with cats. Cincin wasn’t enough for him, it seemed. I imagined we would havemanycats in the future.
“I would be more than happy to purchase you a feline,” I said.
He stilled, ignoring the bustling crowd around us. People grumbled and some swore as they were forced to veer around us.Only a few blatantly stared until I glared at them, making them dart away.
Wyn’s expression was hard. “I do not require you to buy me anything.”
