Erzo’s hold on her tightened gently but firmly. “Not a chance. We’re almost there.”
Polly sighed and relaxed back into his embrace, her initial reluctance giving way to an unfamiliar comfort. It was odd, being carried like this, yet Erzo didn’t seem strained at all. To him, she might as well have been as light as a feather. But Polly knew better. She wasn’t the stereotypical petite woman like Tori or Jana. Her curves, which she personally loved, had often been the subject of less kind remarks.
She’d heard it all before—the backhanded compliments about her size, the insinuations that she’d be ‘prettier’ if she just lost a bit more weight. The men in her past had a way of making her feel desired one moment and discarded the next, their gazes wandering even as they kept her on the periphery of their lives. A soft grumble escaped her lips, her thoughts taking a bitter turn.
“Everything okay?” Erzo’s voice brought her back to the present.
“Just thinking,” she murmured, her mind still churning.
“Then I’m not doing my job,” Erzo said, a playful edge to his tone. He moved his hand over her hip in a way that sent unexpected tingles racing through her body.
She gasped at the sensation, surprised by her reaction.
Erzo’s chuckle was low and warm. “That got your attention.”
“You did that on purpose,” she accused softly, her voice a mix of reproach and amusement.
“Guilty as charged,” he admitted, his eyes sparkling with mischief. “Sometimes a brief distraction is necessary.”
Polly couldn’t help but smile despite herself. There was something about Erzo’s mischievous side that was disarmingly charming. As they continued down the hall, she found herself less focused on her aching feet and more on the unexpected chemistry sparking between them.
13
His movements were methodical as Erzo helped Polly settle onto the couch, but beneath his composed exterior, a storm was brewing. His voice remained even, but inside, anger simmered against the shoe seller for her oversight. It was inexcusable, especially after he had specifically mentioned that Polly was new to off-world experiences.
“Erzo, really, I’ll be okay,” Polly reassured him, her voice gentle yet firm. “It’s just a bit of swelling and soreness. It happens.”
He let out a disgruntled “Hrmph,” barely containing his frustration as he adjusted the massager under her ankles.
The device hummed to life, its soothing vibrations targeting her aching muscles. Erzo’s mind was a battlefield, torn between his irritation at the negligent clerk and his own self-reproach. How could he call himself a capable protector if he missed something as fundamental as making sure she had the proper footwear?
Suddenly, Polly let out a soft moan, the sound slicing through Erzo like a laser beam. He froze, his senses hyper-aware of every shift and movement she made on the massager. The rhythmic undulations seemed to send waves of relief through her, each one visibly relaxing her tense muscles.
“It’s so intense,” she murmured, a blissful expression on her face.
“I can lower the intensity,” Erzo offered, his voice a shade rougher than he intended.
Her eyes snapped open, and she fixed him with a glare that was both fierce and playful. “Don’t you dare! It feels amazing.”
As she arched in response to the massager’s movements, Erzo found his gaze drawn to the contours of her body, a surge of desire awakening within him.
He clenched his jaw, fighting the rising tide of longing. This was not the time for such distractions. He needed to stay focused on the larger goal—resolving the situation on Charrovik, not getting lost in thoughts of her body, her curves...
Stop, he commanded himself. But the image of Polly, relaxed and arching beneath his care, challenged his resolve and stirred feelings he had long kept dormant.
Erzo, feeling an awkward tension building within him, rolled his tail, slapping it against the ground as a distraction.
Startled, Polly jerked upright. “Everything okay?”
“Just stretching my tail,” Erzo muttered, his gaze inadvertently drifting to her feet. Yes, focus on that. He extended his tail again, a subtle display meant to divert his attention as much as hers. Polly watched him for a moment before she closed her eyes again with a contented sigh.
Erzo’s mind urged him to concentrate on the task at hand—her injured feet—dainty and appealing in their shape. He hadn’t realized her species had such delicate extremities. Were all parts of her this sensitive? Despite her belief that she was a burden, she had felt almost weightless in his arms.
Catching his lingering gaze, Polly opened her eyes. “What’s up?”
Surprised, he blinked rapidly, trying to regain his composure. “Did you need something?”
“I was wondering the same about you,” she replied with a slight smile. “You seem like you’ve got something on your mind.”
