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“How do you know her?”

“I met her a while back. She gives talks at those evenings I go to.”

“Those science evenings you’ve dragged me to a couple of times? None of the speakers I’ve seen are as cute as the one you described.”

Elias’s eyes narrowed. “Hayley is not for you.”

Tegor raised a hand. “I wouldn’t dare try. I’d be too afraid you’d kill me with that wrench you’re gripping.”

Elias shrugged. He felt possessive of Hayley. The thought of her with another guy made him sick. “She’s always talking about dinosaurs. We got chatting last night, and she invited me to dinner.”

Tegor grinned. “She definitely likes you.”

“That’s just it. It was going well. We were talking, and she was asking questions. Then she propositioned me.”

“Hold up. This gorgeous human wanted to get naked with you?” Tegor chuckled and slapped him on the back. “Nice job. You said yes?”

Elias rubbed the back of his neck. “Actually, I sort of panicked. I asked to see her teeth.”

Tegor’s eyes bugged. “You did what? What did she do?”

“Showed me her teeth. They were so blunt I doubt she’d be able to chew through water. How was she supposed to devote with me?”

“Devote with you?” Tegor shook his head. “Did you tell her that?”

“I didn’t tell her I thought her teeth weren’t up to the job. I couldn’t face the prospect of her trying to rip through my flesh with them. Imagine how painful it would be.” Elias’s stomach felt in knots. His breathing grew shallow, and the room felt like it closed in on him.

“Are you sure she was asking you for sex Retar style? She definitely said she wanted you to devote to her?”

“Yes, well, I thought I was sure. She seemed shocked when I said no. I must have offended her by rejecting her offer.”

Tegor crossed his arms over his broad chest. “Maybe you’re not as irresistible as you think. The word devote means something different to humans. It’s all about the context. Think back to exactly what she asked you.”

Elias scrubbed a hand down his face. “She wanted us to devote some time together. She plans to learn more about Retars.”

“You’re such a numb nuts. She doesn’t want to fuck you. She wants to learn from you.”

“I’m not so sure. It could be that.” Whenever Elias panicked, he shifted into flight mode and had to get out of the stressful situation. Had he misunderstood Hayley’s meaning?

“It sounds like you have this whole geeky dinosaur thing in common. Hayley could be looking for someone to geek out with about these creatures.”

Elias inspected the wounds on his fingers again. “I wondered about that after I left her.”

Tegor groaned. “This gets worse. You walked out on your date?”

Elias shook his head. “It wasn’t a date. It was a casual dinner. The dining hall is not romantic. I did leave abruptly. Hayley tried to make amends, but I wouldn’t listen. I had to get out of there.”

Sympathy traced over Tegor’s face. This wasn’t the first time they’d discussed Elias’s intimacy issues. “You’re into her. What’s the problem?”

Elias shook his head. “You know what the problem is. I do like her. And I love her enthusiasm. She’s smart and curious and—”

“Yes, you’ve already mentioned that. Why not try things out? Maybe you can be friends. That can lead to something more when you’re both ready.”

“Maybe.” Hayley was tempting. Elias wasn’t sure he’d be able to prevent himself from making a mistake if he spent more time with her. If he did, and things got intimate between them, it could mean his death.

Tegor rested a hand on Elias’s arm. “If it’s any consolation, not all women want to eat you after sex. Some of them do it during.”

Elias recoiled, and a shudder ran down his spine. “I know all about that.”