Page 75 of Riv's Sanctuary

She moved forward a little and Riv glanced in her direction. His shoulders stiffened, his irritation evident, but he didn't say anything. She realized he wanted his space.

She could do that.

As she neared the enclosure he had disappeared into, she saw a new type of animal she hadn't seen before.

These ones were shaped like large crocodiles, and she'd have been alarmed that he'd entered an enclosure filled with about twenty of them if they didn't look so...docile.

They were shaped like crocodiles but without the hard edges. Their skin looked soft and brown and when one opened its mouth to grab some of the hay, she saw large flat teeth.

Definitely not a carnivore.

As her host emptied some of the hay into a pile, one of the animals closed its jaw around Riv’s boot.

"For phek's sake, Jaik. Let go."

Jake?

The animal's name was Jake?

Of all the names…

Riv shook his leg and dislodged the animal but as soon as it lost its grip, it came right back and bit his boot again.

As a tug-of-war between the two ensued, Lauren fought hard to keep her composure.

It was such a strange sight that she had to fold her lips to stop from laughing.

"Every phekking day." Riv managed to pull his boot from the animal's mouth before glancing her way. When he found her watching, he scowled some more.

Turning away, he began spreading more of the hay when Jake grabbed his trousers by the teeth and began pulling, almost making the large male lose his balance.

"Phek!"

That's it. She had to laugh. A chuckle escaped before she could cover her mouth.

Another of the animals joined in and then another and soon they were all piling on top of him, his curses being drowned out by the strange mewing sounds they were making.

They seemed to be biting at his clothes and licking him at the same time, almost as if they were playing, and his look of utter bewilderment only made her laugh more.

When his eyes locked with hers, Lauren pressed her lips together once more.

He was glaring at her as if daring her to laugh some more and that in itself made more laughter bubble within her.

As he cursed at them and pushed them off him gently, finally managing to free himself, Riv refused to look her way.

Lauren's gaze softened.

Despite his constant cursing and general standoffishness, he was kind to the animals. It was obvious he loved them.

That told her more about him than he realized but it also made her wonder why he seemed to dislike her so. He had a bad attitude, that was for sure, but there was softness underneath all that—except that soft, caring side was locked away. She only got his hard side.

Riv exited the enclosure finally, securing it behind him and his gaze fell in her direction. His gaze was pointed as he looked at her and the more he stared, the more he frowned.

"You," he finally said. "Are leaving. Right now."

* * *

By the time he pulled up at the exchange, there was resilience and determination in the female’s gaze and he had the distinct impression she’d been preparing herself for the trip just as he was, except maybe for different reasons.