Page 4 of His Human Librarian
“Because I am a professional who has restored textual antiquities all over the four sectors. I will carefully do the same for you.” I tell him. “Remember I was chosen by the antiquities council from a large group of applicants.”
“Yes.” He rolls his eyes. “The council.”
I blink, shocked that someone would reference the venerated council in such a way. “I do not need to be Hyrrokin to complete this job.”
He takes a step closer. “I am angered that a human was chosen to run this project.”
I look up to meet his dark gaze. “I can tell.”
I’m not as scared of him as I was at the beginning. Sten Sandstone looks hellish, but I’ve quickly learned that he smells good. And his deep voice is almost soothing. This male is a whole head taller than me. The top of my own head reaches his wide shoulders. And I have to admit that I can’t keep my eyes off his bare, red-muscled chest. My gaze keeps straying lower and it’s difficult to keep my eyes on his face.
What is wrong with me? I’ve never acted this distracted towards another client on any other mission. The silver buckle on his heavy black belt is almost hypnotizing. My eyes keepwanting to stray to his crotch. This is terrible. He’s mated with a family.
Stop it, Taylor. Stop it.
I force my eyes to remain on his face because anything else is just…yucky. I must remain professional and treat this male and his family with respect, no matter the random thoughts of attraction that might enter my mind.
This is going to be the most difficult mission of my career—getting past both fear for this species in general and my attraction for the being who is my local contact. Ugh. Why did my first lead position have to be the most challenging?
Black smoke billows from his nostrils and his massive, red, muscular chest puffs with irritation. The barbed tail flicks in the air behind him. “And I wanted a friend in this position. A male I can trust.”
My eyes narrow and now I’m the one who is irritated. “A male? You don’t like me because I’m a woman?”
“This is not the reason. You are not qualified because you weren’t born and raised on this planet.”
“You don’t like me because I’m not Hyrrokin and I’m a woman?”
“Yes. No. I don’t personally dislike you, but you are not qualified for such an important position.”
I crook an eyebrow and cross my arms. Then I wince because the bandage on my arm rubs against my pretty blouse.
Chapter 2
Sten
This human Librarian is driving me crazy.
Why did this council send such a delicate being? I would be happier working on this project with only Hyrrokin.
My life has recently turned upside down. A landslide exposed the opening of a cave on my property wherein I discovered containers of crumbling print books and tablets that had been kept there since before modern times. It’s a complete mystery which ancient tribes left these and why—therefore I want them analyzed. I messaged Erid to show him pics, and that was when he referred this to the Intergalactic Antiquities Council, without asking me first. Now I’m busy running a successful ranch with the addition of these off-planet Librarians chasing me down.
And this one in particular is the worst.
Her beautiful blue eyes flash at me from behind odd glasses perched on her delicate nose. I plucked them off the ground after she fell on the transporter platform and handed them back to her. The thick flow of strange follicles that shine past her shoulders doesn’t bother me as much as they do on other humans. Hers look almost...attractive.
She’s crossed her arms, which lifts her enticing breasts. Is she doing this on purpose? And she’s limping, trying to elicit sympathy.
I don't like her attitude at all.
This human doesn't seem to understand what I mean when I say only a Hyrrokin should be working this position. She thinks I don’t want her here because she’s a female, which is preposterous. Although she does indeed appear much too young to be given such a serious position.
My childhood friend, Hugsen, an archeologist who specializes in the wildlands of Tarvos, should oversee this mission. He's not part of this crazy antiquities council but he’s highly qualified. I want Hugsen Blackstone to be in charge, because it's our ancestry. It's my family's ancestry and the ancestry of this area.
I hate the fact that this mysterious council is all up my ass. I’m funding this mission and some off-world agency swoops down and takes over everything. I'm still mad about it. I'm the one who found this cave. I've kept it sealed off and haven’t told anyone the exact location, to ward off the possibility of treasure hunters.
I frown and lift her luggage, accepting the fact that Taylor Dumas is here and can’t be sent back until her work is complete. Then I glance down at her bandages and a new thought enters my mind. If I get her wounds fixed fast, maybe Icanget her out of here.
“Follow me.” I stride past her down the hall, not even monitoring if she is able to keep up.