Page 68 of An Alien for Her Heart
It feels like a dream. As if everything is finally as it should be.
It all feels…perfect.
At my age, I should know better than to believe in perfection. Life has a way of correcting us about such naive notions, of reminding us that every moment of joy is fleeting, destined to be chased by the inevitable shadows.
I look up the moment something blocks the light of the rising sun. Varek does too, just as two white furry ears appear over the entrance of the well.
“The Saffion,” Varek growls.
My heart thuds and I ease up a bit, ignoring Varek’s pout of disapproval at the loss of my heat against him. “Xarion?”
The New Horizon’s representative leans over the well, his red eyes displaying shock at seeing us there. His expression would have otherwise made me laugh if I wasn’t stuck in a hole.
“What in the gods of Hudo…” Xarion’s wide eyes look down at us. “What sort of human-Kari mating ritual isthis?”
This time I do choke on a laugh. “Xarion, can you get us out? We’re…kind of…we’re kind of stuck here.”
Xarion tilts his head, and even with his rabbit-like features I can see his clear mortification.
“Stuck,” he repeats flatly, his long ears twitching. “In a well. Together.” His gaze darts between Varek and me, taking in our rumpled clothing and the intimate way we’re still tangled around each other.
A knowing glint enters his red eyes, and I feel my cheeks heat under his scrutiny. Beside me, Varek doesn’t help the situation as he wraps his arms around my middle, pulling me against him once more.
“Yes, stuck,” I confirm, trying to keep my voice level. The heat of Varek’s scales against me seems even hotter now without the cool water around us. I hadn’t realized he emitted so much heat. But then again, I’ve never been pressed against him like this for extended periods. “It’s a long story, but we could really use some help getting out of here. Please.”
Xarion blinks, then shakes his head as if to clear it. “Right. Of course. Hold on a moment.”
He disappears from view, and I hear him calling out to someone else. The responding voice sounds like a female and it takes me a moment to recognize that it’s the new human settler, Donna’s voice.
“Oh no,” I groan. It’s bad enough for Xarion to see me like this. But Donna is going to also witness my less-than-graceful appearance from this hole.
Sensing my distress, Varek growls, the sound rumbling between us. “You do not trust this male, sura?”
I shake my head, turning my gaze back to him. The way his gaze travels over my face as if he’s taking every moment to catalog my features makes a warm thrill go through me. “It’s not that. Don’t worry about it. I can’t be modest in this predicament.”
Varek is silent, but I can see the thoughtful look that goes through his eyes as he watches me. Reads me.
A few tense moments pass before Xarion reappears, a coil of sturdy-looking rope looped over one shoulder. He tosses one end down to us, bracing himself in the dirt.
“Grab on,” he instructs. “I’ll pull you up one at a time.”
Varek looks like he wants to argue. “Tie it to the base of the water shaft, Saffion. I will not risk you making my mate fall.”
Xarion’s ears straighten. “Your mate?”
My cheeks heat at the same moment that Donna pops her head over the hole, her brown eyes widening comically as she takes in the scene below. A delighted grin spreads across her face, and I just know she’s never going to let me live this down.
Before I can realize what she’s doing, she’s humming a tune that becomes immediately clear once the words ring from her lips. It’sHoochie Coochie Manby Muddy Waters. Her voice is rich, as if she’s grown up singing the blues, and right now, it only highlights the mischief in her eyes as she waggles her eyebrows at us.
“Well, well, well,” she drawls, her voice practically dripping with mirth. “When I heard Xarion shouting about needing rope to get something from the well, I never imagined it would be you two lovebirds!”
My blush deepens at her teasing tone, and Varek’s growl of annoyance kicks up a notch. Donna, however, seems entirely unperturbed by his display of aggression, her grin only widening.
“Looks like you guys have been getting up to some fun down there,” she continues, grinning unashamedly. “Guess that explains why you weren’t answering your comm all night. You’ve been busy…exploring each other’s depths, hmm?”
“Donna!” I splutter, torn between embarrassment and reluctant amusement at her audacity. I’ve only known her for what, a whole day, and it already feels like one of my old girlfriends from Earth.
She grins wider, looking like the Cheshire Cat before Xarion clears his throat.