Page 39 of Theirs to Crave
The vibration increased—I must have bumped the button—and I gave up. It was soothing, anyway. I would just charge it when I got up.
The bed shifted beneath me.Just a small quake, I thought muzzily. A hand ran soothingly down my back, and I blinked, suddenly awake.
“Ivresk,” Zafett whispered apologetically from behind Litha.
Litha, who I was cuddling like she was my own personal teddy bear. Litha, who waspurringas she held me.
I couldn’t move. This was more embarrassing than drooling on a stranger on the bus. I’d climbed all over her. And she just...let me.
Litha’s hand rubbed gentle circles on my back. It felt fantastic.Shefelt fantastic. Her body was strong and gently curved beneath the soft fur, and it felt so good to be held.
I wasstill in her lap.
I scrambled to get up. For a brief moment, her arm tightened. Then she held it wide, allowing me to crawl free.
She was leaning back to back with Zafett, I saw, feeling my embarrassment climb to new heights.Way to be an imposition.
Litha stretched, her body forming a sinuous arc, and the flush in my cheeks got hotter. And lower. Her fur was silky, long enough to show a bit of wave in places, and a lovely deep lilac. Thick stripes of a darker tone wrapped around her sides and covered her legs like knee socks.
As her chest rose, it caught the firelight, gleaming warmly. I caught a hint of pebbled nipple and tore my gaze away.
Feverishly, I tried to remember how to say, “I’m sorry.” Then I mentally slapped myself. “Ivresk, Litha,” I mumbled into my chest.
Her claw tip pressed lightly against my chin, tipping my head up until I met her eyes.
“Ix thirit.” She refused my apology with a soft shake of her head. “Zhai khezah.”
I tried not to read too much into it, which was hard to do when she held me hostage with her eyes. The Teterayuh were a physically affectionate people. I’d seen that. So, when she said I was welcome, that’s all she meant, right? Just normal platonic cuddling.
My racing heartbeat disagreed.
Everyone else was bedded down in the nest of pillows we’d shared the night before, and I creeped that way. “Uh, so, I should let you get to bed. Sorry, again. I’m just—I’m going to go to bed too. Good night, you guys. Thanks...for the cuddles?”
Litha and Zafett tilted their heads, not understanding a word of my babbling, but that was fine. I wasn’t making a whole lot of sense anyway. I waved, and with several concerned looks over their shoulders, they ducked into the bedroom.
I blew out a breath and made my way towards the nest, freezing when Mariano rolled to face me.
He looked me over closely, searching my eyes with a serious expression I couldn’t read, then rolled back over without a word. His stiff back shouted, “Don’t talk to me.”
Pendejo was lucky I was worn the fuck out. Weweregoing to talk—and soon.
But not tonight. I untied my sarong and crawled into the cushions between Cass and Ria, pulling it up over my shoulders.
“Have a nice snuggle?” Ria whispered.
Damn it, I could hear her grinning.
“Yes, thank you,” I responded primly. Then I poked her in the side. “What were you thinking, leaving me like that? You’re supposed to have my back!”
She snorted. “You looked comfy. And she wasn’t complaining.” Ria shrugged. “Besides, we need them to like us. I say, flirt away, honey. Bat those big, pretty eyes at them and let them cuddle you all they want. If they want in your pants, they’ll probably keep helping us.”
“Quiet, Machiavelli.” Cass’s voice was sleepy. “Plot later. Sleep now.”
Ria chuckled. Minutes later, only the sounds of breathing and the constant drip, drip, drip of the rain could be heard.
I lay there, staring at the flickering shadows dancing on the ceiling, for what felt like a very long time. Ria’s words had made my stomach knot and twist. Was that what everyone thought? That I was flirting on purpose, as some kind of survival technique?Wasthat what I was doing? I didn’t think so—hadn’t realized I was flirting at all—but maybe on some level? I didn’t want to be that person.
But what were the odds of me having real, genuine chemistry with every adult I’d met on this planet? I’d had a lifetime on Earth and I’d never had this immediate, visceral reaction to one person, let alone three. So...maybe? Subconsciously? Jesus, they were giant freaking aliens, and I hadn’t even blinked.