Page 24 of The Arabis Triad

“What about Ashir?”

Ashir retrieved his leathers from the ground and casually stepped into them, lacing them at his trim waist. She noted that tattoos covered his entire body, from his groin to his buttocks and down to swirl around his calves. He was a glorious, walking artwork. It was a pity half of it was covered by his pants.

“I’m going to wait,” Ashir said. “I like smelling of my mate.”

She gasped as he leaned and gave her a quick kiss on her mouth. “I’ll go tell Paxt that you’re looking after Evelyn,” he said to Coltan. “Bring her into the kitchen after her shower and I’ll prepare her something to eat.”

He sauntered out of the room, as though thinking nothing of leaving her with Coltan after what they’d shared.

She glanced up unsure at Coltan, ultra-aware of the evidence of Ashir’s excitement on her stomach. “Ahh. You can put me down. I can walk.”

He kissed her forehead. “Nonsense. It is my pleasure to have you alone in my arms.”

His fringe flopped over his left eye and before she knew she’d even done it, she threaded it backwards using her fingers as a comb. She snatched her hand back.

A slow, sexy smile appeared on his mouth. “Never fear you might offend me, Evelyn. I will accept anything you give me, no matter how small or how big an action it is.”

She worked up a lot of courage to say the next words. “But Coltan. I’ve just been with your brother.”

He cheeks flared with heat. The word ‘slut’ ricocheted around in her head. The evidence was pretty hard to hide.

“I know,” he said. “I saw you and I thank you for bringing Ashir such pleasure. It was beautiful to watch you care for him like that.”

Her mouth hung open. “You saw?”

“I came to see how you fared, and to ask Ashir if I could lie with you. It was my turn, you see. I saw you both reach your peak and I can only hope that you will honor me like that as well. But for now, you need to be cleaned and then you need to be fed, otherwise I’ll be remiss in caring for you properly.”

Even though all three of them had made love, she still grappled with their complete lack of jealousy. Either she really was lost in her own mind and was living out a fantasy while her body was still filthy and caged in a cold, dark room, or…orwhat?

If she was living a fantasy, wasn’t it best to be here, rather than lodged in a reality in which she suffered?

And if this was a fantasy, her brain could certainly throw up a good one. She should have written romance novels, rather than sticking to journalism.

Coltan walked her into the bathroom leading off the bedroom. Paxt’s room, she remembered. The bathroom in here was smaller than the one Paxt had cleansed her in by the med-bay, but to her eye, it was just as technologically advanced.

He set her onto her feet and, keeping one arm hooked about her waist, pressed the hand-screen set on the wall. Water fell from the ceiling, steam curling tantalizingly toward her.

She couldn’t help but step beneath the flow, letting the water stream down her body. The florally scent that Paxt had used before tickled her nose as large hands massaged her shoulders, the gel creating sudsy white bubbles on her skin.

“Relax, Evelyn,” Coltan said from behind her. “—and let me work the kinks out of your muscles.”

She thought she’d already had the ‘kinks worked out of her muscles,’ but Coltan’s fingers were dexterous, kneading out knots she didn’t know she had. A mental groan rolled through her.

“How are you so good at this?” she asked.

“It’s a hidden talent. When I went to school and learned how to read and write, I also took a course in massaging the muscles of tired mates.”

Despite herself, she smiled. “You’re fibbing.”

His hands dripped down her back, massaging out lower knots. “Of course. I have never had my hands on my mate before. Now I find I have a new skill in which to please you and that makes me happy.”

The water continued to fall, the sound echoing around the small chamber. She gathered up courage. “Coltan…”

“Yes, Evelyn?”

She held a tight breath. “I’m not sure about this mate thing you keep calling me.”

“Of course you aren’t.”

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