Page 19 of Gentle Giant

“Oh,” was all I could think of in response. My mind reeled.

He grasped my hand and guided me back to the cavern.

BRUTUS

To my great dismay,Hailey had refused to allow me to bathe her. She would not even permit me to be in the alcove as she cleaned herself. I stood outside the alcove that contained the small, private hot spring, as I waited for her to finish.

My cock thickened as I imagined what her mating hole, herpussy, might look like. Would it be similar to a female Montikaan’s in appearance? Would the hair covering it look like the hair on her head?

A growl built in my throat. I longed to join her in the hot spring. Longed to soap up her body and caress her naked flesh. Longed to reach between her thighs and stroke the slickness that I frequently detected.

I pondered the sweet pungency of her arousal and my mouth watered. Perhaps after we’d enjoyed our first mating session and she was more comfortable in my presence, she would permit me to lick her pussy and taste her slickness. Great Spirit, I couldn’t wait.

Footsteps sounded behind me, and I turned as she exited the bathing alcove. Her face was flushed, and her damp hair clung to her face and shoulders. My breath caught at the sight of her form-fitting clothing. A garment called a dress if I remembered correctly. It didn’t cover her shoulders at all, and it also stopped above her knees. I was thankful I’d found such a tiny garment in the cabin I’d raided.

She looked me straight in the eye. “We’re in the middle of the Cascades,” she said, “and this dress is extremely impractical. I would like pants and a shirt that covers my arms. Please, if it’s not too much trouble.”

My gaze roved up and down her body, and I appreciated the flare of her hips. Nice, wide hips that I could grasp as I mounted her from behind. “But you are beautiful in this clothing,” I said, and I sucked in a rapid breath as I noticed the crease where her breasts were pushed together inside the top portion of the dress.

“Hey, buddy, my eyes are up here.” She pointed at her face and frowned at me.

“I know where your eyes are, sweet human, but I enjoy gazing at your breasts. I am curious about what they look like without clothing.” I reached for her damp hair and rubbed a lock between my fingers. “You do not have to wear clothing all the time. I don’t wear clothing, and the members of my tribe don’t wear clothing. You will not be out of place if you walk around naked.”

“Unless you want me turning into an ice cube, Brutus, you’ll keep providing me with clothing. Not only that, but you’ll find me something warmer. I saw the haul of clothing in yourrooms. I can’t believe I let you pick this out when I wasn’t paying attention. Typical man. Always thinking with your… um.” Her cheeks turned pink, and I waited for her to complete her sentence, though she never did.

“Thinking with my…what?” I finally asked.

“Nothing,” she said quickly, and strode past me.

I started to catch up with her, intending to grab her hand, but when I beheld the way the dress hugged her buttocks, I liked the view too much, so I continued following her back to my rooms. I was pleased that she was learning her way around the caverns and knew how to return to my home.

Our home.

Warmth spread through me at the realization.

The five rooms I occupied used to feel large, empty, and far too quiet. Desolate. But since Hailey’s arrival, the suffocating loneliness had lifted. I felt lighter. Happier. And filled with purpose.

Hailey was my purpose. Taking care of her. Cherishing her.

It was also my purpose, my duty, to set an example for my tribe, as well as to give my people hope. It was especially important to give them hope in the aftermath of our most recent tragedy. Twenty-one females gone…

I thought of my youngest brother, Gorran. I hadn’t seen him since the day we’d buried our dead, the female named Sashona he’d been courting among them. Though he’d departed the mountainside without saying a word to anyone, I suspected he wanted to be alone in his grief. As I imagined the pain I would feel if something similar happened to Hailey, I said a silent prayer for the healing of his heart.

I was so lost in my thoughts that I would’ve missed the entrance to my rooms if Hailey hadn’t been leading the way. I followed her inside and immediately gathered her close, needing to hold her. Needing to feel the essence of her soul. I stroked herhair and nuzzled my nose against hers, and to my great delight, she returned the gesture and rubbed her nose to mine a few times, her hands coming to rest at my waist.

“Is everything okay?” she asked, peering up at me. “You look… sad.”

“All is well.” I hesitated to tell her about the tragedy that had cut the lives of twenty-five of my people short. But I also didn’t wish to lie to my sweet female, so I said, “I was just thinking about the members of my tribe who are no longer with us.”

She gave me a compassionate look. “I’m sorry, Brutus. Have you lost a lot of people you cared about? Your parents? Grandparents? Friends?”

I nodded solemnly. “My parents and grandparents have been gone for years. As for friends, yes, I have lost many friends over the years.”

She paled. “How-how did they die, if you don’t mind me asking? Sickness? An accident? Old age?”

I swallowed hard. What would she think if I told her about the metallic air vessel that had crashed, as well as the human males? Would she fear me if she found out I’d ordered the males to be burned alive? I was quiet for a long moment, then finally said, “Accidents and old age, mainly. Come.” I guided her toward the room that held most of the clothing, eager to change the subject. “Let us find you something else to wear.”

Chapter 13

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