Page 14 of Sweet Giant

His expression took a serious turn. He looked deep in thought and absolutely adorable.

Wait…what?

Why couldn’t I stop admiring him?

I wished I didn’t find him so devastatingly handsome. So endearingly sweet.

He sighed and suddenly appeared so crestfallen, I felt the dip in his mood like a blow to my chest. Not because I thought he was about to explode in the way that Mountain always did when things didn’t go his way, but because I didn’t like seeing him sad. In a strange way, his sadness almost felt like my own.

“We should eat before it gets cold,” I said, forcing a smile in hopes of cheering him up.

“Very well.” He reached across the sheet for the plate I’d set out for him. “But know that if you change your mind about mating, Liv, I am willing to claim you. Please know that when I finally claim you, I intend to be gentle. I also intend to bring you to pleasure again and again.”

I reached for my lemonade and took several large gulps, needing to cool off. Maybe I ought to remove the thick sweater I was wearing. It was so warm and cozy that I hadn’t bothered to don a jacket when I’d left for town earlier in the day.

Wait. If I removed my sweater, would Mastorr take it as another sign that I wanted him to hop aboard? Sure, I had a long-sleeved shirt underneath my sweater, but it was on the snug side.

On second thought, the sweater would stay on. Better safe than sorry.

I didn’t respond to his comment about being gentle with me and bringing me to pleasure. Instead, I started loading up my plate with food, and he followed my lead.

The fish was delicious and seasoned with herbs he must’ve gathered in the forest when I wasn’t looking. I nearly moaned after taking the first bite, but luckily, I kept it PG, figuring I probably shouldn’t make sex-like noises in front of a beast who was eager to bone me.

“The food you prepared is delicious,” he said. “Thank you again for cooking for me, sweet one.” He aimed a grateful smile my way.

“You’re welcome. Thankyoufor making the fish. It’s amazing.” Honestly, this was the best meal I’d had in ages.

“I am glad you enjoy it, Liv.” He grinned again, this time revealing his white teeth, and I marveled at how clean and pleasant smelling he was—for a beast who lived off the land and roamed around buck naked.

Ugh. Why did I keep thinking about his state of undress? Unable to help myself, I cast a quick glance at his crotch. He’d balanced his plate on his thick, muscular thigh, and his cock was just sitting there, flaccid but still quite huge.

Before he could catch me ogling him for the umpteenth time, I focused on one of the numerous paintings that hung on the living room wall. Apparently, the general had a thing for flowers. Or maybe someone else had decorated the cabin for him.

Thoughts of General Remington gave me pause. How had Mountain tracked me to Newhalem? Had someone from the Conrad Street house tipped him off that I was staying in the area? If so, that meant the general had a traitor in his midst.

An idea hit me, and I glanced toward the window that overlooked the long driveway, even though darkness had fallen, and I couldn’t see anything outside. I’d passed several houses during the drive to Newhalem. At least one of those houses had to contain a working video comm. Of course! I could break into another cabin (after making sure it wasn’t occupied at present) and call the general. I knew his comm number—he’d given it to me and instructed me to call him after the new video comm was installed in his cabin.

Maybe after I spoke with the general, he would insist on moving me to a new safe house. I worried Mountain might return. It was terrifying that he knew where I lived, and that meant I couldn’t stay here for much longer. I needed to be safe. And smart.

I cast a sidelong glance at the huge beast who was seated next to me. First, I would escape Mastorr. Then I would find a cabin with a video comm and contact General Remington. One way or another, I was going to get off this mountain and find a new hiding spot, a place where Mountain would never think to look.

Having a plan should’ve made me feel better. But it didn’t. More specifically, the part where I intended to slip away from Mastorr left me reeling with sadness.

What the hell was happening?

I’d known Mastorr for a couple of hours. That was it. I shouldn’t be harboring so much warmth for him. I shouldn’t be tempted to scoot closer and allow my thigh to graze his. And I most definitely shouldn’t be thinking about pressing my lips to his…

Chapter11

MASTORR

I triedto help Liv clean up after dinner, but it was difficult for me to move around in the tiny cabin. I kept knocking things over and getting in her way as she tidied up and placed dirty dishes in a cleaning device. So, she asked me to sit against a wall and tell her more about Montikaans, as well as my tribe.

Eager to impress her, I shamelessly boasted about the prosperity of my people and how beautiful and fruitful our lands were. I also emphasized how the growing numbers of human females who were joining our tribe easily became accustomed to the Montikaan way of life. Next, I told her about how my tribe had first learned English several generations ago, when a hunter had befriended our tribe and taught us his tongue. But when I started to speak of the healing energies my people used to bless and cleanse our lands, she nearly dropped the plate she was rinsing off, then spun around and stared at me in shock.

“Healing energies? Could you be more specific? How does that work? You’re talking as though your people have magical powers of some kind, and surely that can’t be true.” She set the dish aside and leaned against the counter, her gaze still on me, and I was once again taken aback by her unusual green eyes. Every now and then, I could almost swear they were glowing. But just as quickly as I saw the glow, she would blink, and it would vanish.

“Most Montikaans possess healing energies that can manifest in different ways depending upon their individual talents. Most of us can touch the soil and cause nearby plants to grow larger and healthier. Most of us can also eliminate pollution from lakes, rivers, and streams. We can put out fires, too. Whenever the males of our tribe travel through our lands to fortify our border markers, we tend to the land and the waters as we go.” I drew in a deep breath and thought about the cut on her swollen lip. “Some Montikaans can also heal others by touch. I regret that I do not harbor this power, for I wish I could heal the injuries you received today. I hope you’re not in any pain, sweet one.”

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