Page 34 of Tempted By the Alien Warrior

Her trust, her willingness to let me help her in this small way, sparks something deep inside my chest. It’s a feeling I don’t have a name for. One I don’t entirely understand, and I’m not sure I’m ready to face. But it’s there, persistent and confusing.

We sit in comfortable silence for a while, listening to the steady rhythm of the rain and the rumble of thunder. The storm shows no signs of stopping, and the jungle beyond the cave entrance is nothing but a wall of shadows.

“Better?” I ask, keeping my voice low.

Emily nods, her cheek brushing against my arm. “A little.”

I let her rest against me, trying my best to ignore the pain in my side.It’s fine.Just a graze. I’ll deal with it later.

But even as I have that thought, as each beat of my heart passes, the pain grows worse, turning into something that’s fiery and sharp.

And Emily’s eyes are sharper than I expected. She notices my wince, and she shifts, pulling back from me just enough to peer up into my face.

“You’re hurt, aren’t you?” She frowns at me.

“It’s nothing,” I say quickly, dismissing her concern.

Her storm-tossed eyes narrow. “Let me see.”

“It’s just a scratch—” I start, but she cuts me off.

“Let me see,” she snaps, her tone leaving no room for argument. Not that I’d win if I tried. Before I can stop her, Emily’s hands are already at my side, brushing mine away.

“Emily—”

“Vrok,” she says. Her gaze locks with mine. “If you think I’m going to sit here while you suffer, think again. Now, let me see.”

There’s unexpected steel in her voice. Not because she’s angry, but because she cares. And that flicker of protectiveness in her gaze does something to me. She’s small, but by the goddesses, she’s braver than half the warriors I’ve ever fought beside.

Reluctantly, I shift, wincing as I angle my torso toward her. The torn edge of my loincloth hangs just above the wound, but I tug the waistband down slightly to give her a clearer view. When she sees the wound, an ugly gash just above my hip where the arrow grazed me, her sharp inhale tells me what I already suspected. It’s worse than I pretended.

It’s not bleeding anymore, but her eyes widen all the same. She presses her lips together like she’s fighting back a string of curses. The tight, worried expression on her face makes my chest ache in a way that has nothing to do with the wound.

“It’s not as bad as it looks,” I lie, even though the pain is starting to throb more deeply now, pulsing with every beat of my heart.

Her brows draw together. “Lean back.”

“Emily, we don’t have time?—”

“Lean. Back.”

There’s that tone again, and against my better judgment, I sigh and obey. Not because I have to, but because some part of me wants to. Because she’s looking at me like I matter.

Her fingers are cool and confident as she inspects the wound, and her brow is furrowed in concentration.

“I don’t think it hit anything vital. Still, it was too close,” she murmurs quietly.

I let out a low breath. “Close doesn’t count unless it kills you.”

Emily snorts and shakes her head, but I notice a flicker of relief in her eyes.

She doesn’t say anything as she digs into one of the satchels before pulling out the small metal medic kit. She quickly finds the salixa gel and a roll of bandages.

Her fingers are gentle as she spreads the cool substance over the wound. It tingles, easing the burning pain, but it’s her touch I notice most. The way her hand lingers on my skin. The way she’s so careful, like she’s touching something fragile that might break.

And when she begins wrapping the bandage around my torso, her fingers glide over my skin with every pass, brushing beneath my ribs, along the ridges of my waist, and near the edge of my pelvis. Each time she makes contact, it sends a pulse of heat straight to my cock. I grit my fangs and try to stay still, but goddesses help me, it’s not easy.

Emily is focused on her task, completely unaware of the storm she’s stirring inside me, and that scares me.

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