Page 44 of Tempted By the Alien Warrior

When you’ve been raised that way, emotions can be overwhelming. Scary.

I reach for his hand again and lace our fingers together. “Maybe strength means something different than what you were taught. Maybe it’s not about pretending you don’t feel emotions, but about facing the ones you do.”

His thumb brushes against mine, slow and tentative, like maybe he’s finally starting to get what I’m saying. And somehow, that quiet little movement says more than anything else he could’ve said.

After a moment, he straightens and glances toward the cave’s entrance where the sunlight is already beginning to fade as dusk begins to fall. “We’ll need to move soon,” he says quietly. “The Pugj and Tussoll won’t stay away forever.”

I nod, even though part of me wants to stay wrapped in this quiet, fragile moment just a little longer. “You’re right,” I murmur. “We can’t stay here.”

“Emily?”

“Yes?”

“I need to say something.” His voice is low and rough. He hesitates like he’s wrestling the words into shape. “I haven’ttreated your people fairly. When you and the other humans first arrived…” He trails off, then exhales slowly.

“I agreed with everything my father said. I judged you without ever trying to understand you, and I made sure everyone knew it.”

I blink, caught off guard by the honesty in his voice. “And now?”

He meets my gaze, steady and unflinching. “Now I know I was wrong. You’re not weak. You’re brave. And you…” His voice drops to a whisper. “You’ve changed how I see everything.”

The sincerity in his words lands hard in my chest, and I feel my throat tightening. “Thank you,” I whisper.

But he shakes his head. “No. Thankyou. For dealing with my arrogance. For showing me what I was too blind to see.”

It’s too much. His words, the warmth in his eyes, are just too much for me. I swallow hard and look away, blinking fast.

I could fall for him. Heaven help me, I could fall for him so hard and fast it would make my head spin.

But I can’t. He’s already said it himself, he can’t go back to the village. I broke him out of the Laediriian version of jail, which sealed his fate. Even though I know he’s not a traitor, I’m not sure the chief will see it that way. He’ll probably live the rest of his life as an outcast. And I can’t do that.

That’s not even touching the reason I’m out here in the jungle in the first place.

Lily. Her name pulses through me like a heartbeat. My cousin, and the entire reason behind this newfound bravery that has pulled me out of the safety of the village walls.

I didn’t trek across this planet, face down dinosaurs, sasquatches and their friends, just to lose myself in a stoic warrior with a sad story. I came to find Lily. Ihaveto find her.

No matter how good this feels. No matter how much I wish it could lead to more.

14

Vrok

We leavethe cave early the next morning, while the sky is still soft with the first light of dawn. The jungle feels different early in the day. It’s hushed, like it’s still waking up. Liseks flit between branches, and the wind carries the sweet scent of marca blossoms that must be blooming somewhere nearby and damp moss.

Most of the mud has dried from the warmth of the day before, but slick patches still dot the trail. I guide us over the firmest ground, taking care not to let Emily stumble. Not that she needs my help anymore.

Emily walks beside me, not behind. Not like she did before. There’s something new in the way she carries herself. Her shoulders are pulled back in a straight line and her chin is lifted. She moves with purpose, not fear, and her eyes no longer dart around with fear at every little rustle. Instead, they linger on the way sunlight hits a cluster of pink blossoms or the iridescent wings of a large insectoid as it flutters across the path in front of us.

She’s changed so much from the timid female who first stepped into our village. Back then, she seemed hollowed out by grief and bracing for the next blow. She barely spoke, and when she did, her voice was thin with sorrow. That version of her hid behind silence and tears. Now, she walks like she has something worth fighting for.

And then there’s this morning, and the memories that burn hot under my skin.

Before my eyes even opened, I felt her. The soft weight of Emily’s body was curled against me, with her head pillowed on my chest. Her sweet scent filled my nostrils, burning itself into my lungs, and sending a burning arrow of desire through my veins. The warm puff of her breath against my skin was almost maddening as my cock hardened beneath my loincloth.

It took everything in me to stay still, and not to pull her even closer. Not to bury my face in her hair like a male starved.

During the night, she must have moved closer, seeking my comfort and warmth. I tried to convince myself it meant nothing, but I couldn’t lie to myself. It might not have meant anything to her, but it meant everything to me.

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