Page 88 of The Alien Warrior's Heart

His fingers tightenedaround Si-Moon’s. He could not take his eyes off the beautiful female smiling at his side. After all he had done, after all the bloodshed and the chaos, did he really deserve this happiness?

Neh.

Zar did not.

But knowing this would only make him hold on tighter.

Si-Moon’s nose scrunched. “Ah, babe, are you trying to break my hand?”

“My apologies.” Zar glanced down at where their fingers were joined and softened his hold. “What does that word mean?”

“What word?” Si-Moon asked, glancing at Korben who was on his comms updating the others to what had happened.

His lips struggled to form the sound that he’d heard. “Beb.”

“Oh.” Si-Moon’s eyes softened.

When she made that expression, Zar found himself drawn to lick at her heat.

Si-Moon had requested that he mate her lying down. Zar had no particular preferences. As long as he could taste and plunge into her heat, as long as she made those little moans that guided him to the right spot and the right pace, as long as those blunt nails were raking down his back in pain and pleasure, Zar was satisfied.

But Si-Moon had expectations and he would not break them by throwing her against a tree and wrenching her tunic to her waist just because he could not control himself.

Zar was beginning to understand that his mate’s coquettish expressions were not intentional. Si-Moon had no idea that the way she looked at him invited his desire.

He swallowed hard, struggling to keep his hands away from her thighs. “Yes, beb.”

“It’s baaabe.” Si-Moon stretched out the tone as if he would understand simply by her efforts alone. “And it’s like a pet name.”

Zar’s lips twitched with amusement. “I am your pet?”

“No. I mean…” Si-Moon’s eyes darkened as she glanced over him. “You would make a really bad pet.”

“Really?”

“You can’t listen to instructions.”

“Neh.”

She stopped and faced him. “Tell me the truth. You’re about three seconds from carting me over your shoulder and taking me in the bush, aren’t you?” She pointed left. “Right against one of those trees where Korben can’t see.”

“Does the mate connection allow you to read minds?”

“Is mating all you think about?”

This time, Zar smiled. “You are a lot more vocal now that I can understand you.”

“And you don’t communicate exclusively in grunts.” Si-Moon looked up at him with that soft expression again. “Although I liked it both ways.”

Zar sighed and pulled his female close to his chest. Her body was so soft against his. So small. So fragile.

And yet, she was the stronger of the two because she had wrestled with his anger and came out the victor, vanquishing every opponent in his heras.

“My Si-Moon,” Zar whispered.

Just then, Korben returned to the clearing.

Si-Moon glanced at the terros. “What did Sara and the rest of the girls say?”

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