Page 49 of Rescued By the Alien Bull Rider

Because, as much as it made me seethe to admit it, I just wanted her to be well, to be cared for, to have what she needed for her daughter. Whether that was here, in my world, in my house, or not.

I had saturated her skin with the salve. There was no reason for me to keep standing there, slowly adding more. And yet, I lingered. I could not seem to stop. If this was all I would get, these touches where I was more doctor than husband, then I would cling to them.

But I could sense that Jolene was finished with her hands and ready to stand. I had to find a way to keep her there. Just for a moment longer.

I’d have to do what I’d never been good at, had never bothered to practise.

Making conversation.

Empire help me.

“So,” I said, sounding oddly stiff to my own ears. “Is Baby Girl a traditional name where you are from?”

“Excuse me?”

“Baby Girl. It’s getting translated to baby and girl, the words for infant and female child. I wondered if that was perhaps a family name.”

“No, Zohro. It’s not a family name.” There was a lightness, a mirth returning to her tone.

“It is a very practical name, which I can appreciate,” I told her. “She will be an infant girl and that is what you’ve named her. Although, I suppose it will not be so applicable once she is no longer a baby…”

Jolene’s shoulders jumped beneath my hands. Her strange, loud, bold human laugh filled the room. I knew, if I were standing in front of her, that I’d be seeing all of her teeth right now. And the wet muscle of her tongue.

“It’s not her name. Not her official name,” Jolene said, chuckling. “It’s just something I call her out of affection.”

Out of affection?

What would be the equivalent, I wondered, if I were to do the same for Jolene?

If the child was Baby Girl, I supposed that meant the correct human term of affection for someone like Jolene would be Adult Female.

It rather lacked poetry, in my not so humble opinion.

“I haven’t chosen her real name yet,” Jolene continued. “I think I’ll wait until after she’s born. Oh, hold on. Something’s coming through on my comms tablet.”

She pulled the small tablet from the pocket of the jamdildos pants I’d made her.

“Holy, that’s a big data transfer,” she said, peering at the screen. “Look at all these files!Surgical Innovations in Human Labour and Delivery… Advances in Pharmacological Treatments of Pre-Eclampsia… The Complete Guide to Caring for Your Newborn Baby: Human Edition…Hey! I’ve already got that one! Why the hell is Tasha sending me all this?”

“It’s not for you. It’s for me. My data tab does not have a functioning screen, and I will require the use of yours so that I can translate and read these texts.”

“You…” She craned to look at me from over her shoulder. “You requested all these files?”

“Of course,” I scoffed. “I may have been the most talented surgeon in Zabria before I even reached adulthood, but I have not studied human medicine. While my surgical skills will no doubt transfer over, I must learn the particulars of your anatomy.”

For some reason, when I mentioned learning the particulars of Jolene’s anatomy, her cheeks flushed dark pink. It really was a marvel – and completely terrifying – how thin human hide was. To be able to see the rush of blood beneath the surface was as intoxicating as it was alarming. One little cut, and she would bleed and bleed.

“It’s still so crazy to me that you were a doctor that young. I’m just picturing a toddler going to town on somebody with a scalpel right now.”

“What the blazes is a toddler?”

“A really little kid. The phase after infancy when they’re learning to walk and they’re kind of just toddling around.”

“I never toddled,” I proclaimed. “What a ridiculous notion.”

“Ah. I see. So not only were you an expert surgeon before puberty, you were also born knowing how to walk already.”

“Of course not. I-”

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