Page 52 of Warrior's Captive
“If you want me,” he said with a slow smile. He held out a hand. “We’ll do something new and interesting for lunch too.”
“Everything is new and interesting, Tai’ri.”
He stilled, staring at her, an indecipherable emotion flashing across his face. Tai’ri lifted her hand to his mouth, and pressed a kiss in her palm. Her internal thoughts stuttered just from that small touch.
She cleared her throat, and tugged out of his grasp. “Ididbuy some things, though.” To distract herself from the intensity of his regard, she turned and picked up a stuffed animal.
“You know you can buy whatever you want. But why do you look so guilty?”
Vivian set the toy on a shelf, fussing with its placement. She heard the soft scuff of his feet, felt the warmth of him at her back. Close, so close. “I bought craft supplies. I’ll update the spreadsheet.” The one she’d started to keep track of his shameless spending on her.
Tai’ri laughed, a deep, rich sound, his hands settling on her shoulders, thumbs at the back of her neck. He pressed deep, massaging the stiff muscles. “Of course you bought more craft supplies when we have a baby coming. You don’t need to pay me back.”
Vivian bit back a moan, but then he pressed deeper and the sound slipped out. He paused for a long moment, then resumed.
“It’s not a matter of need,” she said, “but of what’s right.”
He turned her to face him and narrowed his eyes. “I won’t negotiate with you on this.”
She glared at him, then relented. “Then consider it an investment, not a loan. You’ll get a return on yourinvestmentonce I’m financially independent again.”
“You’re carrying my investment. And if you’re going to consider art supplies an investment,and you want to be financially independent, then you should start a business with them.” His gaze was warm, but implacable.
Vivian rolled her eyes. He was too silly. A business. “You’re going to hang wallpaper? That’s so vintage.”
“The walls can change color according to your specifications, but I thought something tactile would be nice.”
She looked around at the toys and stuffed animals placed cheerfully around the room, then laughed. “There isplentyof tactile here, Tai’ri.”
He looked pleased. “You like it then? It’s a start. Even if you keep the baby in the room with you while she or he is little, their own room is still useful.”
She abandoned thoughts of organizing her craft supplies today and began directing the arrangement of all the furniture he’d bought. He moved furniture, a warm presence at her shoulder, obeying her instructions.
When it was time for a break, she snuggled into one of the rocking chairs and he brought her a cupcake, and even let her eat a second before dinner.
It wasn’t her home on Earth. But it was becoming home on Yedahn. It wasn’t until later that she admitted to herself she’d avoided the talk they needed to have about their feelings, and the future.
19
His family homewas nestled into one of the low mountains surrounding the city. As they approached in Tai’ri’s double flier, her stomach somersaulted. The house was built into the side of the mountain itself.
It dangled.
“Are you certain of the structural integrity of your home?” she asked. “It appears unstable.”
“Six generations,” he said. “No one has fallen off a terrace yet—not on accident. I had a great uncle who . . . never mind.” He eyed her pale face. “So, there will be lots of chocolate. I asked my mother, who knows someone who knows someone.”
She clung to the conversational thread grimly. “But you know the province princess. Your connections trump theirs.”
He shrugged.
The flier landed in a circle on the flat roof. They exited, Vivian carefully not looking towards the ledge but beyond, at the view.
The incredible view.
“This kind of view would go for a premium on my homeworld,” she breathed.
“My family does well,” he acknowledged.
