Page 18 of Caldar
He enjoyed speaking with Sonia. He particularly enjoyed the way color flushed on her cheeks when she shared one of her many concerns. He needed to tell her this. Right now. He said, “You care deeply for the welfare of others. Your words are often sharp, but I admire the way you wield your weapon of choice.”
There was a moment of silence. Had he miscalculated and gone too far?
“That’s almost sweet,” she said. “You must have lost a lot of blood.”
“That is true.” Perhaps he said more than he should.
The pod rumbled.
“What’s that?” Sonia’s head snapped up, clipping his chin. She yelped in surprise.
The rumbling increased until Caldar felt the vibrations in his bones.
“The ship is breaking apart,” he said.
The computer gave a three second warning before departure. The pod lurched. His head and horns slammed into the ceiling. His horns weren’t particularly sensitive, but it hurt when they knocked into a solid surface.
Sonia yelped as the jerking motion pushed her into him.
“I have you. Hold tight.” He wrapped his arms around her. “A few more knocks on the head will not affect me. You will be bruised.”
“You don’t make a great cushion. You’re all muscle.”
“I am very good at lifting heavy objects, they tell me.”
The pod lurched again. Her form pressed into his. The summery scent of her wrapped around him. He could not stop the instinctive groan. His traitorous body reveled in their proximity, but he could not give in. Now was not the time.
“I hurt you,” she said.
“No. I am not hurt.” He shifted so she would not feel how very far from hurt she made him feel.
This would be a long journey.
CHAPTER6
SONIA
“What’s that?”Sonia shifted, and something hard jabbed her thigh.
“A multitool.”
“You have a multitool in your pocket?” Oh, the temptation to add,Or are you just happy to see me?
Not now, Sonia scolded herself. This was not the time or the place to flirt, and she wasn’t even interested in flirting with the alien, anyway. Even if he had been a badass on the ship.
She was such a liar. Caldar was a badass, and that made her body want all sorts of things. She was adult enough to admit it. He was also fine, in that dangerous daddy way. Apparently, that was her type now.
And she was stuck in a cramped pod, all cozy with a fine, badass alien warrior whose multitool kept jabbing her.
“I carry several useful items on my person. A warrior is prepared,” he said, his tone implying that he quoted a well-known adage.
She shifted again. This time, he hissed in pain. “Sorry! Sorry. I keep hurting you.”
“I am not—”
“Don’t you dare lie to me,” she snapped. She wished she could see his face. The way they were positioned, her head rested on his chest. When she lifted her head, she bumped into the pod’s lid.
He was silent for a moment. “It only hurts when pressure is applied.”
