Page 26 of Tail Me No Lies
“No…sugar,” she said, heading in the direction of the bakery. “Have you had a Corravian fritter?”
Nox grumbled out a reply that sounded like he would prefer blood but that was silly. Everyone preferred sugar. In short order, she had two bags of fritters and found a bench. Vroda Mig’s town square was a modest green space with a large pavilion that served as an open-air market during the day and a dance hall at night. Trees provided shade. A wilted flowering shrub was doing its best in the summer heat.
“This is a good spot to enjoy our perfectly reasonable adult lunches,” she said, settling on a bench in the shade and handing him a bag.
Nox sniffed the contents. He ate a piece. Immediately, his ears went back. “Too sweet.”
“Try another. I got a variety of sweet and savory.” She reached in and selected a ball at random. Lumpy, misshapen, and deep-fried to golden perfection, the fritters could have savory or sweet fillings. She took a bite. Sweet custard. Her favorite. “You know, we have something similar on Earth. Almost every cuisine has a fried dough ball. Usually, it’s rolled in sugar, like a zeppole or beignet.”
She popped the remaining portion into her mouth.
Nox leaned over and licked her mouth. His tongue dragged across her lips, demanding that she open to him. Ruth melted against him, yielding as he took what he wanted. The kiss—it didn’t feel like a kiss, more like plundering—started rough. His tongue had a rasping texture, rubbing against hers.
He growled, fang nipping at her lips, and she forgot everything. Her problems. Her own damn name. He pulled away slowly, leaving Ruth breathless.
“Hmm, sweet,” he said, then proceeded to get his fritters like he didn’t just lick her face and melt her panties.
Ruth cleared her throat. “After this, we can go to the general store.”
“Yes. Your security system is in sore need of an upgrade.”
“I was thinking clothes, unless you enjoy dressing like a retired professor.” The security system upgrade had been the original purpose of their trip into town, but it made sense to complete as many errands as possible.
Nox ran a hand down the front of his tunic. Salmon pink and lightweight, it should have screamed retiree on a tropical holiday, but it suited him. Ruth suspected that he’d look good in anything.
Or nothing.He looked especially good in nothing.
“This is adequate,” he said. “Perhaps a few underthings.”
They finished their meal and walked through the square to Serene’s general store.
Cool air washed over Ruth as they entered, and she felt Serene’s eyes on her immediately. Nox grabbed a basket and took off toward the electronics. Ruth headed over to a waving Serene.
“Is that the male?” Serene rested her elbows on the counter. “Your mail-order mate?”
“That’s him. Distinction,” Ruth said. To keep things simple and since Nox was technically on the lam, they agreed to keep up the facade that he was Distinction, her mail-order husband. It felt wrong lying to Serene, but she didn’t want to blow Nox’s cover.
Currently Nox had his back to them, crouched on the floor to dig through a box on the bottom shelf.
She smiled at the sight of him, and it was complete, one hundred percent genuine sap. No acting involved. Nox made her swoon in the tavern and kissed her senseless. It was a toss-up which affected her more. Kiss? Amazing. Standing up to bullies? Technically, that was his job, but that didn’t explain why her heart felt two sizes too large for her chest. And the knife stabbed into the table? The look on those jerks’ faces?
Swoon.
Serene noticed, because of course, she did.
“Oh, he has a nice tail,” Serene said in a near whisper. “Have you—” She made a clicking noise twice while her tail danced behind her.
“No.” Ruth responded louder than intended. Her voice rang throughout the shop. She took a breath to steady herself and said in a calm tone, “No. We’re not rushing into anything.”
“You are mated. You should enjoy all the benefits.”
But they weren’t married. Just pretending. Even when he was being all swoon-inducing, it didn’t mean anything. He needed a place to hide. She needed a bodyguard.
Ruth shook her head. “We’re going slow. I need to know a person before I jump into bed with them.”
Serene sighed dramatically. “My brothers have scared off all my suitors. It is profoundly dull. I need something juicy. Just a morsel.”
“I don’t kiss and tell.”
