Page 63 of Coveted

“I’ve got to go tell Varner. I have Leir looking into find this Egard while he’s picking up more food, but even if he can’t, I think this approach may work.”

Standing, she waded through the water to where he’d been sitting, placing a hand on the edge of the tub.

“Vax, you still need to rest. And eat something.”

The look he gave her shot heat straight to her core, the sore muscles clenching as she watched him grab a fluffy towel from the counter. She’d been trying to ignore the fact that they were naked, but watching him rub the cloth down his stomach to his cock still jutting out toward her make her squirm.

“As much as I’d love toeat,” he paused, and Alana peeled her eyes away from what he was doing with the towel to meet his gaze, his look mischievous, “this can’t wait.”

Hitting the button on the controls to stop the jets and drain the tub, she climbed from the water, ignoring the way her core tingled. By the time she stood dripping on the floor Vax had histowel wrapped around his waist and was holding out another for her.

“I can go tell Varner. Or you can call him. You’ve been up all night.”

Sliding the towel behind her back, Vax pulled her against his chest, her bare breasts squished between them. Her breath stuttered as his hands roamed up and down her body under the pretense of drying her, the hunger on Vax’s face making her heart pound.

“I have no problem staying up all night for the right reasons. This one may not be as fun as what I’d like to be doing, but I’m fine. I promise to take a nap once I’ve had a chance to talk over your idea with Varner.”

Alana wanted to insist he put himself first, but she knew it wouldn’t do any good. The longer she delayed him by arguing, the longer it would be before he slept.

“Okay, but I want to come.”

Her instincts were telling her to take care of her alpha, and she didn’t want left twiddling her thumbs while he pushed himself to keep going. The least she could do was show her support by being there.

Vax grinned, waggling his brows.

“I know I made you come a few times already, but once more should be doable.”

Rolling her eyes, Alana let out a suffering sigh, realizing she was going to have to watch everything she said around Vax. He’d use anything he could.

“I would like to go with you. I don’t want left behind.”

Vax nodded without protest, easing some of her worry as he lifted her dress from the floor. She grabbed her bra, but her underwear were ruined.

Vax chuckled as she held them up, shaking her head before tossing the ruined fabric into the waste receptacle. He steppedcloser and pressed a kiss to her forehead before moving into his closet, the space rivaling the size of her own. She wasn’t surprised that only a small section of it was used, Vax nothing like the vain men she’d danced with at the ball that would have the room overflowing.

With Vax’s back turned Alana reversed into the bathroom and put her bra on before slipping her dress over her head. She squeezed as much water as she could out of the ends of her hair that had dangled in the water before twisting it back into a bun, and besides the strange sensation of being without underwear, she was ready to go.

Walking out into the bedroom, broken dishes and scattered food caught her attention, bringing heat to her cheeks and ears. The reminder of what had happened on that table sent flutters through her core, but she tried to ignore it. She moved to begin cleaning it up before Vax came out of the closet and stopped her.

“Leave it, I already called for Maeve to come clean it up.”

Alana bit her lip, wanting to argue, but Vax walked past her to the door, clearly ready to leave. She felt bad leaving the mess for the other woman, but she didn’t want to be left behind either. She’d decided it was her duty to be sure Vax took care of himself, and she knew he wouldn’t without someone there to remind him he couldn’t work non-stop.

Groaning under her breath, her feet turned to the door when Vax paused and cast a glance over his shoulder. Maeve was a beta, so Alana could only hope her sense of smell wasn’t strong enough to pick up the scent of what Alana and Vax had done. She’d tell the woman she’d dropped the tray when she tried to sit it down and apologize for the mess the next time she saw her.

“The food shipment has finally arrived, so Varner will be out on the landing field,” Vax said as she fell into step beside him.

Alana focused on the route they took out of the building, a sense of familiarity making her think it was the same route she’dwalked the night before. She was beginning to learn her way around, but it would take a few more days of exploration before she could confidently find her way on her own.

They stepped out into the midday sun, a gentle breeze shifting her skirt and making her wish she’d asked Vax to stop so she could grab another pair of panties from her room. There was something sensual about walking around bare beneath the dress, but it also made her anxiety flare at the thought of someone realizing there was nothing covering her.

Plus, Vax was right that she’d feel him leaking from her and smearing on her thighs.

Her hands curled into the fabric at the sides of her legs, holding it down in case there was a gust of wind as she hurried after Vax. He’d continued walking when she paused outside the door, and his long strides made it hard for her to catch up again.

Focused on his back, she missed the view of the gardens they walked through. The floral scent caught her attention and made her look around, but she didn’t have the chance to study the beds they passed. The quick glimpse she got made her breath catch in her throat, though. These were no wild, untamed flowers, but nor were they the sad, lonely specimens in the garden at her father’s house. There was a riot of colors, and she promised herself she’d give them proper attention when she had the chance.

The landing field was to the right of the building, the area large enough for even a massive freighter to land if necessary, though only a few ships sat in the space as they approached. Alana recognized Vax’s hopper, and there were a few gliders arranged near it, but it was clear the small hauler was where they were heading.

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