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“Of course, there are some restrictions around the job,” he added hastily. “For example, you cannot not have a sexual relationship with anyone else while we are masquerading as a married couple.”
“Of course not!” She gave him an indignant look, then tilted her head and studied his face. “I assume that applies to you as well?”
He almost laughed. The only person who’d aroused his interest in years was sitting next to him right now.
“Of course,” he said firmly, and she gave him a quick tentative smile as she returned to the vegetables.
“I feel as if I should apologize. It’s just… awkward.”
“I understand. However, you - we - will need to overcome that awkwardness if we are to pull off the illusion that we are married.”
“What do you mean?”
He reached over to smooth back a lock of hair that had come loose from her braid, and she jumped.
“That’s what I mean. You can’t flinch away from me.”
“Oh.”
She hesitated, then leaned into his hand as he stroked the silky strands. He hadn’t expected to find the small gesture so… pleasant, and he quickly let his hand drop.
“I do not want you to be alarmed if I touch you. Just so that you became accustomed to my touch,” he added, although he suspected that his motive wasn’t quite that innocent.
“I suppose that makes sense.”
“But of course I expect you to tell me if I do something you dislike. Are there any parts of your body that are particularly sensitive?”
He didn’t realize the implications of the question until she gave him a startled look. Startled, but also interested. He caught the hint of arousal in her scent as her nipples beaded beneath her shirt.
“Easily irritated, I mean,” he said quickly.
“I don’t think so.” That tempting blush reappeared, accompanied by another peek from under her lashes. “Married couples also… kiss.”
Was that an invitation? His codix evidently thought so, pushing eagerly against his slit, but he did his best to ignore it.
“That might be appropriate.”
His voice came out deeper than normal and he suddenly found his tail about her waist again. He was about to pull her closer when an indignant squeak came from the satchel as Raja tried to work his way free. She gave a breathless laugh and turned to her pet, leaving him uncertain if he was irritated or relieved. His codix certainly wasn’t happy, but he hadn’t accounted for the attraction between them in his plans.
“I’ll get the cooking tripod and show you how to set it up,” he said, rising to his feet as she settled Raja in her lap, nibbling on one of the vegetables.
“Thank you. Also I wasn’t sure about meat for the stew?”
He looked at the fading light and decided it was too late for hunting.
“We’ll just use dried meat tonight. I’ll fetch some of that as well.”
A short time later, the stew was bubbling gently in the pot he’d hung from the cooking tripod. The rich smell of the stew mingled with the scent of the damp moss near the stream and Lottie’s faint elusive sweetness. His tail flicked but he stopped it before it could wrap around her waist again and draw her closer.
Maybe I need to tie it down, he thought grimly as he reached over to take the ladle from her. As soon as their hands touched, her skin warm and silky beneath his, his tail threatened to escape his control again. She didn’t flinch this time, just looked down at his hand covering hers, an odd expression on her face.
“Your hands are so much larger than mine.”
“That’s because you’re a tiny little thing.”
His voice came out rougher than he expected, and she shot him a quick look before she smiled and shook her head.
“I’m considered fairly tall for a human female. You’re just very large. All over.”
