And what a face it was. What a wonder, once I saw all the features put together in their perfect human harmony. Shiloh’s eyes were large and unspeakably lovely. Like Tasha’s, they were white around the edges and brown in the middle. But the brown was darker, deeper. Nearing black, but just a little warmer.
I likely would have burned another round of eggs lost in distracted thoughts about her eyes if my data tab had not begun to vibrate on the counter nearby.
I grasped my spatula in my left hand, nudging at the eggs while simultaneously snatching my data tab up with my tail, answering the call and holding the device up near my head.
“Is she there?” said Xennet by way of greeting. “What’s she like?”
She’s perfect.
I cleared my throat. “Yes, she’s here. You’ll see her when you get here. Have you dug yourselves out yet?”
A recent dumping of snow was the only reason Dorn, Xennet, and Warden Hallum hadn’t been here to greet Shiloh when she’d arrived. Warden Hallum was busy helping them clear areas on their properties with the plough attachment on his slicer. After that was done, he’d start clearing the road so that Xennet and Dorn could come here on their shuldu.
And then, I supposed she’d have to choose one of us.
“Nearly,” Xennet said. “Might be a few days yet.”
A few days. I’d have her all to myself for at least that long.
I was rather smug about this. Satisfied in a deep and primally possessive sort of way. It also made me feel somewhat petty and selfish, to be so inwardly thrilled about not needing to share her. But I didn’t care enough, didn’t feel guilty enough, to examine or try to push back on my reaction.
“Make sure you tell her good things about me!” Xennet was saying. “For I do not think Tasha put my caption into the calendar as I’d requested. Tell Shiloh about me being a chair. Tell her I can be a bed!”
“She doesn’t need you to be her bed,” I growled at the data tab. I flipped an egg a little too aggressively, breaking the yolk. “Because she spent the night in mine.”
My own words sent heat bolting down my spine. My cock jerked against the front of my trousers.
“Well, what the blazes was she doing there?” Xennet asked after a beat.
“Sleeping.” I flipped the remaining eggs. “She had a migraine.”
“She had your grains? Well, what in the great span of the empire was she doing with your grains in bed?”
“Not my grains,” I corrected. “A migraine. It is a human condition.”
“What sort of condition?” he demanded. There was a great racket, as if he’d just jumped to his feet and had stomped to a door. “You’d better not let her die before we get there!”
“If she were that ill,” I snapped, “you and Dorn getting the chance to meet her would be the least of my concerns!”
“I did not mean it that way,” Xennet replied. “Only that, if something were very wrong, perhaps we might find a way to help!”
I breathed out, knowing that he was right. Xennet was often a foolish male. But he was not malicious. After Warden Tenn’s injury, he’d been the first to offer himself up as a blood donor if it would make a difference. He’d been willing to open his veins to help a man he barely knew – and a warden at that. Not even a fellow convict.
I had no doubt he’d go further – much further – to provide help to any female who required it of him.
But this one didn’t.
“She’s doing better this morning,” I told him. “You don’t need to help. I’m taking care of her.”
“But I am very good at helping! Tell her that! Since she has not gotten a chance to witness my helpfulness for herself yet!”
“Fine, Xennet. I will,” I muttered, intending to do no such thing. Xennet was already the best-looking of the three of us. As far as I was concerned, he didn’t need any extra avantages. He could demonstrate his so-called helpfulness in person when he got here.
Hopefully, by then, I’d have had the chance to show Shiloh some of my own good qualities as well.
8
SHILOH
