Relief flooded through him, followed quickly by a fresh wave of desire. Already his body was responding to her proximity, wanting more, wanting everything.
“We have time,” she murmured, clearly feeling his response. “Sarah won’t mind.”
“Are you sure? You must be tired?—”
“I’m a new mother. I’ve been tired for three months straight.” She pushed herself up on one elbow, looking down at him with a wicked smile. “This is a different kind of tired. A good kind.”
He reached for her, and she came willingly.
The second time was slower, more exploratory. He learned the sounds she made when he touched her in certain ways—the sharp inhale when his tail traced up her inner thigh, the throaty moan when he kissed the sensitive spot behind her ear. She learned him too, finding the places where his ridges gave way to softer skin, where a light touch could make him shudder with pleasure.
Afterward, she lay sprawled across him, her breathing slowly returning to normal.
“I should probably check on Robbie,” she said, but made no move to leave.
“Sarah will let you know if he needs you.” His arms tightened around her. “Stay. Just for a little longer.”
She relaxed against him, and he felt the moment when her body went boneless, surrendering to exhaustion and satisfaction.
“I never thought this would happen,” she murmured. “Any of it. Being taken. Being held. Being… rescued by someone like you.”
“Someone like me?”
“Honorable. Kind. Devoted.” She pressed a kiss to his chest, over his heart. “Sexy as hell.”
He felt his skin flush with warmth. “I didn’t rescue you. We rescued each other.”
“Mmm. That’s a nice way to put it.” She was quiet for a moment. “What happens now? After we get off the planet?”
“I’m not sure,” he admitted. “Go to the Patrol and then find somewhere to start fresh.”
“And the evidence? Exposing Naran?”
“That will take time. Building a case, finding allies, gathering proof.” He stroked her hair, marveling at its softness. “But we’ll do it. Together.”
“Together.” She smiled against his skin. “I like the sound of that.”
They lay in comfortable silence for a while, listening to the distant sounds of the abandoned city—wind through empty streets, the occasional creak of settling stone. It was peaceful in a way that felt almost surreal after the chaos of the past weeks.
“Becsul?”
“Yes?”
“When we’re safe…” She hesitated. “Would you want to try? For a baby, I mean. Our baby.”
His heart skipped a beat, then started racing.
“But the experiments?—”
“That was different. That was them using me, treating me like a breeding animal.” Her voice was fierce. “But if we chose it together because we wanted to create a family…”
“Yes.” The word came out rough, almost desperate. “Yes, Melissa. I want that. I want everything with you.”
She lifted her head, and he saw tears glittering in her dark eyes—not sadness, but joy.
“Good,” she whispered. “Because I want it too.”
He kissed her then, pouring everything he couldn’t say into the press of his lips against hers. All the years of loneliness. All the grief for his lost people. All the desperate hope that maybe, somehow, there was a future worth fighting for.
