Page 49 of Space Daddy and a Boy Called Twink

“While I’m looking for her, I don’t want you by yourself. I think it’ll be safe if you go to work, but I would prefer you come back here when you’re finished. I don’t like the thought of you being out there while she’s lurking around.”

His cheeks pinkened. “I like when you get protective like this, Daddy.” He scooted across the sofa and put his hands on my biceps, surely not realizing how inferior these muscles were compared to the ones of my real form. “And I’m not gonna fight you on it,” he added, “because I’d rather keep my head on for as long as I possibly can…which is always.”

I trailed my finger under his chin, tugging it up so his lips were inches from mine. Leaning close, I took a kiss, which he accepted with ease, igniting that chemistry that had the power to settle some of the nerves that had been worked up since he’d revealed this news. Our kiss reactivated the connection that was steadily intensifying between us, pulling at all those primal impulses to guard my mate.

When I finally pulled away, I tried to reassure him. “I told you what happens when Furkers bond with someone. Sheila can have you over my dead body.” I felt his visceral relief atmy words, but at the same time, I knew in my heart that her intention might be to do just that.

18

TWINK

That evening, Daddyand I headed to my apartment and packed my things. On our way back to theKaylog, he kept close to me, as though he was my personal bodyguard, ensuring that I made it those short few blocks away safely. Considering I could still go to work, this seemed like an overreaction, but maybe that was only because I couldn’t fully process the danger I would be in if Sheila got her hands on me. Well, maybe not hands…maybe claws or talons…whatever Vorcons had.

When we arrived at the ship, Daddy had me reorient the room I’d made to include a bedroom, where we could spend nights together. While adding an en suite, I couldn’t help thinking that if Daddy and I wound up dating and moving in together, I could save so much on rent. Of course, that wasn’t something I should’ve even entertained. He had already explained he had to return home—something I tried not to think about too much because it made me nauseous. We hadn’t known each other that long, and it was silly for me to get so worked up for him when we’d really only gone on one official date and then messed around for a couple of weeks, but…I wanted to know him so much more.

That night, unlike most when we couldn’t keep our hands off each other, Daddy was distant when we got into bed. I tried to give him his space, watched some TikToks on my phone, noticing maybe half a foot between us, which felt like a hell of a lot more.

He messed with his arm cuff for a while, then stopped, staring into space. Understandably, he had a lot going through his head. Having to protect me. Having to find his ex. Although, he didn’t look stressed. He looked sad.

I closed my app. “Wanna talk about it?”

His gaze met mine, and I realized he hadn’t really looked at me since our conversation earlier.

Don’t be weird, Charlie.

“Just…a lot of things working their way through my head right now,” he said.

“About Sheila?”

He nodded. “I was thinking about the early days, after other Furkers and I arrived on her planet, when we met for the first time.”

“How did you meet?”

“It was peak mating time for her species, and I discovered that the females hunted males. During the day, the males would find our hiding places, though we did our best to cover our tracks to prevent detection. I was discovered first by another female, who dragged me out, which is when a battle between them ensued.”

“Between that female Vorcon and Sheila?”

“Not right away. There must’ve been seventeen females, at least. They were all battling it out for me, and then I saw her, coming over a hill. She was radiant, this bright light shining around her—in retrospect, a trick of light, one of the planet’s moons highlighting her impressive head, which was narrow in the front and very large in the back.”

This was very different from the ways I was used to hearing about people meeting their partners, but it obviously evoked a lot of emotion for Daddy, so as strange as it sounded, I reminded myself that, at the end of the day, it really didn’t mean any less than the way I’d met Carter.

“She was one of the most beautiful creatures I’d ever seen. A vision.”

I’d only seen a disguised version of her on the security footage, so I couldn’t really speak to her looks, but the way he described her, it didn’t exactly fit my idea of beautifulora vision. Although, that could have been my jealousy at hearing him describe her like that, which I noticed pinched in my chest.

“Many of the other Vorcon females fled, and only five stayed to battle Sheila. She took them on so effortlessly. When she was done, even covered in blood and innards, she was still stunning.”

This meet-cute was, admittedly, getting less and less relatable as he went on.

He shook his head as though shaking himself out of his reverie. “After that, she took me out with her to begin our courtship. Dinners, stargazing when we would go out on hunts at night. And she had this ability to make her friends and me laugh…oh, how we all laughed.”

This sounded more like something I could understand, and as his gaze drifted off, I couldn’t help but be jealous of anyone who was able to bring him this much joy, but it also twisted at something within me.

“Things were lovely at the start?” I asked.

He nodded.

“Sounds very familiar.”