Page 79 of Dancing for the Minotaur

Taurex nodded.

“We have indeed. I do not need to buy the meat for it–I already have some in my chilling unit.”

“Are you sure you’ve got everything?” Terra teased, wanting to lighten the tone. “There might be another alien vegetable somewhere you haven’t bought yet.”

“I could return for one if you wish,” Taurex said, smiling a little.

She laughed.

“No, I think you’ve got enough to feed an army.”

“I eat considerably more than you do,” he pointed out.

“Yes, I noticed every day at lunch,” Terra said dryly.

Taurex gave her an affronted look.

“I am a large male,” he snorted.

“Yes, very large.”

The words came out more suggestively than Terra intended. Their eyes met and for one charged second, she remembered exactly how large another part of him had felt beneath her in the VIP lounge.

Heat rushed into her face at the memory and Taurex’s nostrils flared.

Terra felt a rush of panic–oh, God. Could he smell her getting turned on?

Probably, whispered a little voice in her head. He’s got Monstrum senses, doesn’t he?

Terra cleared her throat, trying to salvage the situation she said,

“I mean…you know. You’re tall and just…really muscular."

“So I am,” Taurex rumbled, the corners of his mouth twitching with amusement. There was something in his voice that told her he knew exactly what she had been thinking.

Terra looked away quickly.

“So. Dinner,” she said, desperately trying to change the subject.

“Dinner,” he agreed. “Or as we Monstrum call it, ‘Last Meal.’”

Terra nodded.

“Right. So we’re having your famous stew for Last Meal.”

“My g’rnfred stew,” he reminded her.

“And the bread that grows in pods,” Terra said. “What was it again?”

“Fargas bread,” Taurex rumbled.

“Right.” She nodded far too enthusiastically. “I can’t wait–it all sounds so delicious! And of course, you’re going to eat a lot of it because you’re large and that’s normal–I mean, for a guy your size to…to…” She trailed off, realizing she was making it worse.

“Mm-hmm.”

Taurex was definitely trying not to smile as he agreed with her.

Terra pointed at him.