Page 29 of Stolen By Her Alien Mate

“It’s barely a scrape.” He chuffs. “And that tire iron was barely harder than the elderwood staffs we used to train with as boys.”

I dig around in the box of bandaids and ointments and find a pack of wound closure strips. “This should be better than nothing. But no more fighting, so you don’t break this open again.”

“I can make no such promise.”

“And why not?”

“Because I will always protect you.”

He gives me another one of those soul-searing looks that make me feel like I’m tumbling backwards into a memory I can’t grasp.

When I clear my throat and look away, he asks, “That man–what is he to you?”

“Nothing but annoying. And kind of a creep. He comes into the diner sometimes. And his son goes to the daycare where I work a few afternoons a week. He’s been trying to get me to go out with him. Or just sleep with him. I don’t know.”

“You would do that with him?”

“No. First of all, he is married. So that’s a hard pass. Secondly, there’s nothing about him that I find attractive.”

“He already has a mate, yet he seeks to find another?” He sounds outraged. “To steal another man’s be’lashuk?”

“I don’t think we have those in this country. But yeah, he wants a side-piece, I guess is what you could call it. Not sure why he latched onto me. Probably thought I was low hanging fruit.”

“I do not understand that phrase,” he says.

“It doesn’t matter.”

“I am bothered by the fact that that man was here waiting for you at your residence.”

“Why?”

“It is my duty to protect you.”

Gah, why is that so hot? Obviously because he’s hot. But also because no one has ever protected me before. It’s always been just me against the world. Joey Kincaid, party of one.

We’re silent for several minutes while I clean off his wounds and bandage the larger ones.

“You are good at this, my Joey. Are you a healer?”

“No. Nothing I’m doing right now requires any special skills.”

“Not true. You are taking very good care of my inconsequential cuts.”

That makes me laugh. “Way to make a girl feel useful.”

He smiles at me and the effect is devastating.

My entire body lights up like a damn Christmas lawn ornament. I lick my lips and force myself to focus on cleaning up the first aid supplies.

“You said you do not find that man attractive,” he says. “I know you are drawn to me as I am drawn to you. You feel it too, don’t you, Minka?”

Gah, something about that word–Minka–about the way he growls it in that low, rumble of his, kills me.

My entire body comes alive as if he’s hit me with a live wire. Nipples hard, panties soaked, I squeeze my thighs together, nearly whimpering at the slightest pressure. I’m leaning towards him like a damn magnet.

What is it about this man?

His other hand comes up, clearly intent on cupping my other cheek, but something catches my eye in the periphery. I take his hand, palm up and gasp when I see his wrist.