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After a moment of contemplation, he grumbled, “If I show you the rest of the garden, will you promise to return to your room and behave?”
Her eyes grew big and delight lit her features. “Yes. I promise!”
He sighed, supposing his men didn’t need him back right away. What would be the harm in humoring her for a couple of minutes? Perhaps this would be a good opportunity to learn more about her. He sighed. “One turn around the garden.” After all, she would be here for the rest of her life. Maybe he’d find the right time to inform her of that on this little jaunt.
When she once again ambushed him with that gut-punching smile, he thought he might be in serious trouble with this one. Sparking her joy spurred a whoosh of pleasure that he couldn’t explain.
And he wasn’t sure he liked it.
Buoyantly, she threaded her arm through his, as if she were a lady and he were a gentleman—as if he could ever be considered a gentleman.
Why did it feel like he’d just been played?
* * *
Jessie was thrilled and honestly a little surprised that Orik had agreed to escort her around the garden. When he had first come upon her, she thought those strange men had caught up with her. Her level of relief to find it was Orik instead had been astounding, like a cooling balm to her terror. And she realized how quickly she had come to trust him…with her life, anyway.
He might be gruff and cagey, but she felt he meant her no harm—in a spidey sense kind of way. Right now, his aura was a benign mix of plum-colored swirls with hints of his irritation still at the edges.
Now that her pounding heart had extricated itself from her esophagus, she’d decided it would be a good idea to, as he’d put it, ingratiate herself to him. Although that talent wasn’t exactly in her wheelhouse. She wasn’t the best at schmoozing. Too blunt, too candid, too direct for some people.
Though she wasn’t as bad as her father had been, saying whatever came into his head, never heeding the feelings of others, but he was a man. They tended to be more forthright and were celebrated for it. Less so for women. So over the last several years she’d been trying to teach herself the art of being tactful. Yet, something told her Orik might appreciate her frankness. But she’d still need be careful. Every culture had taboos. She didn’t want to cross a line.
There was a secondary line she needed to be cautious of.
She’d always had a gift for sensing when someone was attracted to her, and Orik was giving off intensely interested vibes, whether he knew it or not. His eyes grew dilated whenever he looked at her, and he visually raked her body whenever he thought she wouldn’t notice. Too bad he turned into a giant lizard on occasion, otherwise he was exactly the type of guy she would have gone for—jaw cut from granite and dotted with stubble, big rippling shoulders, sexy bulging muscles. Even his severe, disciplined demeanor was insanely attractive to her.
She’d grown up around muscle-heads. Her father’s Army buddies had been a specific brand of man. Dutybound. Protective. Carved from granite. But most were teddy bears underneath all the austerity. You just had to scratch the surface.
The idea of softening this great goliath toward her would have been a welcome challenge…back on Earth.
However, whereas the boys back home were easily enthralled—a little cleavage and a smile was all she’d needed—encouraging Orik’s attraction could be akin to playing with fire. Quite literally.
He glared down at their entwined arms but didn’t pull away. She was just grateful he was giving her the opportunity to soak up a little nature. Being on that ship so long had made her feel weak and depressed. After only a short time outside, she was already feeling more invigorated.
For a while they merely meandered along the path. Finally, she broke the silence. “So, tell me about your planet.”
He sighed as though it were a great concession, and said with a grunt, “What do you want to know?”
“Everything. Anything. Is this planet bigger than Earth?”
His brows drew together. “Do I look like an astronomer?”
Grumpy man. “No, but I know Jupiter is eleven times the diameter of Earth.”
“Jupiter is a planet in Earth’s solar system, I assume.”
“Yes.”
“Then could you tell me how big Earth is in comparison to a planetoutsideyour solar system?”
“Touché. Well then, what’s it like when both of your moons are full at night?”
He squinted at the sky. “Bright.”
She actually laughed, though she knew his succinct answer was not intended to be funny. He tensed at the sound and craned his head down at her with an expression that was almost self-conscious. His reaction made her wonder if he was accustomed to making others laugh. She smiled, hoping to reassure him.
His brow creased and he trained his eyes back on the path, but some of his tension did dissipate.
