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“I’m quite capable of walking.”
How many miles had he covered on Vizal’s war-torn surface? This would be a much more pleasant excursion. She opened her mouth again, but before she could say anything, Dora handed her the baby.
“Here. Hold Angel while I mount.”
The younger female swung herself into the saddle with commendable ease, and immediately reached for the infant. Ida handed her up, then gave him an uncertain look. He smiled and lifted her onto the horse, relishing the soft lushness of her waist beneath his hands. He lifted Tommy up behind her, made sure their blankets were secure, and untied the horse’s reins.
Kalpar would no doubt be amused at the procession, but he was filled with an unexpected contentment at the thought of bringing his female to his home.Not my female, he reminded himself, but he still smiled as they set off.
CHAPTER 5
Ida put one hand firmly over Tommy’s arms where they were wrapped around her waist and grabbed the edge of the saddle with the other. She had ridden as a teenager but that had been a long time ago. She didn’t remember the ground looking quite so far away, but she tried to relax into the gait of the horse.
The paper thin silver blanket Temel had given her was surprisingly effective, and warmth started to creep back into her chilled body. It had been a long night crammed into the crevice in the rock, but she’d finally managed to fall asleep once the thunder stopped and the winds died down. Just before dawn she’d woken to find icy water lapping into the cave. She’d hurried everyone out and up onto the rocks, getting drenched in the process, then watched in horror as the water continued to rise.
“But the storm is over,” Dora protested. “Why is it getting higher now?”
“My guess is that all the water the storm dumped in the mountains is making its way down here now. It might have melted some more snow as well.”
Twice they had to climb higher—and then Tommy had slipped as he reached over to pick up a shiny rock. She’d gone after him just as he grabbed onto the log, but the water threatened to sweep her away as well.Thank God Temel turned up when he did, she thought, looking at the big blue-skinned male leading the horse. As if he sensed her looking, he glanced back over his shoulder and smiled at her.
Unexpected butterflies fluttered in her stomach as she returned the smile. His features were not human, but they were undeniably handsome with a strong, angular bone structure, eyes that flickered from navy to silver, and a wide, sensual mouth. She was not a small woman, but she’d felt like one when he picked her up so easily and cradled her against that impressively muscled chest. Her stomach fluttered again just as Dora looked over her shoulder and glared at her.
“What’s wrong with you?” her daughter whispered in a low, furious voice.
“Nothing’s wrong with me.” Other than an increasing throbbing in her leg.
“After all the lectures you’ve given me, we’re all going off with a strange man—I mean, alien?”
Her own anger started to flare.
“Do you have a better suggestion? And in case you’ve forgotten, he saved Tommy’s life.” Her voice quivered. “I can’t think of a better recommendation than that.”
Dora looked momentarily abashed, then stuck out her chin.
“Maybe, but what about the others? Who knows how many of them are living in this house of his?”
“Four,” Temel said calmly in his deep voice. When Dora’s head swiveled around to face him, he shrugged. “I have excellent hearing.”
“I…”
Dora started to mumble something, but he ignored her.
“In addition to myself, my comrades Borgaz, Kalpar, and Naffon live in the main house. Although Borgaz has been spending most of his time with his mate Mary.”
“Mary Caldwell?” she asked. “I heard she only just moved back.”
“She has not been on her farm for long,” he agreed. “But Borgaz has been helping her restore it and…” He shrugged again. “He didn’t need long to know she was his mate, although he had some… concerns.”
“Typical male,” Dora muttered, and Ida poked her in the ribs before smiling at Temel.
“I’m happy for both of them. Perhaps I’ll get a chance to see her before we head back to town.”
This time Dora was the one to poke her and she sighed.
“If we have time,” she added.
“Perhaps I can contact Borgaz for you.”
