“I am sorry. I forgot…” He turned to the side, avoiding looking at Leilani. “I just wished to tell you that I sent two males away. They left more gifts.”
“Here to see me?” Leilani asked before Con could respond.
Cyn turned back to face them and Con went rigid, his back straight. He didn’t make a move to put on any clothes but males didn’t seem to care about nudity in general.
Cyn nodded. “Yes. I let them know you were taken.”
“Good. Now…you must leave.” Con still hadn’t lost his military-rigid stance.
She wasn’t sure why he was being weird. It couldn’t be because of her state of dress. Her shifts covered less than the sheet she had tucked under her arms. “Wait, I was going to make dessert in an hour. I wanted to thank you for cooking for us again. Will you join us?” She hadn’t spent much time with Con’s brother and wanted to get to know Con’s family more.
After a brief look at Con, Cyn nodded then shut the door behind him. When Con turned to her, he had that annoying neutral expression in place.
“What’s wrong? And why did you tell your brother to leave?”
He crawled back onto the bed, moving toward her as if he would consume her. “I don’t like him seeing you like this.”
She let the sheet drop and pushed up onto her knees. “Well, if I was like this I would have understood. Have you told others here that we’re…together?” She wasn’t exactly sure what their relationship title was but she wanted to make sure he’d made it clear she was his. He sure said it enough in the bedroom. But the bedroom and in public were different.
He nodded once, watching her carefully, as if worried about her reaction. “I asked two captains to spread the word that you are…mine.” The last word sounded possessive.
Something primal stirred in her chest. To say she liked the sound of that would be an understatement. He usually said it while he was inside her. “Good.”
“This pleases you?” His big hands settled on her hips as he moved in close.
“Yes. I’d like to know…” She trailed off, trying to find the right words. “So, do I mean something to you?” It seemed pretty obvious since he’d told the others she was his, but she wanted it spelled out even as she inwardly cursed herself for asking him. If she couldn’t make herself vulnerable with the male she was sleeping with then she had a problem.
“You do.” He seemed as if he wanted to say more as he watched her but didn’t. Instead he leaned in to kiss her, but she placed a hand on his chest.
She always wanted to kiss him it seemed, but soon she’d be baking for him and his brother and there was so much more she wanted to know about this male. Whenever they were in his room there was little talking going on. Not that she had complaints. “Tell me more about your family.” Maybe she shouldn’t have just blurted it out, but after the weird conversation with his brother the other day, she wanted to hear about Con’s life from him.
He seemed taken off guard and she didn’t blame him because of the abruptness of her question, but he stretched out on the bed, pulling her with him so that she splayed out over his chest. She loved the feel of being skin to skin with him.
“What do you want to know?” he murmured.
“Everything.” She traced little circles over his chest. His heartbeat beneath her fingers was slightly elevated.
“My fathers were part of Lumineta’s special forces, just as their fathers before them. They did more space travel than Cyn and I do, but we’ve been here for generations.”
“Were either of your fathers leader of this region?”
He trailed a finger down her spine, his touch gentle. “Yes. So was one of my grandfathers.”
“So is it a family thing, to be chosen as leader?”
“No. It is just the way it worked out.”
She looked up at him, propping her chin on her crossed hands. “I feel like there’s more to it.”
He paused and she was under the impression he wasn’t sure if he should say what was on his mind. Finally he spoke. “It was a dream of mine when I was a boy to be leader. I saw the difference a strong leader could make, saw it with both my grandfather and father, compared to another mountain clan, and I wanted to be just like my father. Both my fathers, actually.”
She was touched he’d shared that with her. “Do you like what you do?”
“It can be stressful, but yes. I love it here.” The pride in his voice was evident.
She’d seen enough of his day to day interactions with his men to know his people respected him. “Well you must be doing something right. Everything here seems to run incredibly smoothly. Even my supervisor has mentioned on more than one occasion how efficient you guys are up here.”
“What about you? Tell me more about your family.”
It didn’t hurt as bad as it used to but the ache in her chest always came back when she thought of the horror of her dying planet. Even worse than the savage way people had changed, had been all the natural disasters. “My parents died when things first started going insane on my planet. I’m from a small group of islands and we got hit badly with tsunamis. They were killed in the first wave.”
His grip around her tightened as he cupped her cheek with his free hand. “You don’t have to talk about it.”
“It’s okay. It’s been a long time.” So long she now thought in terms of solar cycles instead of years. She leaned into his hold, enjoying his comfort and the feel of the calluses on his palm. “I want to share it with you anyway… Not long after they died, our world went insane. I was young when everything started so I went to live with an aunt and uncle until…” She laid her head down on his chest and stared out at the snow falling carelessly past the window. His arms tightened around her, a silent comfort. Just being with him was a comfort in general. His presence was so soothing, as if she’d come home. Which felt like a ridiculous thought, but she couldn’t shake it.
“Anyway, I lost everyone. My older sister was away at school in another part of the world. I can’t say for certain she died too, but it seems too much to think she survived. When we were rescued it was terrifying because we thought your people would be as bad as our males. It was like the end of our world made everyone change, become savage.”
“We are considered savage or barbaric by some,” he murmured.
“Not in the same way and despite your law, I think there are some misperceptions about your clan.”
He just grinned, letting her know she was right. “You know, being here is the first time I’ve seen snow up close and personal.”
He shifted slightly so she had to look up. “Are you serious?”
She nodded, half-smiling. “Yep. I’ve seen it on vid screens but it never snowed where I lived and I’ve never been this far north on Lumineta until now.”
“Later this week I’m going to take you out in the snow. There are plenty of fun things to do in it.”
She shook her head. “No way. I’m not taking off my clothes and letting my lady parts freeze so you can get your rocks off.”
His mouth split into a wide grin. It was the first time she’d ever seen such unguarded pleasure from him. “Not that kind of fun. We have hover boards. You can glide down hills at rapid speeds. It’s like you’re flying.”
“I’ve seen that on screen before.” It looked incredibly fun. “You’re sure you can take time away?”
“For you, yes.” His eyes darkened as they flicked to her mouth, the hunger there undeniable.
Just like that she melted a little more for this male. Without trying Con had shoved past all her defenses. She hadn’t been looking for anything serious but the longer she was around him, the more she wondered if they might have a future past this moon cycle. He hadn’t indicated he wanted more, though, and she was too chicken to ask. Not yet anyway.
Instead she leaned forward and kissed him. Dessert might be a little delayed after all.
Chapter 9
“So, what do you think?” Leilani resisted the urge
to fidget as she looked for any giveaway expressions on her supervisor’s face.
Marlena was impossible to read. It was a Luminet thing, they were so good at hiding their emotions when they wanted to. Almost six feet tall with bobbed jet black hair a shade darker than her skin, Marlena’s green eyes were piercing over the holo-call. Her image was projected in front of Leilani as if they were in the same room. “I think you need to tell me where you got those boots.”
“I’ll tell you if you give me a hint what you’re thinking. Come on! Am I off-base with this idea?” She’d analyzed the architectural layout of the entire compound and realized there were so many places to add new additions, both residential and commercial. In some cases they could combine both. If Con and his tribunal changed the law, they had more than enough space for females to open businesses and live here. So Leilani had designed a mockup of potential uses for the spaces, showcasing what various sectors would look like with shops. In the 3D hologram, it looked amazing to her, but she needed her supervisor’s approval to move forward with a proposal.
“No. Definitely not off-base. This is potentially a huge project. I’m impressed, but we can only do it if they change that stupid freaking law. How are you doing, anyway?”
Leilani felt her cheeks warm up but shrugged. “Good.”
Marlena didn’t miss anything though. Her gaze narrowed a fraction. “Just good? For a captive you seem to be enjoying yourself.”
“Everyone here’s pretty nice and this could bring in a lot of potential work for us.” That answer would have to do.
“True. I’ve never considered expanding our business with Con’s people because the travel to and from would be a hassle if our females constantly had to be chaperoned by their mates. Not to mention single females can’t even travel freely. If you can convince them to change things, this could be lucrative for everyone.”
“I’m trying.” And she would try harder.
“I’m getting ahead of myself but if this happens, we could potentially open a branch on site, which means you could live there if you want.”
“I…” Well, that was interesting. Con hadn’t mentioned anything about a future with her after the moon cycle was over. To be fair, neither had she. If they didn’t change the law she likely wouldn’t come back, not when she could be held for another moon cycle. “That is something to think about.”
Marlena’s gaze narrowed again. “Are you getting mated?”
“No.” Though she had been thinking about it more and more. Con filled something inside her she hadn’t realized had been missing. He made her feel safe and treasured and she adored everything about him. She might still be falling for him, but the male had gotten a hold on her heart. She felt…at home whenever she was with him. After being displaced from her own planet, she’d wondered if she would ever feel truly at home anywhere. The more time she spent with Con, the more she realized that it wasn’t really about a structure making her feel secure.
She snorted. “I’ll see if you still say that in the next few weeks.”
Leilani just smiled, not willing to tell her any more. “I’m going to visit a few of these places in person to see how they match up to the design.”
“Sounds good. I’ll put in a call to Cyn, see if I can feel him out for what Con is thinking about this law business.”
Leilani hadn’t known Marlena was friendly with Cyn, but didn’t comment. After they chatted about a few more business details, Leilani got back to work on her designs. The potential for growth was here, now she just had to convince the stubborn males in this sector it would be worth it to change their traditions.
When she realized how many hours had passed and that it was nearing the time for the evening meal, she shut her programs down and went in search of Con. They hadn’t talked about his schedule this morning before he’d left, but she figured he’d be back soon, since he’d been coming in at the same time with regularity.
Instead of him, she found Cyn in the kitchen pulling food out of the cooler. She hoped he would cook again. For someone who had only recently started cooking again, the male was talented. “If you ever decide you get tired of being a warrior, I think you could get a new job as a chef.”
Shaking his head, he laughed. “Do human females like their warriors to cook?”
She plucked a long-stemmed glass from one of the cabinets before pulling out a bottle of red villana. “I think all females like it.”
“Hmm.” He didn’t say more as he continued moving around the kitchen with efficiency. She sat at the island and was going to ask him what he was making when he spoke again. “I hear you have been busy today.”
Maybe Marlena had already called him. “From who?”
“Your supervisor. She’s very happy with you. And she wants me to convince Con to make some changes. I said I would try but I think you will have more luck than me convincing him.”
She didn’t think so, but didn’t comment directly. Instead she got up and started pulling down plates. She could at least set the table while he cooked. “What are your thoughts on the potential changes?” He was single after all. Unlike the mated males, he might have a different opinion.
“It is time for a change.” He didn’t pause before answering.
She was glad he was on board. Maybe it would help Con decide what he wanted to do. But she was tired of talking about or thinking about work so she changed the subject and kept him company while he cooked. When he was finished with some kind of casserole that smelled like heaven, Con still hadn’t returned.
“Should we wait for your brother?” She probably could have called Con, but she didn’t want to bother him when he had seemingly hundreds of things to deal with during the day.
Cyn shook his head as he joined her at the island. “No, the food will keep. He wouldn’t want you to wait to eat anyway.”
She felt a little bad, but Cyn knew his brother better than her—and she was hungry. As they ate they talked about life here and some of the things Cyn was in charge of. It almost felt as if he was ‘selling’ the place to her. A soft sell, but a sales pitch nonetheless. She could have told him she didn’t need to be convinced this mountain region was great, as she’d found she enjoyed it. Of course Con had a lot to do with that.
By the time they were finishing up, Con strode in. Wearing a dark green tunic that made his eyes seem brighter, he practically scowled as he looked at their empty plates on the island.
“Hey, your brother cooked a fantastic meal. You want me to fix you a plate?” She slid off the chair so he could sit.
He shook his head, looking between her and Cyn before focusing on her. “I’m not hungry. It’s been a long day.” His tone was as brusque as his expression.
“Oh.” Feeling awkward, she remained where she was. Now clearly wasn’t the time to talk about any potential changes with him.
“I have work to do in my room.” He turned and was gone before she could think of a response.
Okay, then. Apparently now wasn’t the time to talk about anything at all. “What the hell was that?” she asked out loud before she could think about reining herself in.
Cyn lifted a shoulder. “I think he had a rough day at work.”
Even if he had, he hadn’t needed to be so rude. “Thank you for dinner. I’ll clean up.”
“That is not necessary.”
“I know, I want to. You cooked, it’s only fair.” She wouldn’t admit it out loud, but she hoped Con would pull that stick out of his butt and come out of his room before she returned to hers.
Ten minutes later the kitchen was clean, but no sign of Con. Sighing, she headed to her room. She thought about going to see him, but it seemed pretty evident he had no desire to talk to her. She felt a little silly letting her feelings get hurt, but she’d been thinking about him all day, had been mulling over the idea of actually living here, and he apparently didn’t feel the same.
* * *
Leilani’s eyes snapped open at the sound of a sharp knock. She m
ust have dozed, she realized, pushing up from her bed. As she sat, the door opened and Con strode in looking annoyed—at her. What the hell?
“Didn’t you tell your brother he was supposed to wait for you to tell him to enter before barging in?”
Con ignored her. “Why are you not in my room?”
She slid off the bed, annoyance bubbling up inside her. “Excuse me?”
“You are not in my room.”
“First of all, you didn’t ask me to join you. You just left the kitchen earlier after barely talking to me or your brother.” And he’d made her feel as if she meant nothing to him. “I’m not a gratta that follows its master around. If you want to see me, you need to ask.”
“Gratta’s are mangy pets. I would not own one.” His insulted tone would have made her smile under other circumstances.
She threw up her hands. “That’s not the point. Why were you acting so weird earlier?”
“I was not weird. I just had a long day.” But his dark expression said otherwise.
“Well so have I.”
“You have?” Was that concern in his voice?
She nodded even though she had no desire to talk about that. She wanted to know what was going on with him. Luminet males could be so confusing. “Why did you walk in that kitchen then walk right back out? Don’t lie to me.”
His shoulders were tense and he appeared as if he was ready to march into battle as he stood there. “I don’t know. I arrived a little earlier than you first saw me. I…heard you and my brother enjoying yourselves. You seemed very at ease with him. Do you wish to bring someone else into our relationship?”
She blinked at him. “Are you jealous?” It seemed an impossible concept considering how taken she was with Con, something he had to know. Or apparently not.
“I think so. I do not like it.” He stood stiffly, the confession seemingly ripped from him.
Which made her melt like freaking suklaada cake on a warm summer day. “Look, sometimes human females have male friends.” Though not really since coming to live on planet Lumineta. But that wasn’t the point so she tried a different explanation. “Aeron came here because he was worried about me.”
Claimed by the Warrior Page 8