When She's Wary (Risdaverse, #11)

by Ruby Dixon

I’m smiling a little inside even as I say it, because I know he’s going to tell me anyhow. I kind of like that I can be absolutely brutal with this guy and he doesn’t take it to heart or get offended. When I met Chelsea, she showed up all bubbly happiness and smiles and it didn’t take long for my scowls to scare her away. It’s not that I’m trying to be unfriendly. Okay, so I am, but I also wouldn’t have minded if she’d tried again to be my friend, just to prove that she really wanted to get to know me. She gave up instead. Which is fine. I don’t need fake friends. I need friends that won’t give up on me.

He grins at me, showing long sharp teeth that somehow don’t scare me like they should. “But I will absolutely be back, fragrant Tabitha.” “Are you saying I smell?” That’s the second time he’s called me “fragrant,” now that I think about it. “Oh yes,” he says, and he’s purring even louder. “You smell quite lovely.” And even though I hate myself for it, I blush a little.

He stands on the porch and I open the door before he knocks. His ears prick in surprise, and then he manages a fatigued smile for me. “Hello, Tabitha. How are you today, my sweet-smelling one?” I shrug, my arms crossed over my chest. This is the first time I’ve answered the door without a weapon in hand and I feel a little vulnerable. He’s going to ask to come in, isn’t he? I suspect he is. He looks like he needs a break, or a drink of water, but I don’t know how I feel about the thought of him demanding his way inside my sanctuary simply because he bought me some noodles. But he stands there with the noodle case in his arms and just looks at me expectantly.

“Bars are entertainment only when there’s nothing else to do,” he’s saying. “I haven’t really been in a while. Well, other than the fact that I’ve been haunting the cantina here in Port waiting to run into you.” “I don’t like cantinas,” I say quickly. “Or bars. Too many people.” He nods. “I can see that.” It’s my turn to pick up the conversation again, but my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth. I can’t think of anything to say to him. I want to keep this easy, casual conversation flowing and yet I don’t know how. Please, please be my friend. Please be someone that’s there for me.

The struggle of an introvert

The scent of my seed will tell other males that the female inside is mine. That she belongs to me. I’ve been showing up to Tabitha’s house for almost six months now and I have yet to mark her door. This is a problem. I’ve gone slow with my female, even though in my mind I know she’s absolutely the one for me. Tabitha is smart and funny, clever and brave and determined. Her scent is the best thing I’ve ever smelled, and her eyes sparkle when she’s feeling fierce. I love everything about her. I hunger to hear her voice and breathe in her scent. I want nothing more than to spend every moment with her…but I know she’s been damaged by her past. She doesn’t talk about it, but I can tell by her actions that she had a very bad time of things, and I’ve been content to wait for her. At some point, she’ll trust me enough to invite me into her house again. At some point, she’ll ask me to kiss her.

Whoever this is, they picked the wrong woman to rob. I’ve been preparing for this sort of thing since I arrived, and no one is taking me back to the slave pens.

Get em girl!

“Why are you breaking into my house?” I yell back through the door. “I’m-I’m not breaking in!” He rubs a hand down his face, his glowing gaze momentarily disappearing. “What are you doing awake? You’re supposed to be asleep.” “You’d like that, wouldn’t you?” I bellow back. “It’d sure make this moment a lot less keffing embarrassing.” “Why is it whenever you show up by surprise, your hand is in your pants?” I yell through the door. “An excellent question,” he retorts. “And it’s hard to explain.” “Try!”

Bahahaha caught in the act

Jrrru gives a little shake of his head. “Why wouldn’t he? You’re amazing.” Just like that, everything inside me melts. All the fear, all the annoyance, all the anger at finding him on my doorstep—gone. In its place is a sweet liquid heat. “You think I’m amazing?” “Kef, yes.” His shoulders straighten, as if he’s about to go to battle on my behalf. “Every keffing day I wake up and I’m thrilled to be on this planet, because it means I get to see you again. I thought my brother was just infatuated with his female when we moved here and he’d get bored of it, but I understand now. It doesn’t matter where you live when the best person on the planet is right next door.”

aww

I’m still waiting for the other shoe to drop, for something to go wrong. Because something always goes wrong. Because happiness seems like it’s too easy, too simple, and therefore it won’t last.

This is me

“Tomorrow, you can wear whatever, because you’re beautiful and you smell gorgeous.” He stalks toward me like I’m his prey. “Tonight, I’d like for you to wear nothing.” “Nothing?” I echo. “And I’ll wear your thighs over my shoulders.”