Wanted by the Alien Warden (Cowboy Colony Mail-Order Brides, #4)

by Ursa Dax

I felt so… messy in front of him. Unprepared and unpolished.

“You have worked very hard.” Ah. Poop. That should not make me feel like I wanted to weep.

Until his eyes went bright white. “You don’t have to call me Warden,” he said. “You can just call me Tenn.”

“What would it take,” he asked quietly, “to get you comfortable enough with me to simply call me by my name?” “I… I don’t know. Time, I guess?” He chuckled softly. “Perfect,” he said, throaty and warm. “I’ve got nothing but time out here, Tasha. And if you want it, I can give you it all.”

Then, a sleepy sigh, and the delirious press of a human thigh hitched up over my abdomen. Her leg was not very heavy. Tell me, then, why it suddenly became so difficult to breathe?

Perhaps this was punishment for the information that was withheld from her before. And she now meant to torture me with snuggles.

I drew back, just a little, and was about to pry my hand from the sensuous warmth of her skin. But as soon as I tensed to do it, a pucker formed between her slim, pale brows, and she made a sleepy sound of complaint. Well. What the blazes am I supposed to do with that?

Every bit of her was a perfect storm of warden-destroying temptation.

Perhaps I was just weak for her.

Then, his white eyes seared a laser-like line up to mine. “Next time something’s hurting you,” he said on a guttural growl, “you don’t go wiggling around, ignoring it, or trying to solve it yourself. You tell me. You tell me right away.” He released the closed lid and came around the side of the slicer. His calloused fingers found my chin. My entire body spasmed at the firm yet tender touch. “I don’t care what’s causing it. I don’t care if it’s me. You tell me.” A raw, raging emotion tore through that white gaze. “Especially if it’s me. You tell me, Tasha.”

No other man had ever cared about my hurts this way. Not one. And here Warden Tenn was, looking like he wanted to fling himself off a cliff, just because a part of his uniform had been poking me.

“Yes,” he replied forcefully, his fingers contracting against my jaw and throat. “When you’re hurting, you tell your warden. That’s your most important duty. That’s your job.” He lowered his face so that I felt his next words against my mouth more than heard them. “Fixing it is mine.”

“Without that hook,” he said, “I’ll need somewhere to put my tail.” Before I could respond, the strong, prehensile length of purple flesh looped itself around my waist, tightening pleasantly. His tail gave a small tug, and I leaned forward against his back, wrapping my arms around his waist.

He must have heard the rustle of the leather. Or maybe those big, cute Zabrian ears picked up my breathing. Because I saw them twitch.

I added, “Tenn?” Just Tenn. No warden tacked on the front. The moons and stars gave me more than enough light to see every muscle in his back draw tight at the sound of his name.

my favorite microtrope 😭

“I just… You told me to tell you if… If…” “You’re hurt? What’s wrong?” How the hell did he do that? Close such considerable distance with what seemed to be no effort at all? In the span of a second, he was before me, his gaze white and searching. “Does loneliness count?”

“Yes, well. You’re here, aren’t you?” “I’m here.” My breath caught. Those two simple words had speared me in the strangest way. Tenn’s eyes cast a white glow along the walls and ceiling of the tent.

“Intensity of feeling. And I’ll have you know, I had my eyes under very good control before you came along.”

“It is not something I have questions about. I’m rather more curious about experiencing it.” “What is it?” I asked, propping my head up on my elbow to better see his face. His eyes seemed to grow brighter as they turned my way. “The human kiss thing.”

“You… You want to try kissing someone?” “No. I don’t want to try the kiss thing with someone,” he said instantly. “I only want to try it with you.”

Tenn swallowed my gasp, his mouth surging, hot and open, to meet with mine. “Where do I put my hands?” he panted against my mouth a few seconds later. “Where… Wherever you want,” I whispered shakily. “Don’t tell me that,” he groaned. “You might not like the places I’d put them.”

I patted Tenn’s firm chest. It heaved beneath my hand. His eyes were so bright I couldn’t even look him in the face.

Tenn flicked his tail. I noticed with a shy warming in my belly that he wasn’t wearing his belt with the hook today. Without the hook to hang itself on, his tail seemed like it was at loose ends and looking for things to do.

“I have a comb.” “Oh! You do?” “Of course I do. You think I don’t comb my hair? I’m not Silar.”