Nadine's Champion (Icehome, #7)

by Ruby Dixon

This whole “spin the bottle” game is the worst idea I've seen in a long, long time, but I guess I must love a train wreck, because I'm still sitting in the circle, waiting for my turn.

"Depressed? Why?" "What do I look like, her therapist? I don't know! She's allowed to be depressed! Just leave her alone."

“These men really are terrible at being smooth.” “They are anti-smooth,” she agrees as I pull my boots on and lace them. “If they were peanut butter, they’d be chunky.” “They’d be the whole damn nut. No butter at all.” Penny cracks up.

“Ice planet?” Penny murmurs in a low voice. “More like sexism planet, am I right?”

Babies are filthy, messy creatures. I want one…and I am terrified of them, too.

"Trickery," I nod. "Wait until her guard is down and then claim her." I wag a finger at Angie. "Very, very clever." She just sighs. "I'm sorry I even tried to help."

"Wind changed. They smell your friend." "My friend?" I look at Mari and for a moment, I'm shocked that Rukh would be so rude as to single her out. "Thrand," Rukh bites out. "He follows behind." He what? I realize my jaw is hanging open and snap it shut, then turn and look behind us, scanning the horizon.

"What is that dipshit doing?"

I cuss him out and call him all kinds of things in my head. Idiot. Fool. Nincompoop. Nitwit. Dumbass. Headstrong. Meathead. I can't believe we've been tracking the dvisti herd all day and he's scared them off. I know why he's here. He wanted to come with me and I said no, so he decided he'd show up anyhow. I add “stubborn” to the list of insults.

All clones are told that if they reach the age of forty, they might ask for the chance to win their freedom, so that was yet another thing to strive for. I never knew of a clone that lived that long, but others spoke of it often, so it must be true, yes?”

“You think you are second in my eyes,” he continues. “And I am trying to tell you that you are not.”

“That night we played the game with the bone, those were the first times I had ever been kissed or touched with affection by a female. I cannot stop thinking of that game.”

"I just…don't wanna be…ice planet ho." "You're not a ho." "But Bridget," she protests sleepily. "Everyone looks at her like she's a problem. All she did was fool around, you know? She didn't know it would be bad. She was just…kicking the tires before buying."

If I kiss you, I get to decide when and where I kiss you again, okay? If you hound me for more, it’s over.” What a fierce female. I love this side of her.

“Before anyone goes out today, I have a laundry list of herbs that are needed to replenish our stores. We’re running low on several medicinal varieties and I could use the help gathering them. Do I have any takers? Anyone? Bueller?”

“Nadine and Thrand, sittin’ in a tree…f u c k i n g.”

“Aw, you big sweet romantic dork,” Brooke says dreamily. “That’s so nice of you. You’re a good egg.” Egg? I frown at her. Humans have weird names for everything.

"The face is the tastiest part," I call back to her, striking the fire implements together and watching the sparks land, waiting for them to hit the tinder pile just right. "Especially your lips. They are very soft and full. If I was a snow-cat, I would eat those first."

But the universe is silent, and I just…keep waiting, like a coward.

"Are you flavoring yourself with herbs?" I laugh. "No. I'm putting on lotion." I hold the small bone pot out to him. "It's so my skin doesn't get dried out in all this cold weather."

"Then I am not doing a good enough job," Thrand says. "I must flavor you better so you think of nothing but my touch."

"Mind if I use the lotion on you?" "To season my cock?" His eyes flare with heat. "I like that thought." There's a ton of “tasty” jokes I can make, but I bite them all back and sit up, instead.

"Uh, just so we're clear, you're not going to like, grow anything unusual while I touch you, right? No tentacles or shit?" His dazed expression turns to one of open confusion. "Tentacles?" "Never mind. Just watched too much anime back home, I think."

“I have no words for what you have shared with me, my Nadine,” Thrand murmurs. “We must tell no one of your skills.”

“We’re keeping things secret,” I whisper to her. “At least I thought we were.” “You do realize this is not gonna be secret for long? Not with that Oscar-caliber acting?” Yeah, I’m starting to figure that out.

That was the weirdest, sexiest experience I've ever had.

The man loves a damn competition, and it doesn't matter if it's hunting…or pussy eating. He wants to win.

Oddly enough, it does help. With him at my side, the “alone” feeling fades a little.

"You are allowed to be sad. Just do not let it take all the happiness, too. Life is meant to be enjoyed."

Here I thought I wasn’t ready for love or a relationship in this strange new world, but maybe I am. Maybe it’s been standing in front of me all along, challenging me to a contest. The thought makes me smile.

"Your soft heart has no place in a hunter's world," he murmurs. "I am one hundred percent fine with that," I say, and then add, "And I do plenty fine hunting so far, thank you very much."

"We are upwind. They cannot smell us. I will sneak up quietly and leap on the back, and ride it, just as I promised." "No," I hiss again, jabbing him in the side with my finger. "I bet you can't do it," Penny singsongs lightly, giving me a wicked grin.

"Bah. You make it sound like I will be hurt. I have encountered far more dangerous things than grass-eaters." "Motherfucker, do you see grass around here?"

"Man, he stands out against the snow," Penny whispers to me. "He looks like a damn blood stain."

That crazy idiot did it.

This has…not been my favorite afternoon.

I'd much rather Nadine be here. She could press my head to her breasts and soothe my aches.

"When we get out of here, I am going to claim you so hard that you will see stars,"

"God, it is so sexy when you hold a baby and talk all rational,"

"Because tonight is for…" She trails off and then makes a circle with her fingers, then pushes her ring finger of her other hand into the circle, making a lewd gesture. I reach over and smack her hand. "Penny!" "What? We're adults. You can totally say you're occupied tonight. Or…parts of you are occupied." She wiggles her brows.

“Cooties,” Penny says dramatically. “Who would have thought that parasites would be the most romantic things in the universe?” Who indeed.

“You are beautiful like this.” “Gasping for air like a fish?” I joke. “Exactly so.” He grins. “But I meant in my arms, flushed with pleasure.”

“To me you are always Ketchup.” “And someday I will learn what that is.” I laugh. “Someday I’ll tell you and then you’ll be disappointed.” “Nothing about you disappoints me.” He skims his thumb over my lips. “Except perhaps your stamina—”

“Resonance is over.” “You sound so sad, my mate. Resonance may be over, but you and I have just begun.”

“Stolen,” Raahosh says in a harsh voice. He crosses his arms over his chest. “They have stolen the females.” “Here we fucking go again,” Liz agrees.