Page 5 of 20% Stud 80% Muffin (Alien Fated Mates #1)

5

B ent over a shared sink in the cramped bathroom, I scratched my beard after another sleep-deprived night. “I really need to get my own place.”

Tino, one of my Rock Dweller crew, bumped into me, still half-asleep, and toothpaste dribbled from my chin. “My apologies,” he rumbled extra slowly as he washed his smooth gray face with three-fingered hands.

Sully was the next to stagger into the wash-up area. My deodorant shot across the smooth floor like a hockey puck when he knocked over my toiletry case. “Apologies, boss man.” His deep voice resonated as he spread moisturizing paste over his bald head with one hand and dozily crouched to retrieve my deodorant with the other.

My work crew was great, but I no longer wanted to live with them. The behemoths put up houses quicker than ten crews back home, but unfortunately, Rock Dwellers had deep, rumbling voices. Putting ten of them into a room together was like sleeping in an airport hangar. And I was entirely too familiar with their grooming habits.

JayJay slammed straight into me, sending my toiletry case flying again as I left the wash-up area. I put my hand up to stop him from speaking. “Yeah, I know. Apologies, boss man.” I mimicked his deep voice. These guys were worse than Cameron without his coffee when he first woke up, bumbling around like drunken sailors. Every morning it was as if I were launched like a pinball and shot between a minefield of sleepy boulders.

Intentionally setting my alarm for half an hour earlier tomorrow, I strolled outside through the arched doorway into a peach-tinted sunrise. The first woodskie squawks spiraled through the air, and the earth was dampened under a layer of dew. I inhaled deeply before the air filled with choking pink dust.

The morning sun warmed the back of my neck and my knees creaked as I settled into the opening pose of my tai chi sequence. Meeting with Makir this morning would require complete control of my mind, and if I skipped my practice, I’d be even more hopeless.

I took another deep breath. I will present myself as nothing but relaxed and approachable.

I didn’t know why Makir would be crucial for my future, but the way my hair stood on end in his presence lingered in my mind, and brushing off my instincts yesterday had kept me up half the night. This sixth sense had never led me wrong, except when I ignored it.

Sweep arms forward… Hold the ball… Pivot… Brush hands with knee… Ward off left…

“You dancing, boss man?” JayJay interrupted me halfway through my set. More awake now, he cupped a thermos full of the syrupy coffee-like drink Rock Dwellers preferred in his three-fingered hand. His thick brow ridges twitched in question.

“Funny, JayJay.” I paused with my legs spread and arms mimicking a crane. “I’m trying not to act like a jerk at Makir’s appointment, and I’m doing tai chi to focus my energy.” My mind still reeled over how robotically I’d spoken to him yesterday.

The corner of JayJay’s lips twisted up. “Does it work?”

I tipped my head side to side and lunged. “When I’m focused and not distracted by the over-curious.” Then I gave up on tai chi altogether.

“Curious?”

My gaze caught a tiny woodskie flying by. “Inquisitive, nosy, questioning.”

JayJay’s brow ridges dipped and rolled as if he was silently laughing before he sipped more of his morning sludge. “I’ll help you,” he drawled as we walked companionably toward the office.

Before I could question whether JayJay’s offer to help me with Makir was a good thing, the fine hairs on my arms stood on end. Unseen, I knew Makir was around the corner .

My teeth clenched, and I forced my jaw to loosen. “You don’t feel that?”

“Feel what?” The corner of JayJay’s mouth turned down in concern. “You feeling all right?” His thick palm brushed against my forehead.

I swatted his arm away. “Quit it.”

What the hell is wrong with me?

Any positive energy I’d managed to channel earlier was now locked up tighter than Cameron’s passcode to his bank card. My shoulders were so tight I might as well have had a hockey stick strapped across them as I walked to the warehouse.

Makir straddled a hoverbike hauling a trailer. They floated, barely skimming the ground in front of the warehouse. Our eyes met and a sudden jolt of energy forced me to step back and steady myself. His eyes flashed from silver to lavender, then immediately refocused on the dry ground.

Fuck. How am I going to build this guy a house?

Makir’s tail lashed back and forth behind him. The propulsion from the hoverbike clouded the air with bursts of pink dust.

“Is this the lamar you spoke of?” JayJay ambled over to the trailer that hovered behind Makir. On it were thick sheets of a translucent material similar to plexiglass, and a well-worn backpack.

Makir turned off the ignition, and the bike and trailer drifted softly to the ground. His eyes were silver when he murmured a quiet greeting, “Happy morning, JayJay. Yes, I brought some to leave with you. It can be reused to allow light into the dwellings you’re building.” Makir looked at my nose and nodded. “Archbuilder.”

“Salutations, Makir.” I rubbed my palms over my tingling arms and up to my beard, hiding my grimace. I’d never greeted anyone with ‘salutations’ in my entire life. This wasn’t an episode of Star Trek.

JayJay smoothed his hand over the lamar and knocked on it like a door. “I understand now. I think this could be repurposed quite easily and with high demand. What do you think, boss man? We would be happy to pay Makir for supplying us with lamar, wouldn’t we?”

I nodded my agreement, rolling my lips inward, fighting the tingling vibrations that lit up my nerves and avoiding speaking altogether. There would be no more word-vomit from me.

I am calm. I am in control.

Makir’s tail, which had stopped twitching while JayJay admired the new building material, now whipped against the ground. It hit the dirt so hard that the cloud of dust he dislodged triggered a coughing fit as he dragged his gaze to my nose. “That won’t be necessary.”

Hmmm… Is he offended that I want to pay him?

“I’m heading out today to collect more lamar after we finalize the details for my dwelling and hovery.” He brushed the pink dust off his clean but worn jumpsuit, highlighting his long, lean limbs, and absently combed the dirt off the back of his hands. “I anticipate the enforcers will request it once they see Sisip’s windshield.” His voice was too loud, like an announcement.

My mind drifted. Does Makir’s entire body have blue fur?

JayJay nudged my elbow and smirked at me.

I cleared my throat. “The Intergalactic Federation of Architecture and Building Authority will cover the costs of a basic dwelling and a no-frills hovery. However, as we discussed, if you require anything beyond the standard, my crew will complete the work at an additional charge to you.”

His silver gaze flicked over his worn backpack and patched jumpsuit, and his shoulders stiffened. “You have my promise you will get your credits.” His firm delivery lost some impact when his gaze still didn’t rise above my nose.

I hadn’t thought otherwise, but chose to not offend him more. “Very well then. Show me your design.”

Why is my voice so deep?

Makir projected the images from his wristport into the air without moving any closer. “I would like three hover bays”—he pointed to each arched doorway—“a wash station, secure parking, a front counter and a small seating area.” He drew a long finger over the projection. “This wall divided into tools, parts storage and a lamar skylight.”

The more features he listed for his hovery, the more his fur captivated me. Soft and downy-looking, it covered the backs of his palms and traveled up his wrists, disappearing under his jumpsuit. A tuft of blue peeked out from the top of his zipper, where my imagination conjured velvet-muscled pecs. His face was a lighter blue, the color of blue raspberry cotton candy, and entirely humanoid except for the silver color of his almond-shaped eyes.

He shook his head, stirring his shaggy mane like a caged lion while he impatiently waited for my response. Once again, the intensity of his steady gaze was laser-focused on my nose.

Shit. I’d totally tuned out after skylight. What was the last thing he said ?

The back of JayJay’s palm neared my brow, and I pushed it away. Usually, this giant boulder of a man’s maternal instincts were funny, but not right now. I had no desire to be the smallest guy in the vicinity, and hell no to the childlike treatment on top of it. I sucked in my big belly, forced out my chest and stood as tall as possible before walking toward Makir. He shuffled backward with every step I advanced.

Was he afraid of me?

I rubbed my forearms, then forced my hands to my sides. Tingles be damned. My construction company on Earth had thrived under my professionalism. This shouldn’t be a problem. I could be professional with Makir.

“The IFABA will cover the cost of two bays. You will need to create the storage or hire our crew for your shelves and the third bay. Also, the skylight would be considered an extra.”

Makir’s silver eyes swirled and his square jaw tightened.

“However, as we have to complete the roof anyways, we could install it at no cost with you providing the lamar,” I barked, then internally cringed when Makir stiffened. I’d meant to come across as accommodating.

“I don’t think the tai tai is working, boss man.” JayJay snickered, more lawnmower than giggle.

“Tai chi,” I corrected stiffly.

JayJay’s cheeks twitched as he reached toward my forehead, his grating laugh adding to the vibrations racking my body.

“And your bedroom?” The words were out of my mouth before I could think. Heat raced up my neck.

Makir’s soft voice barely carried. His silver eyes were on the ground once again. “My bedroom?”

“I mean dwelling.” I shook out my fingers and tried to dissipate the tingling.

Great, he probably thinks I’m a recovering addict or prone to seizures or something .

“Kitchen, washroom, bedroom,” he mumbled, loosening the strap over the lamar on his trailer and stacking it neatly in the warehouse with JayJay’s help. “I require a round depression in the bedroom for my nest,” he added, so quietly I could barely hear him.

He sleeps in a nest? Tell me more.

“Big enough for two?” I’d meant to say it in my head.

Makir wrung his hands in front of his stomach before firmly placing them on his hips. “For one.”

“I…I didn’t mean anything by that.” I frantically rubbed at the prickles needling under my skin. “Fuck, I think I might be allergic to something in the air.”

JayJay scrolled through his wristport, all smiles, likely looking up human allergies, and Makir eyed me dubiously. The tingles increased as he faced away from me and continued chatting with JayJay.

Makir’s jumpsuit pulled taut over his curvy ass. In my mind, the plump globes were tight, with just enough give to sink my hands into. Occasionally, part of their discussion would surface in my mind. Wastelands…lamar…hover trailer… But the subtle sway of his tail as he talked—tick tock, tick tock—hypnotized me like a cobra’s dance to a snake charmer’s tune.

JayJay’s “Right, boss man?” snapped me back to reality. Once again, I’d missed half of the conversation. I rolled my shoulders, realizing JayJay was expecting a reply to something about the wastelands…maybe? Nodding firmly would show I’d been paying attention, so I did. I was professional and in charge of the situation.

I am calm. I am controlled.

“Good, it’s settled. You will accompany Makir to collect lamar. In exchange for the materials, we will install his third bay and storage system.” If Rock Dweller brow ridges could smirk, his were.

Accompany Makir ?

With the lamar stacked, Makir stood near the wall, toeing the ground awkwardly. Clearly, this was not part of his plans.

What’s JayJay thinking?

“Have you traveled in the wastelands?” Makir asked, not meeting my eyes.

“No.” There was no way I was admitting that I couldn’t fly a hoverbike. I’d explored our settlement, Yurstille—the only one on Tern—by foot. A tacky statue of Yurst stood in the village’s center, and I’d learned he’d named the town after himself.

Makir thumbed something inside the satchel on his hip. “The unexpected can happen.”

Like finding myself on another planet attracted to a blue alien?

Makir turned toward JayJay. “I cannot guarantee the human’s safety. He said he might be allergic to the air, and it’s not a good idea for us to spend time to—” He snapped his jaw closed as if he hadn’t meant to say that much.

I thrust out my chest. “I can take care of myself.” All the excuses I’d formed to stay back vanished. The tingling vibrations battled with my ego. I would prove myself to Makir. How hard could it be to collect plexiglass?

In the minutes it took for my pride to determine my course of action, JayJay had packed my duffel bag, thrown it at my feet, and would have picked me up and lifted me onto the trailer if I hadn’t leveled him with a glare.

“Bish, don’t you worry. I know the drill. Check on the progress with Tino’s crew”—he lifted one thick finger—“follow up with Sully”—then a second—“and meet with Mrs. Towhee about the plans for her nursery.” Then he waved us off. His rumbling voice carried over the loud hum of the hoverbike as we slowly flew toward the wastelands. “No need to hurry. Take all the time you need.” His ear-to-ear grin vanished in the dust.