Page 14

14

Her Favorite Songs

*Ren*

I can’t wait to rest. We’d finished crossing the river with no more embarrassing tumbles. After I made it safely on solid ground, I dropped Jalen’s hand with another quiet thank you and kept my distance.

Don’t get me wrong; I was grateful the guy saved me from certain death. I just didn’t need to give him the wrong idea about how comfortable I’d be with him touching me—again.

My insides turned liquid at that thought, and I tried to bury the memory of his strong hand softly holding mine. What would it feel like to have his hands on other parts of me?

Shut it down, Ren. I couldn’t start fantasizing about something that would never happen. Yeah, the guy was hot. Far too hot for a filthy mechanic like me. He probably had some delicate little lady back at his cabin who helped him plant his stupid flowers. She’d laugh at his dumb jokes and never cringe when he reached for her.

I gritted my teeth and focused on planting one aching foot in front of the other. It didn’t matter who Jalen was fucking. After this trip, I’d never see him again.

My belly flip-flopped. “Are we almost there? My stomach feels like it’s about to eat itself.” Yep, I was just hungry. That was all.

“Your organs won’t need to resort to cannibalism yet.” He pointed ahead. “Our campsite is behind that split tree.”

“Thank fuck.” I raced forward, rounding the tree eagerly. “Um… there are no lionettle plants over here.”

Jalen chuckled. “That’s because we’re not sleeping in one tonight.” He nodded at a steep, rocky hillside covered in vines. “Come on. It’s this way.” He circled the base until we reached what might be an opening, blocked by an enormous boulder.

“Am I missing something?” I crossed my arms. “I don’t see any way we’re fitting past that.”

“Don’t be so quick to judge.” Jalen crouched beside the rock and brushed some vines away. A flash of metal nearly made me gasp.

“Is that what I think it is?”

Jalen grinned. “If you think it’s the locking mechanism, then yes.” He flipped a switch inside a metal panel set into the boulder, then stood. “Can you back up, please?”

I stepped back, my eyes bulging as he shoved the gargantuan boulder, and it swung out of the way like it was a flimsy wooden door. “It’s mechanical?”

“Something like that.” Jalen scratched his chest nonchalantly. “Unlike you, I’ve never been technologically inclined. There are a bunch of caves with doors like this across Dionus, built centuries ago. Keeps the wild critters out. Everyone’s taught how to use them when they’re young.”

I tried to pick my jaw up off the ground as I waited for Jalen to light a candle and lead the way inside. The universe might think his species was barbaric, but technology like this—built so long ago—proved they were far from it.

“There should be some lanterns inside,” he said.

Trickling water filled my ears as I followed him into the cave. He located a lantern almost immediately, and I bit back a gasp as soft light washed over the huge open space. Several straw mats with rolled-up blankets rested against one wall, each large enough for a Dionion to sleep comfortably with room to spare. And in the back, a woven screen stood folded on the edge of the most inviting pool of clear water.

“Is that deep enough for bathing?”

Jalen blew out his candle after lighting a second lantern. “Yes. Most of the caves around here have them.” He turned back to the cave mouth and grabbed a handle sticking out of the boulder. “Why don’t you hop in?”

My heart pounded madly as the boulder door swung closed, locking us away from the outside world. “You want me to take a bath… with you right there?”

Jalen quirked a brow. “That’s what the screen’s for. Drag it over after you climb up and it should cover the pool completely.”

I narrowed my eyes suspiciously. “And you’ll be out here doing what ?”

He chuckled. “Well, if you pass me your clothes after you get out of them, I can sew that ripped leg for you.”

My gaze caught on the pool again. Why did the water have to look so inviting? It would be heaven to rest my aching muscles in there. To scrub off the river scum that had gotten caught in my hair.

And I was still so freaking hot. Unnaturally hot, even. I really hoped it was my skinsuit and not a fever setting in.

So even though the idea of getting naked with Jalen within earshot made my skin prickle, I could see there were more benefits to hopping in rather than chickening out. “Fine. But I don’t want to talk while I’m in there. That would be too… weird.”

“If you say so.” Jalen mimed locking his lips with a key.

Rolling my eyes, I turned for the pool. The raised platform was clearly built and not natural. A deep semicircle-shaped tub was cut into the rock, fed by a trickling stream of water that rolled down the cave wall. I paused on the top step and dragged the woven screen sideways, blocking the rest of the cave. Within the quiet little bubble, I could almost imagine I was alone.

As I lifted my fingers to the zipper at my neck, Jalen rudely cleared his throat, breaking the spell. “What?” I barked.

“Sorry. I forgot to give you this.” His voice grew louder as he spoke, making me sure he was walking closer.

“You don’t need to give me anything.”

The reassuring sound of his laughter made some of my tension subside. “Okay. Guess there’ll be more soap for me. Are you certain you don’t at least want a towel?”

I snapped the screen sideways and grabbed the items he held out with a smirk. “Thanks.” When he didn’t retreat, I speared him with a glare. “Are you going to stand there the whole time, or what?”

He chuckled. “No. But I am going to need your skinsuit if you want me to sew it.”

“Ugh. Fine.” I dragged the screen in place and quickly shucked off my skinsuit. Since I never wore a bra—when you’ve been blessed with less than a handful, there isn’t much point—that left me standing there in just my panties.

Fuck. I can’t believe I’m doing this.

Keeping my body behind the screen, I inched it open just enough to toss the damp skinsuit out. It landed on the stone floor with a plop at the same time I slammed the screen back into place.

“Got it. Thanks.”

I breathed out a shaky sigh as the heavy clomp of Jalen’s footfalls retreated across the cave floor. Then I slipped out of my panties and sank into the tub.

Oh, hell yeah. As the cool water enveloped me, I closed my eyes in relief. It was almost enough to negate the sheer awkwardness that I’d just experienced.

I lifted the soap to my nose, smiling as the light floral aroma eased my senses. Then I took my time lathering my hands before setting the bar on the tub’s edge and attacking my short locks with suds.

Soft humming rose, and once again Jalen broke the illusion that I was alone. “Do you have to do that?” I asked grumpily.

“Hm?” The humming cut off, replaced with a soft chuckle. “Sorry. Old habit. Seems I’ve grown so used to hearing the sound of my own voice when I’m alone that I hardly notice it anymore. You’re lucky I didn’t break into song.”

I don’t know about that… Even that tiny glimpse of Jalen’s humming made me certain he had a phenomenal singing voice. “I’ll thank you to keep the singing to yourself.”

“Do you like music, Ren?” he asked, his voice a low murmur that set my pulse racing.

“Of course. Who doesn’t?” I brushed a stray bead of soap off my forehead before it dripped into my eyes. “I thought we weren’t talking while I bathed?” I dipped below the water and rinsed, only to pop out and hear another question.

“Do you like to sing too?”

A tiny smile curved my lips. He doesn’t quit easily, does he? “You don’t want to hear me sing. I mess up the words all the time. Even to my favorites.”

“I bet you look fine doing it, though.”

Do I have water clogging my ears? I thought he just said… “What did you say?”

He cleared his throat. “I bet you have fun doing it, though.”

“I’ll have fun finishing my bath in silence.”

He chuckled softly. “If you say so.”

I picked up the soap and lathered my hands again. Yet just as I started brushing the suds against my skin, his voice rang out, humming once more. The soothing baritone rumbled through the air, making it impossible not to listen. To forget he was out there, a single thin screen separating us as my hands traced over my naked flesh.

I sighed but kept my mouth shut, fighting to ignore the throbbing beat of my pulse. Soon, I’d washed everywhere, making sure not to let my fingers linger on the spot where I could really use some relief right about now…

Nope. Not going there. No way in hell will I get myself off with him right there.

The delicious thought snagged in my brain and made the throbbing intensify. But I shoved the idea aside before I could sink my teeth into it. The last thing I needed was for him to hear me moaning and take it as an invitation. He could cross the room in a few swift strides and tear down that flimsy screen like it was nothing…

I shivered as I stood and wrapped the towel around me, forcing the naughty image to the back of my mind. At first, I wasn’t sure I could banish it, but then a new realization dawned on me, and the shiver turned into a full-out shudder.

“Um… are you done with my skinsuit yet?”

Shit! How didn’t I see this coming? With my bag gone, I had nothing to change into. My only article of clothing—except for a tiny pair of panties—was out there, in Jalen’s hands.

“About that… This garment is still very damp. Are you certain you want to sleep in it?”

“What?” I squeaked. “I have to. That’s all I have to wear.”

“You could stay in the towel until you lie down. Then you’ll have a blanket to cover with. In the morning, it will be dry enough to put back on.”

“Oh, you’d like that, wouldn’t you?” I couldn’t disguise the disgust in my tone.

Jalen’s laughter rang out. “What? For you to get a good night’s sleep so you’re not so grumpy in the morning? I certainly wouldn’t mind if that happened.”

I scoffed. “And what about you? You’ll just ignore me all night?” I found it hard to believe any guy who spent years as a recluse would overlook a mostly naked woman in the same closed space with him.

“Yes. I’m too tired for anything else.” Footsteps echoed in the cave again, making me tense. “If you want your wet clothes, you can have them. Or I can turn my back while you walk out of the screen and cover up. Then I’ll hang this to dry, take a bath of my own while you eat your dinner, then go to sleep—on my own pallet.”

As he finished speaking, the clomp of his footfalls grew so loud I knew he was just on the other side. I held my breath, my heart speeding so fast I grew dizzy.

“I promise I won’t bother you while you sleep. What do you say, Ren?”

Fucking hell. I really didn’t want to shove my limbs into that wet skinsuit now that I was clean and dry. And I couldn’t keep standing there forever, half-naked and hungry.

But could I trust him to keep his word? For fuck’s sake, the guy did save my life… “Turn around and close your eyes.”

“Doing it as we speak.” Shuffling sounded behind the screen. “Ready.”

With the damp towel wrapped around my torso, I eased the screen open. Jalen stood just beyond it, my balled-up skinsuit in his hand and his back facing me.

Now or never…

I darted across the cave floor and kneeled on a mat. Then I shook out a blanket, keeping my gaze glued to Jalen the entire time. He didn’t move a muscle, just stood there silently until I said, “Okay, you can look.”

He turned slowly and aimed a soft smile at me as I lay on the mat with the blanket pulled to my chin. “That wasn’t so hard, was it?”

I scowled. “Maybe for you.” He took a step closer. My eyes narrowed and my heart sank. “Where are you going?”

He held up my skinsuit. “I’ll hang this next to where you’re sleeping. Then you’ll be able to grab it first thing in the morning.”

“Oh. Thanks.”

Jalen hung the garment quickly. Then he met my eyes as he towered over me, so close I was intensely aware of my near nakedness under the thin blanket. “Not a problem. I left some dinner out for you.” A moment of weighted silence fell over us, with neither of us moving. Then Jalen scrubbed a hand down his face with a chuckle. “Pleasant dreams, Ren.”

I swallowed thickly as he headed for the pool. “Goodnight.”