Page 6 of Jorax (Arixxia Fields #4)
Chapter Six
S yrryn
After a restless night and a long weekend, I’m resolved to bury myself in work on Monday morning. Delving into the research will steady my chaotic emotions and get me back on track.
Jorax startles when I appear in the lab, but his misshapen mouth hitches into a smile.
“Syrryn! I hope you had a good weekend and are finished unpacking.” He indicates a new rolling cabinet near my workspace.
“Just as you requested. Please, make any adjustments necessary. If you need anything, I can requisition it for you.”
“It’s perfect, thank you.” I touch his roughened hand, noticing the striking contrast with Icaron’s smooth caresses from the other night.
Jorax ducks his head shyly. “Let me know if you need anything else.”
We quickly fall into the easy working rhythm we’ve already established. Jorax answers my questions without any hint of condescension. Now that we’re more comfortable together, he offers to show me around Arixxia Fields on his off hours.
“That’s very kind, but I couldn’t impose on your free time,” I protest.
“It would be my pleasure. I don’t have much of a social life, anyway.” He shrugs .
Pity lances through me. Beneath his gruff exterior, Jorax clearly craves connection. “Well… if you’re sure you don’t mind… I’d enjoy that.”
His mouth hitches higher. “It’s settled then.”
Over the next few weeks, Jorax shows me around all his favorite spots in Arixxia Fields. We spend long weekend afternoons meandering through fragrant botanical gardens, sipping fruity concoctions at quaint cafés, and discovering hiking trails.
Although Jorax and Icaron arrived on Hallion around the same time, Jorax has taken the time to explore Arixxia’s interesting underbelly, where Icaron seems to have put his energies into finding the best gourmet food and meeting all the “right” people.
Jorax, I’m finding, has a biting sense of humor. It’s just that he didn’t let me see that side of him until we’d spent more time together. The more we talk, the more his stories hint at not just his kind demeanor, but the isolation and loss underlying his stoic manner.
I’m reluctant to mention Icaron’s lavish date that first weekend. It feels somehow garish next to Jorax’s simple kindnesses.
Since several weeks have passed since my evening with Icaron, I assume we both thought better of continuing to see each other. Jorax’s companionship is undemanding. Perhaps one day I’ll find the nerve to ask about his… disfigurement.
One day, as we’re browsing for odd knick-knacks in a colorful outdoor market, I can’t stop myself from picking up a trinket I spot.
"Look at this little guy!" I hold up a stuffed figure of a chubby blue garneesh pup giving a toothy grin. "He's so cute, I just want to squish him."
Jorax chuckles, a deep rumble that makes my insides flutter. “I’m not one for stuffed toys, but that is certainly a cute one.”
"Huggable. "
Jorax buys the figurine with a wink and hands it to me as he says, "For what I imagine will be your growing collection."
I beam at him, affection swelling in my chest. He remembers every silly trinket and inside joke. Despite his gruff demeanor, Jorax notices everything.
As we wander between booths strung with twinkly lights, inhaling the aromas of spices and sizzling meat pies, I can't stop smiling. With his dry observations that showcase his keen mind and blink-and-you-miss-it humor, Jorax is the best tour guide—and company—a woman could ask for.