Page 9 of Tempting Her Grumpy Protector (Kindred Tales Spicy Shorts #7)
SUNNY
Sunny was feeling pretty pleased with herself as she headed into the crowd of tall, thin blue bodies. Everywhere she looked, Thropp’ian males were checking her out, their eyes going wide as they saw the size of her breasts.
But it wasn’t the attention from the strange men surrounding her that made Sunny’s heart beat faster—it was her Protector’s hot glare, which she could feel right between her shoulder blades.
Oh yes, Greer was jealous all right—whether he wanted to admit it or not.
He was definitely going to want to stake a Claim on her while they were here on Thropp’ic Sigma —maybe even tonight!
After a while, however, she noticed that though lots of men were shooting her lustful glances, none of them were approaching her. And the women were giving her distinctly un friendly looks—many directed from the third eye at the center of their forehead.
She was beginning to wonder if she had made a bad decision when the guide appeared at her side again and touched her elbow.
“Forgive me, Dr . Craythorn for interrupting your study of our culture, but would you be so kind as to come with me? The leader of our local tribe, Chief Lowhung , would like to meet you.”
“Oh, well…of course.” Sunny smiled and nodded obligingly. “ Lead the way.”
She looked over her shoulder to see if Greer was following, but the big Kindred seemed to be in the middle of a knot of Thropp’ians . He was speaking but though she could hear the rumble of his deep voice, Sunny couldn’t make out the words.
Oh well—she didn’t see any harm in going to meet the Thropp’ian leader by herself. Greer could catch up to her if he wanted to.
She followed the guide deeper into the hut until they reached what must be the center of the long structure.
There , sitting on a throne that was woven from some kind of lightweight wood like bamboo was an extremely tall and muscular Thropp’ian male.
In fact, Sunny estimated that he might be almost Greer’s height if he was standing.
“Your Chiefliness ,” the guide said, bowing low to the Thropp’ian on the throne. “ May I introduce Dr . Craythorn , the famous scientist who has come from the stars to learn of our ways.”
“Ah, Dr . Craythorn …you are most welcome here.” The Chief gave her a nod as Sunny bowed to him as gracefully as she could.
He wasn’t bad looking in an alien kind of way, she thought.
His two regular eyes were studying at her face but his third eye—which had opened wide when he first saw her approaching—was fixed on her breasts.
“Thank you, Chief Lowhung ,” she said, smiling up at him. “ I am honored to be here.”
“And which of our ways do you wish to study?” he enquired, leaning forward on his throne.
“Why…your mating habits and marriage or Joining customs,” Sunny answered, smiling. “ Your people are fascinating to me— I hope to write a scientific paper about how you find your Bonded Mates .”
“I see…” Chief Lowhung nodded gravely. “ And perhaps you are looking for some firsthand experience?”
“Er… I’m not quite sure what you mean,” Sunny faltered.
“I mean…perhaps you are looking for a Bonded Mate yourself?” The Chief gave her a lascivious look—raking her naked breasts with all three eyes this time.
“ It seems clear to me that any male would be lucky to have you—though you have only two milk-makers, they are large enough and lush enough to make plenty of milk for the many babies the lucky warrior who won you would plant in your womb.”
“Oh, uh, thank you.” Sunny blushed and nodded, but inside she was feeling extremely uneasy.
Where was Greer ? This was the point where her big Kindred Protector should have jumped into the conversation to stake a Claim on her, but when she looked over her shoulder, she didn’t see him anywhere.
He usually never left her alone so long when they were on an alien world. What was going on?
“Are you looking for someone, beautiful one?” Chief Lowhung purred, leaning forward on his throne.
“Oh, er, just my companion. He was supposed to stay with me, but he’s not here. I wanted you to meet him,” Sunny said, hoping that all the male pronouns would throw him off.
Chief Lowhung frowned.
“And is this companion your Bonded Mate ? For you wear no Claiming Pigments upon your luscious milk-makers.”
Sunny opened her mouth to say that yes, Greer was her mate and make an excuse about the pigments, but the guide who had been standing silently by, answered before she could get out a word.
“No, your Chiefliness —he is but her Protector , not her Bonded Mate ,” he said and shot Sunny a sly wink from his third eye.
Sunny wanted to stamp her foot in irritation.
The guide thought he was doing her a favor by preserving the illusion that she was single, which was going to make it twice as hard to fend off any advances by the Thropp’ian Chief !
He was still eyeing her “milk-makers” in a way that made her distinctly nervous.
“Perhaps your Protector is choosing a Bonded Mate himself—or rather, being chosen as one,” Chief Lowhung speculated.
“ This first night of our Binding Week is the time when the women of our clans choose which males appeal to them and make their intentions known. Later , of course, we males are allowed to return the favor,” he added, giving her a knowing smile.
“Oh—that’s right!” Sunny wanted to smack her own forehead. Hadn’t she been telling Commander Sylvan about this very custom right before they left?
She remembered that Greer had been surrounded by a knot of Thropp’ians the last time she’d seen him—had they been mostly females? Sunny couldn’t remember but what if they were? They might be trying to stake a Claim on Greer right now!
“Would you please excuse me, Chief Lowhung ?” she said, nodding at the Chief . “ I must go find my Protector — I fear he might be in trouble.”
“Well in that case, who’s protecting who?” The Chief gave a low chuckle that she would have found attractive if he wasn’t still eyeing her breasts so openly. The novelty of going around bare breasted had pretty much worn off and his lustful scrutiny was making her really uncomfortable.
“I’ll bring him back to meet you as soon as I find him,” she promised, smiling.
“Very well, beautiful one—but hurry back. I long to see more of your luscious milk-makers,” Chief Lowhung growled.
“Uh, thank you.” Sunny nodded nervously and turned to go back the way she’d come.
She had to find Greer !