Page 16 of The Emerald Boa’s Lover (Operation Colonise #3)

He came after me?

Still Dalahan.

The noise I made when I saw it was Charlie on the other side of the door was so embarrassing, I swore Tabitha to secrecy later on. It was high-pitched and in the back of my throat. My hands grabbed onto Tabitha’s shoulders and I sank down on my tail in shock.

“Charlie?” I gulped, staring at him on the screen.

He was dressed in a pair of jeans and an untucked white shirt that made it look like he’d dressed in a hurry.

His blonde hair was more dishevelled than usual.

Had he run his hands through it with worry?

Worry for me? No, that’s just wishful thinking on my part.

“Did you call for a doctor?” Maybe he was just responding to a call?

“No. Is this the guy?” Tabitha looked up at me and got all the confirmation she needed with the way I was longingly looking at the screen. Dare I hope he’d come looking for me?

“Excuse me?” Charlie pressed the button for the bell again and the security camera microphone picked up his voice.

“Look, I’m really sorry for turning up so late in front of your house, but I’m looking for a friend of mine.

His name is Dalahan? He’s Ucfeni, has green scales, like he’s made of lots of little emeralds, and erm, he’s probably not his usual cheerful self?

” Charlie held the back of his neck with an awkward smile with one hand, and the other pointed to his necklace.

“The nice operator I spoke to on my com-gem ten minutes after wandering aimlessly around Orna, at night, told me that he could track my sponsor for me?” I could see Charlie’s green eyes as they locked onto the camera.

“This is the address I was given so…is Dalahan there?”

“Let me check.” Tabitha sassed and released the speaker button. “Okay, he’s pretty and he knows you’re here, but this is my house and I can tell him to fuck off if you like?”

“…he came…after me?” I cupped my hand to my mouth in shock.

Why would he come after me? He was so mad I thought he’d appreciate some space from me, not coming looking for me?

Tabitha stroked my arm to get my attention and she looked genuinely worried for me.

I hated that I made her worry. She suddenly scowled and pressed the speaker button with more venom than required.

“He’s not here, so get the hell off my porch and go bother someone who cares.” I nearly fell in a heap on my own tail when she dismissed him like that.

“What are you doing?!” I squealed and held her shoulders to turn her to face me. She opened her mouth to answer me, but never got the chance.

“HEY! Dalahan is in there, and I’m not leaving without him.

” Tabitha and I both turn our heads to look at the security camera.

It’s still on so the microphone still picks up Charlie as he snarls up at it.

“Look.” Charlie pinched his nose and then flung his hand from his face as he gestured with his words.

“Dalahan is my sponsor. He’s my friend, and we had a bit of an argument earlier tonight.

He left. I’ve come to get him back. Anything else I have to say is private, but…

” He sighs and I see defeat in his eyes as he stares at the camera.

“…I’m not mad. Can you tell him I want to see him? Please?”

“Don’t do it.” Tabitha knew me so well. She already knew what I was going to do before I did. “Don’t go slithering back to him. He’s not your boyfriend.”

“Are you kidding? Charlie came after me, he’s not mad, and he wants to see me?

” I was going to come to heel like a prize pet!

She groaned at me but shrugged under my hands.

I released her and pushed the door release.

Charlie wasn’t the only one startled by my sudden presence in front of him.

I gulped and swayed my body around Tabitha to approach him.

“Charlie?” I spoke softly and hoped he meant it when he said he wasn’t mad.

Because I’m still feeling raw from him and the scales beneath my eyes are sore from crying.

I was braver before I opened the door, but now I’m looking at him I’m terrified.

My heart races in my chest and I coil my tail beneath me tightly. Nervously.

Charlie darted his eyes past me at Tabitha, who was no doubt scowling behind me protectively, and then back into my eyes.

“So can we go home now?” He asks me and I release the breath I’m holding with a cautious smile. That had to be a good sign, right? If he wanted us to go home?

“Are you sure? I thought…I came to Tabitha’s nest to give you space…”

“Oh, fuck me.” Charlie grunted, then he huffed a laugh which I thought was really confusing. “So you’re Tabitha?”

“I am.” She stepped up to my side and put her hand on my right bicep. “And I love this big guy like he’s my brother. So if you hurt him, I will be a hell of a lot scarier than the 9ft long Naga.”

“Tabitha?!” I hissed, but Charlie barked with laughter.

“I believe that, trust me.” He continued to chuckle even though Tabitha continued to glare at him. “You don’t need to worry. I’m not a bad guy and I’m not after any sort of round 2.”

“You’re not?” I was ridiculously pleased to hear that.

I smiled so wide my jaw membranes were visible.

Charlie smirked and held the back of his neck as he looked up at me.

“Tabitha I’m going to head home now.” I declared and slowly leaned out to Charlie’s side.

I struggled to swallow the lump in my throat as Charlie turns and offers me his hand!

What’s going on? An hour ago Charlie was snarling at me and now he was offering me his hand?

I was reluctant to believe he wanted anything from me, never mind my touch, but I also didn’t want to give up the chance to hold his hand.

I’ve imagined sliding up beside Charlie and interlocking my fingers with his, but the real thing was better than I dreamed.

Especially when he tugged on my hand and led me confidently away from Tabitha’s home.

I gave her one last look and she was smiling at me.

Did she know something I didn’t? “Charlie?”

“Thank you for coming out.” He gave me his usual charming smile and I leaned closer to him.

He walked on two legs and I wound on my tail.

Side by side. I’d be enjoying this if I wasn’t so nervous about what he was going to say to me next.

“I’m going to come out and just say it.” Charlie sighed and shrugged at me.

“I was an asshole. I’m sorry.” My jaw dropped.

I was not expecting him to apologise. “I didn’t really think through what you were asking, and why, and you weren’t being unreasonable.

I just don’t like the idea of you thinking of me as property.

Add in that I’ve had a long day at the clinic and it sounded at first like you were ordering me into the bath, and…

I lost my temper.” He shivered and used his free hand to rub his arm.

Then he laughed and looked up at me with a chuckle.

“You know, I’ve got this long-standing habit of swooping in and trying to rescue guys in need.

They usually lack self-confidence or they’re insecure about something.

So this isn’t the first time I’ve had to go out into the night to retrieve one. Normally from a bar.”

“I’m not needy.” I reply with a grumble and half shut my eyes in a pout. “I didn’t slither off because I wanted you to come after me. I was giving you space and staying with a friend.” Charlie narrowed his eyes at me and I tensed. The last thing I wanted was for us to fight again.

“Yeah I know, but you still ran off into the night. I still had to come looking for you. There are parallels, is all I’m saying.

” He shrugged again and gave my hand a squeeze.

“I’m not a jerk and I didn’t want to feel like the bad guy for two days until you came home.

That’s why I came after you. Neither of us deserves to feel unhappy for the next two days, I hope? ”

“I wasn’t trying to make you unhappy Charlie.

” I squeeze his hand back. My tongue flicks at the air and he’s shivering without pause now.

“It’s late and getting very cold. We’ll get back to our nest faster if I carry you.

Platonically.” I add just to protect myself from any potential accusation of trying to get my hands on him.

Of course I do, I always want to touch him, but not always for the same reasons he thinks I do.

Charlie must have known where my mind went as he laughed.

“I’ve been out in this cold for over an hour, so I’m not going to let my pride get in the way of getting home quickly.” Charlie surprised me again. He let go of my hand and stepped over my tail to grab my shoulders. “Ready?”

“Yes.” I move my arms out ready to catch his legs.

I soon have him on my back and his arms around my neck.

I know he isn’t hugging me for anything other than support as I wind quickly through the streets of Orna.

This is the middle level, so it’s not as risky as being on the public level, but I still move quickly.

I prepared myself for a silent journey, but Charlie had other ideas.

“Why do you want to be my boyfriend so badly anyway?” He couldn’t see how dark my throat turned or how wide my eyes went. I stuttered in my throat and didn’t know how to begin.

“B-because of many reasons.” I fumbled. I wasn’t prepared to see him again tonight, and I certainly wasn’t ready to justify my feelings to him in the middle of the street.

“Such as?” Charlie spoke by my right ear hole and I turned my head to peer at his curious stare.

I could tell that what I said next would have far more meaning to him than I could imagine, and I was scared of getting it wrong.

I gulped and came to a stop. My tail coiled a few times loosely to support us.

I use my tail tip to circle around his waist and lift him off my back.

“What are you doing?” His arms and legs flail as I lift him through the air until I can wrap his legs around my waist. His hands land on my shoulders and I take hold of my own wrists to provide a support bar for under his backside.

“Dal?” His tone is warning me not to push my luck.

Looking him right in the eye, I take a deep breath and try to give him the best confession I can.

He wants to know why I want to be his mate? I’ll tell him until my scales fall off.