“A dog is a domesticated animal, a canine. Bloodhounds are a breed of dog well known for having an amazing sense of smell.”
“Because the g’hir have a more acute sense of smell than humans.” He tilted his head. “You equate me with this ‘dog’ creature.”
If she tuned out the translation in her head and just listened with her ears Ke’lar’s speech sounded just like a bunch of snarls and growls.
His brow furrowed. “You are smiling. Why is this funny?”
It was actually really funny but she didn’t think he’d get the joke.
She shook her head. “Don’t worry, even if I did equate you with a dog you should take it as a compliment. A lot of humans love them like family.”
He was silent for a moment. “I should like to see a dog someday. To taste lemon pie.”
“Maybe you will.”
“Perhaps.” He was already busying himself by gathering the remains of their dinner. “I will clear this away, then leave you so you may sleep.”
“Leave me? Where are you going?” She glanced toward the shelter opening. “You’re not sleeping outside?”
“We are still within the cavern,” he reminded with a raised eyebrow. “I will not drown.”
“Well, Jesus, I know that. I didn’t mean, were you going to go sleep out in the rain! I meant there’s no reason for you to sleep on dirt in some miserable, damp—Look, it’s warm in here and—” She gestured to the pallet, as comfortable as anything she’d ever slept on. “This is your bed. You should get to sleep in it.”
He frowned a little. “I do not wish my presence to make you uncomfortable.”
“It doesn’t. I mean—you don’t. It’s fine.” She cleared her throat. “You can sleep in here. You should get as much rest as you can, right?”
“It would be more comfortable.” He gave a shrug. “And if it does discomfort you to have me here . . .”
“Nope,” she said firmly. “Won’t bother me at all.”
Ke’lar went to check on Beya one last time for the night and Summer had just gotten under the covers when he returned. He was soaked again but threw her a smile when he ducked into the shelter.
“She okay?”
He nodded, grabbing a cloth to rub his hair with. He’d left his boots outside so as not to track mud into the shelter.
“She was asleep when I entered the cavern,” he said with a huffed chuckle, already unfastening the jacket of his warrior’s clothes. The jacket served as shirt too and his chest was bare beneath it, the muscles of his broad back evident as he turned to hang the damp garment. “Apparently I disturbed her.”
She’s not the only one . . .
Summer shifted under the furs, wondering why she’d ever thought having him sleep in here—and share the bed—was a great idea.
“I offered her some grain,” he said, already undoing his trousers. “But she would not eat. I think,” he continued, stepping out of them and hanging them as well, “she is simply too tired.”
He turned to her then, unabashedly bare.
Holy cow, that All Mother does some seriously good work . . .
His skin was darker than hers all over, a natural color, not a tan. His shoulders were broad and his muscled chest had only fine hairs. On either side of his abdomen, the muscles of his groin created a vee and the planes of his perfect stomach flexed as he knelt beside the pallet.
He was beautifully male, with cock and balls very like a human. The skin was darker there, veins visible beneath the skin, and resting on his muscled thighs, his penis was long and thick already. She was surprised by the longing to touch him; with a few strokes of her hand she could have him standing— “Summer?”
His brow was creased a bit. G’hir didn’t have the same concept—or really any concept—of modesty as humans did. Likely, he really was wondering why her face had gone all pink, why she couldn’t look at him . . .
Why she couldn’t stop looking at him . . .
He knelt at the pallet’s side, his vibrant gaze catching hers. “Do you want for anything, little one?”
“Excuse me?” she got out.
He indicated the luma. “Before I lower the light.”
The luma’s light played over the flatness of his abdomen; he was so close she could feel the warmth of him, could breathe in the cinnamon scent of him.
His brow creased again and she realized he was still waiting for her to answer.
“We should get some sleep,” she mumbled. “Right?”
He gave a human-style nod. “That would be best.”
He lowered the illumination but not to total darkness, and she suddenly thought that he had done that out of consideration for her. He would be able to see well in far less light than she.
Unfortunately, that had her able to see every curve and plane of his beautiful body as he joined her on the pallet.
Dismayed, Summer realized that when she was alone in it the pallet seemed huge but there wasn’t a whole lot of space left when you added a nearly seven-foot-tall warrior to it.