My fingers are wrinkling up, though, and I wring out my wet hair, then gesture at my clothing on the bank. “Let’s get dressed and then we’ll go back to the cave and talk about…things.”
His brows draw together. “Repeat?”
I chew on my lip, thinking of the best way to explain. I decide to just show him. Leaning forward, I take his face in my hands and pull his mouth down to mine for a quick kiss. “Harlow wants to show you things.” And then I reach down and caress his still-hard cock under the water.
Recognition dawns on his face, and he strokes his hands over my shoulders. “Har-loh…things.”
“Yes, all kinds of things.” Maybe it’s time we take this resonance thing head-on. I smile up at him and wipe wet hair from his brow. “Harlow and Rukh things.”
He bares his teeth in a grin and presses his mouth to mine. It’s not quite a kiss – more like a mashing of faces – but the sentiment is there, and I chuckle. The man gets points for effort.
I get out of the water and climb onto the bank. Immediately I feel the chill – the air is frigid and getting out of hot water into the icy breeze is brutal. I need to find a better way of bathing. Shivering, I drag my clothing on as quickly as I can, but I feel like an icicle by the time I’m dressed. I swath my thick fur cloak over my hair, making sure to keep it covered so it doesn’t freeze over in the wind. “I’ll probably regret this later,” I tell myself, but I’m willing to put up with some sniffles to be clean. I bend over to put a boot on—
—And am tackled into the snow.
The breath escapes my lungs and I cough, only to have one big hand cover my mouth a moment later. “Hsst,” Rukh whispers, and his big body covers mine.
What the hell? I try to drag his hand away from my mouth. He shakes his head, staring off into the distance. I follow his gaze…and gasp in surprise.
There’s an alien in the distance. One of the tribe. I can’t tell who it is from here, but the horns and swishing tail are a dead giveaway, even in silhouette. I gasp in shock. Someone’s here. Someone might have seen us.
And Rukh is freaking out. His hand tightens over my mouth, and he hunches low in the snow banks. His body covers mine, as if he’s trying to shield me from sight. I can’t see his face, but I can hear his breathing, heavy and angry.
“Rukh,” I whisper, but he tenses and makes another shushing noise. He doesn’t want them to see me. As I watch, he draws his knife out, and a new kind of worry overtakes me. This is more than concern over seeing a stranger – is he going to kill the hunter if he approaches us? I don’t want to be responsible for anyone else’s death. I put my hand on his. “Rukh, no.”
He only holds me tighter, a warning growl low in his throat.
I’m terrified of what might happen. I wait, scarcely daring to breathe, as the hunter crouches low in the distance, as if taking a break. He leans on his spear, scans the horizon, and then moves out of view again.
I exhale with relief.
Rukh jumps to his feet, knife in hand, and starts to go after him.
“No! Wait!” I lunge for Rukh, but he’s moving too fast. “Rukh, no!” I make my voice louder, because I know that will get his attention.
I’m right; he immediately comes storming back and puts a hand over my mouth. “Har-loh, shhh.” His nostrils flare; he’s visibly upset.
“Rukh, stay here with me,” I say, putting my hands on his chest.
“Harl-loh Rukh,” he growls. “Rukh!”
I know what he’s saying. I’m his, and another male is encroaching on his territory. How to explain that the man probably isn’t looking for me at all? That he wouldn’t resonate to me because only Rukh can? I hate that we don’t have enough words between us. “I know,” I say in a soothing voice. “Harlow is Rukh’s, okay? But please stay with me. Please don’t go kill someone just for me.” My voice trembles and cracks. “I need you with me.”
He cups my face with one hand, then looks off to the horizon, clearly torn. His big shoulders heave with tension, and I feel as if he’s moments away from totally snapping. I know other resonating males get possessive of their mates, but like this? Like he wants to carve the stranger’s face up simply because he got within a hundred yards of me? Is it because we haven’t fulfilled our resonance? Is it because he doesn’t trust anyone but me?
Is he worried he’s going to lose me?
“Harlow belongs to Rukh,” I say again in a soft voice, but he keeps staring off at the horizon. I don’t trust him not to gallop off and go after the hunter. I need a distraction.