Taken by the Alien Next Door (Aliens Among Us #1) - Tiffany Roberts Page 0,124

guzzling nearly half the bottle.

Zevris cupped her chin when she lowered the bottle and brushed his thumb over her jaw. “Stay and rest. I’ll get everything taken down and loaded in the truck.”

Tabitha frowned. “Are you sure? I can help—”

“No. My mate feels ill and she will rest.”

She pouted up at him, but she knew he was right. With how her stomach felt, she wouldn’t have been much help and would only have slowed him down. “Okay.”

He bent down, pressed a kiss to her forehead, and stepped back. “I will return shortly.”

Zevris stroked her cheek again before his hand fell away. He took a couple steps backward, keeping his gaze on her as though he anticipated having to race back to her side, and finally turned to walk away, grabbing the dolly as he moved.

Slowly sipping her water, Tabitha watched him until he was out of sight. It wasn’t long before the bottle was empty. She turned her attention to the people walking by, offering a few smiles when they cast glances at her. The last thing she wanted was for someone to come and offer her help or ask if she was all right.

An announcement came overheard through the speakers, declaring that the fair would be closing in half an hour.

She took out her phone and checked her messages. There was a text from Mia, which Tabitha opened, and smiled when she saw the attached picture. It was of Mia and Josh, hair whipping in their faces, with the ocean in the background.

Below it was a text that said, We’re SO doing it on the beach tonight.

Tabitha chuckled and type out a reply. Beware of sand getting in uncomfortable places.

The dots appeared a moment later, preceding Mia’s response. Are you speaking from experience?

Tabitha’s thoughts immediately went to the day she and Zevris had taken a trip to the coast. Barefoot, they’d walked hand-in-hand along the beach under silvery moonlight, listening to the sighing of the wind and the waves. Things had turned…steamy. He’d sat on a big driftwood log, taken her onto his lap, and had made love to her right there.

It had been like a scene straight out of a romance novel—except for the fact that, even though his feet were the only part of either of their bodies touching the ground, sand had still worked its way into a few sensitive spots.

Maaaaaybe, Tabitha wrote back, adding a winky face.

Tabby, I am loving this new sex goddess you’ve become.

Tabitha’s smile grew. Ever since she’d met Zevris, he’d made her feel worthy, beautiful, and loved. She had never felt as sexy as he made her feel. He was damned good for her self-esteem. She’d rocked this kitty costume with confidence because Zevris’s eyes had locked on her the moment she stepped out of the bathroom as though he wanted to rip it all off and throw her on the bed.

She tucked her phone away to wait. Thankfully her queasiness was gone by the time Zevris returned. The sun had set, the sky was dark, and the fair’s lights—which would be going out soon enough—were brighter than ever.

“I’m sorry I took so long, Nykasha,” he said as he jogged the last thirty or so feet to reach her. He crouched in front of her, placing a hand on her knee. “How do you feel?”

Tabitha smiled. “Better. Actually, I’m kind of starving.”

His lips stretched into a smile, and he shook his head. He gestured in the direction from which they’d come. “Was there anything back that way that sounded appetizing to you?”

“Eh… I lost my appetite for fair food. Let’s just pick something up on the way home.”

“Anything you’d like.” Zevris leaned forward, slipped one arm behind Tabitha’s back and the other behind her knees, and scooped her up off the bench effortlessly.

Tabitha’s eyes widened and she let out a squeak, throwing her arms around his neck. “Zevris!”

She glanced around. A few of the remaining fairgoers glanced her way. Suddenly, she was plagued with imaginings of what all those people were thinking.

Did her ass look too big?

Was she too fat to be carried this way?

What was a guy like him doing with a chubby girl like her?

“Everyone is looking at us,” she whispered.

“And?”

And? That single word pulled her attention back to Zevris. She looked at him, met his gaze, and was reminded that he only had eyes for her.

And?

And who the hell cared?

What did the other people matter? All that mattered was right here in front of her. All that mattered