Hanna and the Hitman - Honey Phillips Page 0,42
frowned at him.
“And the two of you have never reconciled?”
“Today was only the second time I have spoken to him since he left.”
“What was the first time?”
“Surprisingly similar to today, but that time he was with a male companion who simply dumped him on the landing site.”
“I don’t understand.”
“When he left, the boy vowed never to return. I don’t think he expected the shifting sickness to affect him, and it didn’t, for several years. When it finally did, he paid someone to bring him back here.” Tanor looked off into the distance and sighed again. “He was so angry. And he wasn’t as sick that time, so he refused to let me help him. He just went off into the jungle. Whenever he came back after that, he went his own way.”
Cautiously, she put her hand across the table and patted his. “I’m sorry.”
For the briefest second, his hand covered hers, then he coughed and stood.
“I have work to do. Do you need anything else?”
“No,” she yawned. The exhaustion of the trip and the excitement of the day were beginning to catch up with her. Combined with a full stomach and two glasses of wine, she was ready for bed. “Is there a bathroom I can use?”
“There’s always the jungle,” he said blandly, then snorted at the look on her face. “We had indoor plumbing even before the traders arrived.”
The door next to Aidon’s room opened into a spacious bathroom, which once again looked rustic but concealed some very modern features. She cast a long look at a tub of gently steaming water surrounded by a curved wall of woven vines, but exhaustion was dragging on her, and she really didn’t want to leave Aidon for much longer. After she took care of the necessities, she went back into the main room. Tanor was bent over a tablet, writing steadily. Despite his industry, the huddled figure looked…lonely. Giving in to impulse, she crossed the room and kissed his cheek. He looked utterly astonished.
“Why did you do that?”
“I just wanted to say thank you. Thank you for helping us. Good night.”
She could feel him staring after her as she returned to Aidon’s room and closed the door behind her. Aidon was still sleeping heavily, but as soon as she climbed into bed next to him, he rolled over and tucked her against his body. He didn’t seem to wake up as he buried his head in her hair in his favorite position. She snuggled into his arms, closed her eyes, and went peacefully to sleep.
Chapter Sixteen
Aidon awoke feeling strong and refreshed. That was the blessing—and the curse—of Pardor. The planet rewarded its inhabitants with health and strength, but it exacted a heavy penalty. This morning that penalty didn’t seem so hard to bear, especially with Hanna cradled in his arms. With his mate cradled in his arms. He would pay a penalty for that as well, but this morning he couldn’t regret the cost.
The soft golden glow of early morning was seeping through the shutters, and he cautiously lifted his head. He didn’t want to disturb her, but he couldn’t resist the opportunity to look at her. In this light, her pale skin was kissed with gold. Her glorious red hair was tangled across the pillow and down over her breasts, half concealing the ripe little mounds. A rosy nipple, paler than her hair, peeked through the silky strands. He carefully brushed away the tendrils blocking his view, suppressing a groan when the impudent little bud responded to his touch.
Unable to resist, he bent down and stroked his tongue across her tempting flesh. She mumbled something, but when he looked up, her eyes were still closed. There was something exquisitely tantalizing about pleasuring her body while she slept. He licked her again, then closed his mouth around the taut peak, sucking gently. She arched against him, but her eyes were still closed, and he slid his hand down over the slight swell of her stomach and through the small patch of silky curls. Damp heat greeted him as he separated her folds, pulling them apart with two fingers so that his third had unrestricted access. He explored slowly, cautiously, circling the small entrance that seemed too tiny to have taken him the way he remembered. Their times on the ship had been a confused blur of heat and need, and he was determined to take his time. Even now, his cock was hard and aching, but he had regained enough control