The Lasaran (Aldebarian Alliance #1) - Dianne Duvall Page 0,38

out.

“And lock the damn door!” Taelon called after them.

The door closed. Keys jangled. The lock turned. Then footsteps retreated.

Lisa looked up at Taelon. “Do you think they bought it?”

“I think so.”

“I’m shaking,” she admitted in a whisper.

The anger left his handsome features, replaced by concern. “I know. I can feel it.” Relaxing beside her, he rolled her toward him and drew her up against his warm body. “It’s okay,” he murmured, wrapping his arms around her.

Lisa willed her limbs to stop quaking. Nausea soured her stomach. Tears threatened.

“It’s okay,” he whispered, drawing a hand over her hair in a tender caress that just made her want to cry more. Damn hormones.

Her big belly was wedged against his. She hoped it wasn’t hurting his wound.

“You did well,” he said softly. “You’re a quick thinker. And brave. I never would’ve guessed you were afraid if I hadn’t been touching you.”

She shook her head. “I was terrified.”

His lips quirked up in a wry smile. “I was, too.”

Taelon stroked Lisa’s hair, hoping to calm her and ease her fear. Her fragile body still trembled against his.

Moisture she refused to let fall glistened in her brown eyes. “You weren’t scared.”

“Yes, I was.” He really had been. Not for himself but for her. In his current state, he knew there was no way he could defeat four Earth men in physical combat. And because he wasn’t familiar with Earth weapons, he hadn’t even considered turning the one Lisa had hidden upon the soldiers. They would’ve killed him before he finished drawing it out from under the pillows.

So he had been terrified the men would drag Lisa out of bed and harm her despite whatever pathetic fight he managed to put up.

“Well, you sure didn’t look it,” she countered. “Or sound it.” Her lips twitched. “For someone from another planet, you have an excellent command of the English language. You cursed like you were born here.”

He smiled. “One of the female butchers at the base accused the males of cursing like sailors. Did I use the words correctly?”

She chuckled. “Yes, you did.”

Her tummy jumped against him.

All levity fled as Taelon sucked in a breath.

Her smile faltered. “What’s wrong?”

Again he felt movement against his abdomen, as though something inside her was either shifting position or trying to burrow its way out.

He jerked back, then grimaced at the pain it spawned in his chest.

Lisa winced and gripped her stomach.

The covers fell to their waist. His gaze fastened on her stomach. He actually saw something move inside it this time. “Drek!” Pulse quickening, he sat up and regarded her with wide eyes.

“Taelon?” Leaning up on one elbow, she draped an arm across her breasts. “What is it?”

There’s a monster inside me. He heard again the bleak confession she had offered when he’d spoken to her telepathically.

Bypassing her beautiful breasts, he stared at the large mound of her stomach, bracketed by such thin arms.

“Taelon?”

You don’t know what they’ve done, she had sobbed.

Unease and anger warred inside him. What had those butchers done to her?

Rolling out of bed, she reached down and pulled her long tunic over her head.

Taelon watched her, fear and concern rendering him temporarily speechless.

Once the dark fabric covered her, falling halfway down her pants-covered thighs, she faced him. Her cheeks flushed. “I’m sorry. Is it…?” She bit her lip and looked away. The pink darkened as she cleared her throat. “Is it because I took my shirt off? Because I kissed you? I know you said that’s forbidden, but I was just trying to—”

“No,” he blurted, sorry to have caused her any distress. “No. It isn’t that. That was…” Amazing. He would not have thought he could possibly become aroused while experiencing such physical agony, but the touch of her lips—the feel of her beautiful breasts pressed against him—had set his blood on fire.

“I didn’t mean to offend you,” she hastened to say.

“You didn’t.” He held a hand out to her. “You didn’t, Lisa. I vow it.”

Hesitantly, she placed her hand in his.

Taelon tugged it until she stiffly sat on the edge of the bed.

Swiveling to face him, she drew a knee up onto the mattress. “Then what is it?” she asked softly. “You looked… horrified or something. Is it…? Do you not find Earth women attractive?”

Appalled that she would believe he in any way found her wanting, he shook his head. “No. You’re beautiful, Lisa.” When her brow puckered with doubt, he shook his head. “No one else—on your planet or mine—could’ve sparked the intense physical response