The Lasaran (Aldebarian Alliance #1) - Dianne Duvall Page 0,47
a hand over his heart and spoke in dejected tones. “I will just be deeply, deeply hurt.”
Her lips twitched, then she laughed. “You are so freaking likable.”
He smiled. “I feel the same about you.”
“Okay then. We’re both adults. And neither one of us is physically up to engaging in anything amorous anyway, so—”
“Well,” he said with a grin, “that isn’t precisely true.”
Her cheeks pinkened. “Stop making me blush!”
He laughed.
“So there’s no harm in us sleeping naked in the same bed.”
Taelon wasn’t confident he would get much sleep if Lisa curled up beside him naked but agreed nevertheless.
She waved a hand toward him. “Turn your back.”
He obeyed.
Cloth rustled. The bed creaked.
“Okay, you can turn around.”
When he did, he found her stretched out in bed with the covers pulled up over her bountiful breasts and tucked beneath her arms. Her long brown hair fell upon the pillow in tousled waves.
“You really are beautiful,” he told her.
She smiled. “Thank you.”
“I’ll go hang up our towels.”
“Okay.”
He snagged hers on the way to the bathroom. After hanging up the coarse towels, he turned to the mirror and grimaced. The incision that ran down his center from his collarbones to his navel had not healed at all. Frustration burned through him once more. How was he supposed to protect Lisa and their unborn child when such wounds weakened him, they lacked transportation, and they only had one weapon?
He strode out of the bathroom naked.
Lisa’s eyes widened when she saw him, then swiftly shut.
He grinned as pink once more filled her cheeks.
The mattress dipped beneath his weight as he sat on it.
Her eyes flew open as her side of the mattress tilted up and rolled her toward him.
Taelon rested a hand on her narrow shoulder to steady her, then slipped beneath the covers and lay down.
Silence fell.
“Would you tell me about your planet?” she asked softly as she studied him in the dim light.
He rolled onto his side to face her and eased forward until their heads shared the same pillow. “Of course.” He hoped one day to show it to her. If he succeeded in contacting Ari’k…
Well, he wouldn’t leave Lisa here on this barbaric planet where more men and women like those at the base would hunt her. Nor would he leave their child to those butchers’ mercy.
He just needed to convince her to take a leap of faith and join him when he departed.
To that end, he began to describe the beauty of his world. Lasara, the moons that orbited it, his people, the other populated planets in his solar system. He kept his voice low, his words carefully modulated. And soon her long lashes lowered until they rested upon her cheeks. Her breathing changed, deepening as sleep claimed her.
He gently brushed her soft hair back from her face, tucking it behind one delicate ear.
Even her ears were cute.
But the dark circles beneath her eyes were not. She needed this rest.
Leaning forward, he pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Sleep, Lisa.” Beneath the covers, he found her big belly with one hand. Both soft and hard at the same time, it fascinated him. He gave the mound a gentle pat. “You, too,” he told their daughter. “Your mother needs rest.”
A tiny fist, foot, or elbow thumped against his hand. That sense of awe returned, stealing his breath and making his heart swell. “I can’t decide if that was an acknowledgment,” he whispered, “or a rebellion. But know that you are loved, little one. And we will protect you. Sleep now.”
No more thumps followed.
Leaving his hand on Lisa’s belly, Taelon eased closer, then let his own lashes lower as sleep crept up and claimed him.
Consciousness didn’t gradually sneak up on Lisa, rousing her at its leisure. Instead, she became instantly alert.
Taelon lay on his back beside her, one arm curled around her, his chest pillowing her head. His legs were splayed beneath the covers with one of Lisa’s knees tucked between his own as she sprawled as close to being on top of him as her big belly would allow.
What had woken her?
“Henderson?” a man said outside their door. “It’s Roland Warbrook. I’m here.” Whoever had spoken had a deep voice flavored with a British accent.
Fear rising, she gave Taelon a little shake.
His eyes opened instantly this time and met hers.
She raised a finger to her lips and pointed to the door.
“You said room 9, right?” A pause. “No. The parking lot is empty, but the clerk said they’re still here. I’m going to go