Clapping a supportive hand on Jonoh’s arm, Gracie makes a disgusted noise. “He's quoting classic Caesar, you uncultured peasant.”
“Has she never movied?” Bash mutters to himself. He tsks in Mandi’s direction, making Gracie smirk.
Mandi sends him a look of disbelief. Probably because of all the aliens here, Bash is like the only one who doesn’t enjoy movie nights.
But he didn’t learn about Caesar from a movie. I told him about the scenes from a play I worked on.
Glancing over at him now, my jaw drops. He’s hauling the project he’s been working on, the one he’s sort of been keeping secret from me, as a surprise, which I’ve found endlessly cute. It’s huge—it’s one of several standees that will sit in the background of the stage. It’s supposed to be a swan silhouette, but it’s immediately apparent that Bash got creative. It’s also apparent that Bash can really build. “This is amazing,” I say, bringing my leather glove over the smooth-sanded edge.
“It is one of this planet’s native birds,” he says.
He kept the same elegant neck and interesting knob on its bill, but the feathers are showier.
“Those are flank plumes,” he tells me as I run a fingertip over the delicately cut wood. “And that would be their half-curled streamertail.”
Some of the feathers are long and thin until the very end, where they have feathered flares. The silhouette doesn’t look like a swan, but who cares? It looks like an elegant, beautiful bird and that’s all that matters.
Plus, Bash is having fun. Oh, he’d never say so, but he hasn’t bellowed, burnt or bitten anyone. And there have been times I’ve caught him working with us and smiling.
When humans aren’t slowing his team up and murmuring and getting hurt and whatnot in the rough and tumble rock quarry, he’s a lot less tense.
“Bash,” I squeak, emotion tightening my throat. “This is incredible! You are incredible.”
“Thank you,” Bash says modestly, accepting my praise. “I am relieved that you approve of the alteration in design.”
“I love it,” I tell him honestly. “You are so gifted at woodcrafting.” I look him up and down, licking my lip. “I’m finding this really sexy.”
Bash’s eyes widen. His brows pinch as he looks from the wood cutout to my face as if he’s not sure how I could possibly become aroused.
“I mean you,” I tell him, laughing. “It’s sexy that you’re having fun, and you’re so talented!”
The color along his cheekbones deepens. Is he blushing?
He grumbles and hefts the standee up again, walking it to sit with the couple of others I’ve managed to make so far. It’s slow going for me because I’m doing everything else, too. Not that I mind. It’s the best job satisfaction I’ve experienced since landing here. And technically, this isn’t a job. Everyone is working their butts off for free.
Including my mate, who has a full-time day job. “Thank you,” I tell him, sincerely meaning it.
Meeting my eyes, he gives me a chin jerk.
I saunter over to him.
He watches me hungrily. When I reach him, he murmurs, “Are you tired of these aliens yet?”
I grin. “You mean my people?”
“If you insist on claiming them.”
“I kinda do.” When he sighs, I laugh. “I’m just about finished up here. Although Callie offered to stay back and teach me some of the dance routine just for fun since I’ve been building set pieces more than I’ve been paying attention. I thought I might do that.”
Bash inclines his horns. “Do it if it would please you.”
I smile up at him. “Wellll, now I’m a bit torn. See, I have this super hot husband waiting on me.”
His eyes go a bit more molten green. “Is that so?”
His tail catches my wrist and tugs me close to him. I bite my lip as I glance between it and his face. “It is so, and I have to tell you he wouldn’t like me talking to some stranger.”
Now Bash’s eyes are pure emerald fire. “He’s protective of you, is he?”
“Oh, you have no idea.” I tug on his tail like I want him to follow me to hear a secret. I whisper, “You should see my special panties.”
Bash growls and his arms circle me to haul me in for a steamy kiss.
“Psst. Pssst.”
Bash’s arms turn to stone around me. I pull away from our liplock to glance over my shoulder. I find a nervous-looking Laura.
“What’s up?” I ask her past Bash’s tail, which is acting as an undulating barrier, instantly twitching (snapping) between us and