living quarters with a separate sleeping area, but he said this one would do. I am sorry, human.”
“Are you kidding me?” I said. “This is amazing.”
I wasn’t blowing smoke up his butt either. Where Galan saw a small plain room, I saw freaking paradise. The studio apartment had a tiny living area with a love seat and coffee table, a single sized bed and nightstand tucked along the far wall with a door on either side of the bed, and a kitchenette. There was even a small table with two chairs where I could eat my meals.
After years of living in literal cardboard boxes, this tiny apartment was downright luxurious.
“That door leads to the bathroom,” Galan pointed to the door to the right of the bed, “and that door is a closet. It has extra towels and there is space to put your clothing.”
He glanced down at me. I was still wearing the hospital gown and I tugged self-consciously at it. “Sigan burned my clothes, so…”
He was carrying my backpack and he set it down on the floor. I did have a couple extra changes of clothes, but they were back on Earth. Wrapped in plastic and tucked into a cardboard box and shoved behind a garbage dumpster in my favourite alley. Anything else that was important to me, I carried in my backpack.
“Maybe I could borrow some clothes from some of the women who work here?” I said.
“You are much smaller than them,” Galan said. “But I have left a couple of my shirts in the closet for you. They will sufficiently cover you.”
“Thanks. That’s really thoughtful of you.” I wandered over to the love seat, running my hand along the smooth grey fabric. The apartment looked exactly like an apartment back home, the furnishings practically identical to Earth furnishings. “Did you buy this stuff on Earth?”
“It makes our mates more comfortable if their new homes look like their homes on Earth,” Galan said.
My stomach took the express elevator to my ankles. “Right. Um, what’s your mate’s name?”
I didn’t actually want to know Galan’s mate’s name. She was probably some tall gorgeous woman with nice big boobs, an ass that wasn’t completely flat, and ribs that didn’t protrude.
I rubbed at those protruding ribs as I waited for Galan’s reply. It was stupid to even be attracted to him.
“I do not have a mate,” Galan said.
My stomach returned to its rightful place as a weird sense of relief washed over me. “Oh. Okay. Why not?”
He just shrugged before opening the fridge and taking out a bottle of juice. “Drink this now.”
I took the bottle from him, trying not to shiver when our fingers brushed. Ooh boy. I had it bad for the big green alien. I was such an idiot.
Looking anywhere but at the way Galan’s t-shirt stretched across his abdomen, I said, “So, can you tell me which way to the garden from here?”
“Drink, little human,” Galan said.
I took a few swallows of juice and he relaxed against the counter. “You need to drink lots of the juice every day.”
“That won’t be a problem,” I said. “I’m pretty sure I’m addicted to it already.”
“Your body craves it because you are sick,” Galan said. “Once you are healed, the cravings will diminish.”
“Good to know,” I said. “So, about the garden…”
He crossed his arms over his chest and my mouth went dry when his biceps bulged against the sleeves and the shirt stretched even tighter across his broad chest. Good God, he was gonna bust right out of that shirt if he kept that up, and I, for one, was fully on board with that.
“You are not allowed to leave your quarters without me or another Draax accompanying you,” Galan said. “This is very important, human. If you are caught in the castle without an escort, the consequences will be dire. Do you understand?”
“Yes,” I said. “No roaming the castle on my own. Got it. I’ll stay in my room.”
He studied me with those gorgeous copper eyes until I made a show of drinking more juice. Jesus, it was like he could tell I was lying to him.
“Your meals will brought to your living quarters and I will take you for a walk through the castle in the morning and in the evening,” Galan said.
“Sure, okay, sounds great. Thanks,” I said.
What it actually sounded like was that I was Galan’s new pet, but considering that the Draax were healing me, and housing and feeding me after I’d stolen from them, I