Taken by the Alien Next Door (Aliens Among Us #1) - Tiffany Roberts Page 0,63

offering smiles and waves to the few people he passed. The rising sun bathed everything in a lovely golden glow that granted the world an almost surreal quality.

But his mind remained preoccupied with Tabitha.

What the fuck am I doing?

His reasons for taking her captive and keeping her restrained were only sound justification so long as he didn’t think about them too much. In truth, he was failing in more ways than he could count. This whole situation with Tabitha was sloppy no matter how he looked at it, especially from the standpoint of this military operation.

She was it—she was the only one he had any chance of forming a mating bond with. The only one he desired to make that bond with. And, despite his projections of confidence, he had no idea if that would even work. He wanted it with every bit of himself, but he recognized that his willpower was not enough.

Dexter increased his pace to a run as they rounded the corner onto the main road, where the sidewalk was backed only by landscaping and fences. Zevris jogged behind him without much thought; the physical exertion neither distracted him from his thoughts nor eased them.

He only had thirty days to show definitive progress in his mission.

Twenty-nine, now.

The realization that one day had already passed created a sinking feeling in his gut. One day down. At this rate, he’d need a thousand days to win Tabitha over. He had a feeling that he gladly would have spent a thousand years in his efforts to woo her, but he didn’t have that time, and neither did she.

However much she seemed to want him, there was something significant holding her back…and he couldn’t help but guess that it was result of his own foolishness.

Being forced to take her captive had encouraged him to be far bolder in his advances, though he knew that would have happened eventually, anyway—Tabitha was the only female to have ignited that spark within him. But the mating bond, as he understood it, went far beyond the physical, just as his desire for her went far beyond the physical.

Trust. That was the key here, wasn’t it? He needed to show her that, despite his actions, he trusted her, and that he was willing to let that trust grow. He also needed to demonstrate that she could trust him in turn. That would mean—

Zevris’s thoughts were interrupted when Dexter slowed and turned into the grass, nose to the ground. Zevris watched as the dog sniffed, wandering in circles with tail wagging until he finally found a spot.

Dexter turned, squatted, and took a huge shit—all while staring up at Zevris.

“As long as it’s not on my floor,” Zevris muttered. “Or on my furniture. Or in my garden, or in my truck. You know what? Let’s just say you ought to keep it to the grass, and we shouldn’t have any problems.”

Once the dog was done, Zevris used the bag to pick up the still-warm droppings and tied it shut. His mind shifted back to more important matters as he and Dexter, resuming their jog, turned down another street that would take them around the edge of the neighborhood and eventually back to Zevris’s dwelling.

It was time to admit what he’d known all along—Tabitha was right. Keeping her strapped to the bed was wrong, and it was no way to woo a mate. She deserved so, so much better than this, and even if his mission ultimately failed and no mating bond could be made between them, he would not let his relationship with Tabitha be part of his failure.

He couldn’t release her, not yet, but he could do what humans so often spoke of regarding romantic relationships. He could compromise. He could shift the dynamics of their current situation in a more favorable direction, even if he could not yet bring himself to change it completely.

Dexter was panting happily by the time they returned to Zevris’s dwelling. Zevris dropped the waste bag into the trash can and brought the dog inside, giving Dexter a pat on the side as he unclipped the leash. He closed the door behind him and reengaged the security field.

The dog trotted into the kitchen and sat on the floor in front of his food dish. He settled his expectant gaze on Zevris once again.

“Breakfast sounds good.” Zevris untied his boots, kicked them off, and placed them on the mat beside the door before walking into the kitchen. He poured the suggested amount of