Total pages in book: 24
Estimated words: 22109 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 111(@200wpm)___ 88(@250wpm)___ 74(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 22109 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 111(@200wpm)___ 88(@250wpm)___ 74(@300wpm)
He laughs, delighted at my reaction. “The couch will do.”
I remember the waves of noli permeating Chelsea’s house—and the subtle lingering scent of it on my shirt—and growl at the thought. “We need to air her place out first. There was noli involved the other day and I’ll rip your hand off if you even think of touching my female.”
Jrrru shakes his head. “Not interested in your female, brother.” He gives Chelsea a curious look. “Are your neighbors pretty?”
“Pretty unfriendly,” she jokes.
My brother isn’t deterred. “I’ll win them over. Should I go tell the foreman that he’s going to lose some crew?”
I nod at Jrrru, dazed. I still can’t believe he’s coming with me.
I still can’t believe I’m staying. I turn to Chelsea, cupping her beloved face again because this feels like a dream. “You’re sure you want me to stay?”
“More sure than anything. I can’t bear the thought of you leaving.” She tilts her head up for another kiss, and her face is wet with both tears and rain. “Stay. Stay forever, but only if you want to.”
“I love you, too.” The words are unfamiliar to me, but I know what they mean, and I know she needs to hear them. Her bright smile of response tells me everything. “I’ll stay…but only if you want a possessive praxiian around.”
“Sounds like I’m getting two of them,” Chelsea says with a laugh. Her hand goes to my face and she scratches at my cheek tuft. “And we’ll farm together…and fish together forever, me and you?”
“Only if you bait my hooks.”
I love the brilliant smile that curves her lips. “Done. Shall we head to the courthouse and get married? That’s the human way to do it and we’ll be bound together. No one can separate us then.”
“Now? You’re sure you want to marry me now?”
“Sure, why not?” She gives me a downright mischievous look. “Maybe it’s a little sudden, but I prefer life on the edge, remember?”
There’s my Chelsea. With a rumble of laughter, I kiss her again, not caring that the rain is pouring down around us and we’re standing in the mud.
This day is perfect, as far as I’m concerned.
Epilogue
HRRRUSEK
I watch as my fearless human wife careens her air-sled towards our house, and shake my head. For six months now, I’ve been telling her to drive with a little more caution, but caution isn’t a word in Chelsea’s language files. Just like with everything else in her life, she charges ahead without thought…and that’s why I pilot the sled when we’re together. Her driving terrifies me.
I love the woman, but she’s going to keffing crash the thing if she’s not careful.
Trying not to frown as she lands the sled into its space in front of the house, I head out to greet her. “That was a really fast turn.”
“Hello to you, too,” she says cheerfully, tilting her face up for a kiss. “And I drive just fine, thank you.”
I kiss her, trying not to grumble. The truth is that she does fly the air-sled well. A little faster than I’d like, perhaps, but she’s cautious when others are around. We’re lucky that the skies are mostly empty on Risda III. I’d be a lot more terrified if she was flying on Praxii, but here? It’s safe, even if it’s faster than I’d prefer. “Did you get the seed order?”
She pulls me down for another kiss, grinning up at me. “I did. I also got a new kind of seed that just came in. It’s supposed to be some fruit super popular with ooli. The price was a bargain, too.”
I bite back a groan because we’ve been down this route before. Chelsea decides to try something new every season with the crops. It’s not enough to jeopardize the farm or its income, but I dislike these particular “bargains” because it makes me feel as if she’s being taken advantage of. Last season it was a root that’s popular with avians, but they never even sprouted. My mate laughed it off and kissed my frown away, but I don’t like the thought of anyone taking advantage of her fearless nature. She’s not foolish. She just doesn’t waste her time on regrets.
Any time I think about chastising her on another one of her purchases, I think about her scars and try to imagine what she went through. It reminds me that she’s fearless because she’s strong, and it makes me love her all the more. She’s allowed to throw caution to the wind because I’m here to make sure she stays safe.
I kiss her again, and when she strokes her hand into the fur on my arm, I start to purr. “We should have a date night tonight,” Chelsea murmurs, giving me a heated look. “To celebrate.”
“What are we celebrating?”
“Seeds, of course.”
Amused, I watch as she saunters into the house, her plump backside swaying. “This better turn out better than our last date night,” I call out, thinking of her idea to go skinny dipping in the river. It was a lot of fun until something bit my tail, and then I refused to go back into the water. Things shouldn’t live in your bath. I stand firm on this thought. I shudder at the memory and then add, “Or the one before.”