44. Bambi
BAMBI
Huffing, I throw back my covers, fling my door open, stomp out of my room, cross the living area, and firmly knock on Bikar’s closed bedroom door. I hear a heavy thud, and seconds later his door is wrenched open, a look of alarm stamped on his face.
“Bambi… all is well?”
Shit. I probably should have thought this out better. I didn’t mean to scare him.
Running his hands over me like he’s checking for wounds isn’t what I was expecting, but I’ll take it, because the sensation of him touching me is nice.
While he’s low-key freaking out, I take the opportunity to appreciate how handsome he is.
His turquoise skin and coal black beard are a striking combination together, but what makes him endearing is the way his hair is tangled over one horn where it’s escaped his topknot.
Once Bikar’s satisfied I’m fine, he calms. His eyes sharpen the second his brain comes back online. “It is the middle of the night. Something is amiss. Tell me what is wrong so I may fix it.”
I’m going for broke here, so I blurt it out. “I’m lonely.”
Gold eyes go wide, his jaw drops, and heavy brows shoot up to the base of his horns. Shock is an understatement.
“I don’t want to sleep by myself anymore. I’m surrounded by people all day, and for a while I appreciated the break from socializing when we got back here. The quiet of my room was something I needed, but now…”
His gulp is audible. “But now?”
Hope fills his whispered question, and I smile up at him. “But now, I want to know what it’s like to sleep next to the man I love.”
Tears well in his eyes before spilling over and running down his cheeks, disappearing into the depths of his beard. Dropping to his knees, he buries his face in the crook of my neck, taking slow, deep breaths.
Wrapping my arms around him, I hug him to me. “It’s true, you know. I do love you. What most people don’t get is that love is a show, not a tell. If the actions don’t back up the words… well, those words are meaningless.”
Reaching up, I untangle his hair from his horns and smooth it back down, trailing my fingers through its thick length.
Bikar raises his head, the love he shows for me evident with every breath of his big body.
I tenderly caress his cheeks with my thumbs.
“You show me every day how much you love me. How could I not fall in love with you right back?”
Bikar clears his throat twice; his voice is scratchy, but his words are clear. “Bambi, little doe, my Starshine. Would you do me the privilege of sharing my bed with me tonight, and every night going forward? I will not have you lonely if I can help it.”
Nuzzling his nose with mine playfully makes him chuckle. “How could a girl turn down such a polite invitation to cuddle her man? Yes, Bikar, I would love to snuggle with you.”
Jumping to his feet, he swings me up into his arms and carries me to bed.
Stretching his left wing out, he uses the claws at the bend to straighten the covers before setting me down and crawling in beside me.
I squeak when he grabs and yanks me against the hard length of his body, his breath escaping in a heavy sigh.
His big body relaxes as he tucks me beneath his chin.
Then he pulls up the covers and blankets us with a wing as well.
Wiggling my backside against him, I stifle a giggle when he groans and grabs my hips, holding them still.
“Little one, you have agreed to sleep in my bed. We have not yet discussed sealing our bond, and sleeping with an erection is almost impossible. Be still, for my sake.”
“Okay, Bikar.”
“Do not pout, little doe. Go to sleep, for the next rotation will be here soon.”
“Goodnight. I love you, Bikar.”
“You have my hearts, my Starshine.”