10. Emily
10
EMILY
Adjusting the new dress a final time, and still wishing it were a little longer and exposed less skin, I step out of the North Caves and into the fading evening light.
The hum of voices from the community firepit carries across the village, the scents of wood smoke and roasting meat filling the air.
It’s a normal evening for everyone else. For me, it’s something different. The big reveal of my makeover, and my main plan for getting Stromm’s attention, for getting him to give up on his ‘I must do this alone’ crap.
Loving someone means never having to go through tough times alone. Why can’t he see that as clearly as I do?
Xvar is standing at his usual post near the cave entrance, his arms crossed over his broad chest, his golden scales catching the last rays of light.
His dark eyes rake over me with appreciation, but there’s nothing lewd about it, just honest admiration.
“You are looking very nice this night, Em-uh-lee,” he says, his signature grin widening, “I almost did not recognize you.”
A flush creeps up my neck, but instead of shrinking away, I embrace my inner Charlotte, placing a hand on my hip and smiling. “Do you like it?”
“What male would not?” Xvar laughs, a rich, deep sound. “Every head will turn your way at the community fire.”
“You think so?” There’s only one male’s head I want to turn my way. But extra attention from other Rakui males might work in my favor.
He winks at me. “I do. Makes me wish I was not on guard duty.”
“Thanks, Xvar,” I say, my smile genuine.
His flirting gives me the confidence I need to walk toward the gathering. He’s the biggest flirt in the tribe, but his appreciation for my new look gives me hope that Stromm will find me irresistible.
When I get close to the gathering, Charlotte rushes toward me.
“There you are. I was afraid you weren’t coming.” Before I can react, she grabs my arm and yanks me forward, her steps brisk and purposeful.
“Wait,” I say, but she waves off my request, practically dragging me toward the firepit.
“Everyone’s waited long enough,” she says, her voice thrumming with excitement. “I worked hard for this moment, and I’m not about to let you screw it up.”
Charlotte making this all about her instead of me should be irritating. Instead, I’m a little relieved.
She squeezes my arm, grinning smugly. “Ready to make jaws drop?”
No. Well, maybe a little. One jaw in particular.
She’s not bothered when I don’t answer, she just drags me closer to her triumph…or my doom.
The first heads that turn my way are Terran, and I hear snippets of conversation as we approach the group.
“This is the makeover Charlotte’s been bragging about?”
“She said it was her greatest work yet.”
“Emily looks hot!”
“Charlotte said she made the dress herself.”
A nervous giggle bubbles up from my throat, followed by relief. This isn’t my reveal at all. It’s Charlotte’s. And she’s already told people what to expect.
Reece whistles and gives me a hug. “You look amazing, Em. Stromm’s going to eat his heart out.”
“I hope so.”
“I wondered why Charlotte wanted all the scrap hide,” Taylor, who works in the tannery, says. “I wonder if she’ll make me a tunic dress next.”
“You’ll need to take a number,” Charlotte says, her tone haughty. “There’s already three requests ahead of yours.”
I shrug my apologies, but Taylor just smiles. “I’ll take spot four, then.”
Kenzie nudges me, her grin wide. “You look fantastic. The hair, the makeup, the dress.” She does a chef’s kiss, then rubs her growing belly. She was the first Terran to mate with a Rakui and will be the first one of us who gives birth.
Charlotte soaks up all the praise and comments like she’s the one being honored, which takes some of the pressure off when male eyes land on me.
“Where did you find makeup?” Miranda asks. She works in the tannery with Taylor. “It looks so natural.”
“It looks natural because the pigments come from nature,” Charlotte explains, then ruins her explanation by adding, “All of you could use a makeup lesson or two. I’d be glad to teach a class sometime.”
Miranda shrugs. “I wouldn’t hate that.”
“Me either,” Taylor says.
Charlotte preens, flipping her hair over one shoulder, clearly loving the attention. “I’ll schedule something for next week. I can teach everyone how to make their own products and how to apply them for maximum effect. Later, we can do a hair-styling class.”
“I can hardly wait,” Reece murmurs under her breath, which makes me laugh. Shortly after crash-landing here, she cut her hair short like Gia’s.
I’m surprised to find myself enjoying the chatter. “I’d like to thank Charlotte for her time and talent. Oh, and dress. As you all know, the last couple of days have been rough. Getting a makeover was just the thing I needed to lift my spirits.”
While the women applaud, my eyes scan the crowd looking for Stromm. I find him on the other side of the firepit, talking with Jillian and Remmel. Although his attention isn’t on them—it’s on me and my new look.
His facial expression doesn’t transmit admiration or approval. Displeasure bordering on disgust is more like it.
My stomach twists, but I force myself to ignore it, turning my head and pretending I don’t see him. If he doesn’t like the new me, that’s too bad. He’s obviously in the minority.
I need to move before I crawl out of my skin. “I’m going to get some food.”
“I’ll go with you,” Reece says.
We slip away from the group and head toward the serving station where Rykana and Lexi are dishing up bowls of g ryzen and tuber stew. The chicken-like soup aroma makes my mouth water.
“Looking good, Emily,” Lexi says, handing me a bowl.
“Thanks.” I wonder if the stew tastes as good as it smells. “Did you make this?”
Lexi shakes her head. “Rykana did.”
Reece and I exchange a relieved look. As the cooking apprentice, Lexi’s efforts don’t always taste as good as they look—or smell.
“But I made biscuits,” Lexi adds, handing one to each of us.
“They are a bit firm,” Rykana warns. “Best used for soaking up the broth.”
Lexi takes her warning in stride. “I’m still perfecting the recipe.”
Reece laughs. “Good to know. Wouldn’t want to break a tooth.”
Rykana reaches out and touches my arm. “Your tunic is lovely, Em-uh-lee. A bit different than traditional Rakui garments, yet perfect for catching the eye of a special male.”
“Thanks,” I tell her. “Do you think it’ll work?”
She nods, and shifts her gaze behind me. “It already has.”
Before I can take a bite of the stew, a familiar voice rumbles in my ear. “I would like a word with you, Em-uh-lee. In private.”
I freeze, bracing myself.
“You okay, Em?” Reece asks.
“Yeah,” I say, then turn to find Stromm standing behind me, his expression dark and his arms crossed over his broad, bare chest. “Follow me.”
I spin around and walk toward the edge of the group, carrying my biscuit and bowl of stew, sensing Stromm trailing behind me more than seeing him.
When we are far enough away from the group to talk privately, I stop. “What did you want to talk about?”
His dark eyes rake up and down my body, scanning my new look like it personally offends him. “Why is so much of your skin showing?”
A laugh bursts out of me, sharp and disbelieving. “Excuse me?” I say, raising a brow. “I must have missed the rule where you get a say in how I dress.”
He is not amused. “This is not what Terran females wear,” he says, gesturing at my dress. “It is—” He pauses, jaw tightening, struggling to find the right word.
“Lovely?” I offer innocently, taking a bite of stew even though it’s hard to swallow past the lump that’s formed in my throat.
He scowls. “Too revealing.”
“You’re the only one who thinks that,” I reply coolly. “Xvar said I looked nice.”
Stromm’s jaw twitches, his fingers flexing like he wants to punch something. “You do not need the attention of other males.”
“Don’t I?” I tilt my head and purse my lips in what I hope is a sexy pout. “ You broke things off with me, remember? As a single woman with a blinking TEASE, why wouldn’t I be looking for other male attention?”
His eyes flash me a look that’s raw and possessive, and heat pools in my core. “I am the only one who makes the blinking go away,” he growls.
“The only one so far.” I can’t let him win this fight. “The last time we talked, you said I can’t be your mate, that you needed to find your way forward alone. Has that changed?”
Stromm’s nostrils flare and his breath sharpens as he scents my arousal, and I think he might give in.
Then he goes completely still and silent.
“That’s what I thought.” Tears of frustration sting my eyes. “I’ll wait for you to figure things out, Stromm, but not forever.” Turning on my heel, I walk away for the second time.