21. Terra #3
They reached the edge of the Market where the enormous wole tracks wound back through the forest. Another of the giant centipede-like animals was already waiting, happily chewing on its pastel hay ball while passengers climbed aboard.
Terra eyed it warily.
“Okay–so another ride on the giant centipede,” she muttered.
Taurex frowned.
“Are you afraid?”
She lifted her chin.
“No.”
“You appear concerned,” he said, giving her a worried look.
“I’m just…preparing myself psychologically,” Terra told him.
He raised his eyebrows.
“For a two-minute ride?”
Terra put her free hand on her hip.
“Hey–that thing goes faster than Space Mountain!”
He shook his head.
“I do not know what ‘Space Mountain’ is.”
Terra laughed, some of the tension broken.
“That’s another cultural experience I’ll have to introduce you to. Though I don’t know–you might be too tall to ride it. They don’t build roller coasters for Monstrum sized riders–at least, not at Disney World.”
Taurex frowned.
“I have heard of roller coasters. This Space Mountain–does it involve deliberately frightening oneself?”
Terra shrugged.
“Yes. But it gives you a thrill–a lot like riding the wole-train. Also, Space Mountain happens to be a roller coaster you ride in the dark.”
Taurex sighed.
“Humans.”
Terra laughed as he helped her onto the platform.
“Yes, we’re an irritating bunch, aren’t we?”
“Irritating…fascinating…and completely amazing,” Taurex murmured, giving her a look that made her bite her lip and press her thighs together.
As before, he carefully secured her belt first, leaning over her to check it twice. His scent surrounded her—warm musk, leather and that indefinable something that was simply Taurex—and Terra felt that familiar little pulse of desire low in her belly.
But this time she didn’t panic about it–she simply let herself feel it.
Maybe that was dangerous…maybe she was getting too comfortable with the big Monstrum.
But after everything she had been through, Terra thought she might deserve to enjoy something dangerous for once.
Especially when the dangerous thing in question had spent the afternoon buying mood-flower bracelets for her daughter, living puzzles for her son and air-purifying plants for her mother.
“All secure,” Taurex murmured, apparently satisfied that she was safely strapped in.
“Thank you,” Terra murmured, smiling at him.
He took the seat beside her and Terra immediately reached for his hand.
Taurex looked down at their entwined fingers, then up at her.
Terra smiled.
“What? I need something to hold onto while we ride the wole-a-coaster.”
His golden eyes warmed and he rumbled laughter.
“Of course. You can always hold on to me.”
Then the whistle blew, and the pastel ball of hay shot upward.
The wole lunged after it and they were off.
“Oh, my God!”
Terra grabbed Taurex’s arm with both hands as the enormous creature went racing down the track, but this time her startled scream quickly turned into laughter.
Now that she knew what to expect, the wole ride wasn’t nearly so scary.
In fact, she felt the same happy dip and rise in the pit of her stomach as she had back when she used to ride roller coasters.
She laughed with pure joy and Taurex laughed too–that low, rumbling sound that seemed to vibrate her entire body.
And as the glowing forest blurred around them and the giant wole carried them deeper into the living Mother Ship, Terra found herself thinking something she absolutely should not have been thinking about her boss.
This really did feel like a date…and she didn’t want it to end.
When the wole finally slowed at their stop, Taurex rose and gathered their purchases while Terra unfastened herself.
He stepped down first, then turned and reached up for her, placing his enormous hands around her waist. Terra rested her hands on his shoulders while he lifted her down as though she weighed nothing.
For one brief moment after her feet touched the ground, neither of them moved. His hands remained at her waist and her hands remained on his shoulders.
Taurex looked down at her and Terra looked up at him, getting lost in his gorgeous alien eyes.
The noise of the departing wole seemed to fade around them until all she could hear was her own heartbeat–which was banging against her ribs.
Was he going to kiss her? Did she want him to?
The answer to the second question came to her at once–yes. Yes, she did want him to kiss her.
But Taurex only looked at her for another long moment before slowly releasing her.
“Come,” he rumbled. “We must get going.”
Terra tried not to feel disappointed.
Professional, she reminded herself. Keep it professional–this isn’t a date–remember?
Right. Even if they were currently standing hand-in-hand inside a magical forest while he carried groceries home to cook her dinner, it still wasn’t officially a date.
Taurex shifted the living baskets more securely onto one arm and offered his free hand again.
“Come,” he rumbled. “Now I will show you my domicile.”
Terra slipped her hand into his and smiled up at him.
“I can’t wait to see it.”
And as he led her away through the glowing forest, she realized that was absolutely true.