CHAPTER 16 #2
"Exactly." Valmir's hand slides up to my ankle, warm and ticklish.
"You are smart. You're strong. You have a kind heart and an appreciation for the land around you.
You respect this world and the people in it, and you don't try to be something that you're not.
You help others and you like everyone. You acknowledge that you don't think you're comfortable killing animals in a hunt, so you work on improving at the things that you do feel comfortable with.
You don't expect others to pick up the slack for you.
You work hard and you don't complain. And you think I'm funny.
" His whiskers twitch. "So yes, I like you.
Probably far more than is healthy. You also smell incredible. "
"My scent is very important," I tease.
"To me? When I can smell someone from across the camp? Yes, it is. I would happily fill my nose with your scent rather than have to breathe in more of Corvak." He shakes his head slightly. "Or keffing Chalath."
"Boy, you really don't like Chalath. What did he do? Spit in your dinner?"
His lip curls slightly. "Nothing so much as that. We don't really speak." Valmir stares at the fire for a long moment. "Chalath is a splice."
"I know." I give him a curious look, waiting for him to fill in the missing pieces.
His gaze flicks to mine, his hand moving over my foot.
It's not quite a foot massage, but more like a caress.
Either way, it's soothing and welcome. "Chalath has rules in his head.
Many, many combat rules. He knows dozens of moves, the history behind some of the biggest battles.
He knows what races pair up well in a team battle.
He knows what terrain is best in what weather and is trained in twenty-six different weapons.
I have none of that." Valmir's voice goes flat.
"So when I see Chalath, I see what I am lacking. "
Oh. That must be so hard. I feel a twinge of sympathy for my poor pussycat. He tries so hard to seem unbothered, and yet it has to eat at him to know that Chalath has all the information he is keenly aware he doesn't have. "Fuck that guy."
Valmir head turns to me in surprise. A hint of a smile curves his mouth, his fangs peeking out.
"I'm serious. Fuck that guy. We don't have to like everyone on the beach just because we live there. Fuck that guy."
"I appreciate the loyalty, but I am sure he's decent enough.
It is probably unfair of me to dislike him because of something he had no say in.
Chalath does his share around camp, which is more than I can say for Jason.
" He says Jason's name like a cuss word.
"That one doesn't hunt as much as the others. "
Poor Jason. None of the taters like him much. "Oh come on. Jason does other things around camp."
"Like flirt with Sabrina."
Well, he definitely does that. "He knows a lot about cooking. And fishing. And hut repair. And gardening. He had a lot of odd jobs back on Earth and so he stays busy around camp. I promise he's not freeloading."
I don't point out that Jason knows very well the other gladiators don't like him much. My guess is that he doesn't go hunting with them out of an abundance of caution. Can't say I blame him.
What I am wondering is why we're talking about Jason after Valmir has confessed how he feels about me. After he's asked about kissing. He's touching my foot and saying he's going to spoil me and...then I get nothing but talking.
This is the chattiest Valmir has ever been around me.
Is he...shy?
It's wild to think about, yet Valmir doesn't like to show vulnerability.
I watch as he pokes at the fire with a long bone, then sets it against the lip of the rock-lined firepit.
One hand always remains on my foot, as if he doesn't want to let me go.
He glances over at Makana. "Is your pet all right? "
"He's good. He ate a couple of roots, and I made a nest for him."
Valmir nods. His hand twitches on my foot. "I'm sorry his cage didn't work for him. I can make a new one when we return, something he would be happy to stay in."
"I don't think we need the cage. He's not going anywhere. And if he did...I'd let him. But I think you're right. I think he's spoiled now." And I think Valmir is stalling.
He grunts. "Are...you hungry? Would you like for me to make you something to eat?"
Aw. Definitely shy. So strange to think that the guy who jerked off on my door is now feeling awkward about asking for a kiss. "I'm not hungry."
"I see."
I get tired of waiting for him to ask. "Valmir, do you want to kiss me?"
His tail gives a hard thump on the ground behind him, like the prickly cat he is. His gaze locks on to my face. "I...yes. Yes, I would."
I pull my leg out of his lap and move closer to him. "Okay, good. Because we've talked about Jason and animal cages enough. I want to kiss."
"I would like that." He sounds stiff and solemn.
Putting my hands on his tunic, I pull him in closer.
His entire body is like a board, and I can feel the nervousness sheeting off him.
His anxiety is making me nervous, too. He watches my face closely, his gaze darting over my features.
I move in closer, my nose practically touching his, and bury my fingers in the thick ruff of mane that surrounds his head.
It's soft and fluffy, not coarse like I imagine a lion's mane would be.
It's rather nice to grab onto, and my mind immediately goes to filthy, filthy places.
But we're going slow because he's nervous, I remind myself. Can't shove his head between my legs until we've kissed.
Valmir's gaze slides over me, his catlike mouth drawing into a frown. "Are you...waiting on me? I'm not sure what I'm supposed to do here."
"We're sharing a breath first," I tell him. "It's a tradition for my people."
"Another memory?"
I nod, the fragmented memories of other ceremonies flitting through my head. "This one just came to me, but it feels right."
"Then we should honor it." He holds himself still as I press the tip of my nose to his and just...
breathe. I breathe in and out with him, sharing breath.
A flurry of traditions from other forgotten weddings drift through my head — a floral lei for the bride and a Maile one for the groom.
The hula. The blessings. None of those customs are possible because we're here and not back home on Earth. I don't know his customs, either.
Which is fine. We'll make new ones. But I think us sharing breath to seal our union is fine. It's in the spirit of aloha, and that's what counts. We don't need anything more to celebrate our union.
And isn't that what this kiss is for? I've been holding back on my kisses because they're an intimate sharing. Touching Valmir and making him come felt like indulging in animal need. Kisses are different. But now, looking at him and with my heart full of our conversations today, I'm ready to kiss.
I put my mouth on his. Gently. Very gently. It's a mere brushing of lips, a transference of warmth and breath, nothing more. Valmir remains completely stiff the entire time. "April," he murmurs under my mouth. "What are the rules for kissing?"
I grin despite myself. "The rules are you do what feels good."
I lean in to kiss him again, another small peck. Still, this male keeps talking. "Surely there are some guidelines."
"Well, for starters, you don't talk when your woman is trying to kiss you." I glance up at him, amused, and give his mane a gentle tug of reproach. "But if you need guidelines, we do lips first. Then we move on to tongue."
I lean in again.
His mouth opens before I can kiss him. "How am I to tongue you?"
And I pause once more. Really, it'd be funny how often he's interrupting me, except I know that Valmir wants guidelines because he feels like everyone knows the rules but him.
So I'm patient with his questions. Well...
patient-ish. "You use your tongue like you're tasting me.
Not like you're trying to lick my tonsils.
Don't jam it down my throat. Make it delicate. Sweet."
"Sweet?" He sounds scandalized at the prospect.
"Make it luxurious, then. Decadent." I lean back and meet his gaze with mine. "Use your imagination. Now, can I kiss you or do you have more questions?"
"I guess that's it for now," he says, grudging.
"Think of it as being playful, rather than a conquest. You're flirting with your opponent, not ramming them into the ground with force. That's how you use your tongue. Understand?"
"Playful." The poor man looks openly skeptical. It's adorable.
"I'll lead, all right? It's going to be fine. It's just a kiss. You're overthinking things."
"I'm just establishing the rules—"
Before we can get into another rules conversation, I put my mouth on his.
I kiss him with everything I'm feeling, pressing my lips more firmly to his.
I tease him with light, sweet kisses, as if I'm a butterfly moving over his lips.
His mouth feels warm under mine, but so far the whiskers and the strange part of his upper lip hasn't been a problem.
He's got a nice mouth, I decide. Just firm enough that he's fun to kiss, but soft enough to feel good.
"Lips, then tongue," he repeats, the words moving against my mouth.
"That's right," I say, and kiss him again. I gently nudge his lips apart with mine and dip my tongue into his mouth.
His tongue brushes mine.
We both gasp at the same time. It's like a shockwave of electricity ripples through me, my khui singing so loud the song is drowning out my thoughts.
Valmir's tongue isn't as catlike as I was afraid it would be.
It feels a lot like mine, but more nubbly and textured.
It's fascinating, and I'm looking forward to our kisses even more now.