Total pages in book: 81
Estimated words: 75650 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 378(@200wpm)___ 303(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75650 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 378(@200wpm)___ 303(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
She is…trembling. Her fingers shake as she undoes her braid, and this makes my heart hurt. My khui hums a gentle song, and I get to my feet.
I clasp her hands in mine. “Why do you shake?”
“I just…don’t want your only memories of my body to be like this, you know?” She gestures at her belly and breasts. Her eyes are shining with tears. “Believe it or not, I used to have a tight belly and a nice ass. Now I just have too much ass and too much belly.”
“But this is the belly that carried my son,” I tell her, releasing her hands and putting my fingers on her stomach. “And it is round and smooth and soft and sweet, like my mate.”
Her laugh is choked and she gives a little sniffle. “And my ass?”
“It did not carry my son,” I tease, “But I do not think there is too much of it. I like how much there is.”
“You’re being too nice,” Stay-see says with a watery smile and pulls my hands off her, squeezing them to let me know she’s all right. “I really wanted my body to bounce back after Pacy was born, but it’s not really ‘bouncing’ as much as it is kind of limping back.”
Her words are nonsense, but I do not point this out. “I like your body. I would mate with you right now if you would let me. I would put my mouth between your legs and lick your cunt until the fire dies—”
Stay-see’s fingers press to my mouth to shush me, and her cheeks are the delightful pink I so enjoy. “I…I’m not sure I’m ready to jump back into bed with you yet.”
I nod. “I understand.” I caress her lovely pale shoulder and run my fingers along her jaw. “But I do not like it when you cry over your body. You are my mate. If these are the only memories I have of your body, I have no complaints.”
“Even though nothing is tight?”
“I like soft,” I tell her. Even now I cannot stop touching her skin. “Soft and smooth and warm and all Stay-see. I like you soft. I would like you hard and sinewy like an old dvisti, if that is what you want.” At her giggle, I feel relief. “I would like you as round and plump as a quill-beast in the brutal season.” Actually, I like that idea a lot. Her bottom large and fleshy, teats bouncing, and her belly full of my kit? It is an idea that appeals to me very much. “I would even like you if you never bathed again.”
Her brows go up. “Never, huh?”
“I would spend less time licking your cunt, perhaps—”
She laughs and gives my shoulder a little punch. “You are terrible.” But her eyes are shining and she is no longer nervous.
I smile and touch her cheek again. “Take your bath.”
8
STACY
Idon’t know why I worry about these things.
I’m still feeling the warm fuzzies from his sweet, thoughtful words about my body. Having Pacy did a number on my flat stomach, and it’s still poochy and lined with stretchmarks. My thighs are bigger than they used to be, and my butt…well, it’s not my favorite body part. I just didn’t want Pashov’s only memories of me to be of a post-pregnancy body. But the things he said to me just now? I feel beautiful and like I’m glowing from inside out. I’m smiling as I crush more soap-berries into the water and begin to bathe.
I just wish he’d grabbed my butt like he used to. Maybe make a joke about my lack of a tail.
Guess a girl can’t have everything.
I wash quickly, getting the worst of the smoky scent off of my skin and cleaning away a few days of grime. I scrub at my skin and there seems to be more dirt than I thought, so I swipe over my body a second time, acutely aware that this isn’t the sexiest bath I’ve ever had. Pashov’s not watching me though—I think he realizes it’d just make me nervous to see him eyeing me as I scrub at my skin.
Maybe when we get to the new home there will be time for me to have a sexy bath for him. I’m not sure I’m ready for it just yet, though. Maybe when I stop being such a blubbery baby about everything. I hate that I’m constantly crying and emotional. I just…
I don’t want him to be disappointed in who he’s mated to. I don’t want him to be disappointed in my body. In our son. In me.
It’s hard not to be nervous about that sort of thing. I’m not tall and statuesque like Liz. I’m not beautiful like Ariana or dainty like Josie. I’m just average, and before, it didn’t matter because we had resonance bonding us. With resonance, it didn’t matter if I looked like a hag, because I knew he’d want me. And by the time it had worn off, we were so in love with each other, it didn’t matter.