61
" He didn't like causing her discomfort. "How are your hands?" He held his out, palm up.
Rounding the bed slowly, she placed hers in them.
Stanislav sat up straighter and examined them closely, then swore. Raw, open blisters marred the skin at the crooks of her thumbs and the base of every finger. She had gripped that shovel for so long that the blisters had all popped and the flap of loose skin on each had torn away. It looked painful. And she had said nothing, not even complaining when she had held one hand over the steaming pot of pasta while stirring it, something that must have made her hand hurt even more.
"Stop beating yourself up about it," she ordered softly.
He raised his head, on a level with hers though he sat and she stood.
"I wasn't intentionally listening to your thoughts," she told him. "You were sort of broadcasting them. And it wasn't your fault."
"I beg to differ. Had I not compelled you to dig me up—"
"You would probably be dead right now," she finished for him. Withdrawing one hand, she drew it over his hair. "It was worth it."
His pulse raced at her touch. His gaze dropped to her lips. He heard her heartbeat pick up. "
― Dianne Duvall , Awaken the Darkness (Immortal Guardians #8)
63
" Seth bent down and scooped her into his arms, kissing her cheek, then blowing raspberries in her chubby neck rolls. Giggles filled the air as she squirmed against him, leaning back and clutching him tighter all at the same time.
How he loved this baby girl.
"I don't know about you," Chaahk said, "but I'm feeling a little rebuffed."
"Why," Seth asked with a laugh, "because I didn't blow raspberries on your neck?'
Aiden and Imhotep laughed.
Shaking his head, Chaahk motioned to Aidra, "Why doesn't she smile as us like that?"
Seth shrugged. "I'm prettier. "
― Dianne Duvall , Shadows Strike (Immortal Guardians, #6)
67
" He strode out of the bathroom naked.
Lisa’s eyes widened when she saw him, then swiftly shut.
He grinned as pink once more filled her cheeks.
The mattress dipped beneath his weight as he sat on it.
Her eyes flew open as her side of the mattress tilted up and rolled her toward him.
Taelon rested a hand on her shoulder to steady her, then slipped beneath the covers and lay down.
Silence fell.
“Would you tell me about your planet?” she asked softly as she studied him in the dim light.
He rolled onto his side to face her and eased forward until their heads shared the same pillow. “Of course.” He hoped one day to show it to her. If he succeeded in contacting Ari’k…
Well, he wouldn’t leave Lisa here on this barbaric planet where more men and women like those at the base would hunt her. He just needed to convince her to take a leap of faith and join him when he departed.
To that end, he began to describe the beauty of his world. Lasara, the moons that orbited it, his people, the other populated planets in his solar system. He kept his voice low, his words carefully modulated. And soon her long lashes lowered until they rested upon her cheeks. Her breathing changed, deepening as sleep claimed her.
He gently brushed her soft hair back from her face, tucking it behind one delicate ear.
Even her ears were cute.
But the dark circles beneath her eyes were not. She needed this rest.
Leaning forward, he pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Sleep, Lisa. "
― Dianne Duvall , The Lasaran (Aldebarian Alliance, #1)
68
" Eliana stepped into her room and turned to face him.
Anticipation usurped amusement’s place as Dagon stared down at her, waiting for her nightly hug.
Perhaps tonight he would linger and—
“Greetings, Eliana,” CC said in her serene voice.
Blinking, she glanced over her shoulder, then up at the ceiling. “Hi, CC.”
Dagon hid his amusement at her tendency to look up whenever she addressed the computer.
“You have one communication awaiting your attention,” CC announced.
Eliana looked at Dagon. “Is that like a phone message?”
He considered his translator’s definition of PHONE. “Yes.”
“Did YOU send it?”
“No.”
“Who did?”
A good question. Who on this ship believed they knew Eliana well enough to message her privately? His brows drew down. “I don’t know.”
“Maybe Anat has reconsidered giving me flight lessons.”
He stared at her. After Dagon, Anat was the most experienced and highest-ranked fighter pilot on the ship. Dagon knew that most of the men stationed on the RANASURA thought their commander grim and foreboding. But Dagon appeared downright ebullient when compared to Anat.
“You asked Anat to give you flight lessons?” To borrow one of Eliana’s Earth terms: that had been ballsy.
“Yes.” She wrinkled her nose. “But he said no. The other pilots warned me he’d refuse, but I figured I’d give it a try anyway.”
He tried to hold back his next question but failed. “Why didn’t you ask me?”
Her brow furrowed. “You mean ask your permission? Was I supposed to do that first?”
“No. Why didn’t you ask ME to give you flight lessons?” He understood her fierce drive to learn everything she possibly could that might aid her in the future but inwardly balked at the image of Eliana and Anat crowded together in a flight simulator.
“Oh. Because you’re . . . you know.” She motioned to his uniform. “The commander. You run the ship. You have more important things to do.” She nibbled her lower lip. “Aaaaand I didn’t want to wear out my welcome.”
Confused, he glanced down at the deck.
“Why are you looking at my boots?” she asked.
“According to my translator, WEAR OUT MY WELCOME means eroding through frequent use the surface of a mat with the word WELCOME printed on it that Earthlings place outside their doors.”
She grinned. “Your translator got it wrong. Wear out my welcome means . . .” She shrugged. “I don’t know. Make a nuisance of myself, I guess. I’ve already insinuated myself into a significant portion of your day, Dagon.” Her smile dimmed a bit as uncertainty crept into her features. “I didn’t want you to get tired of having me around all the time.”
So while he had sought any and every excuse to spend MORE time with her, she had worried he might want LESS? He took a step closer to her. “I believe the likelihood of that is nonexistent.”
Her eyes dilated as his shadow fell over her. “Really?” she asked softly.
“Really. "
― Dianne Duvall , The Segonian (Aldebarian Alliance, #2)
