Bantia was covering her mouth, but I could see the laughter in her eyes. I was not amused. “Lily, we will discuss this in private.”
“No we won’t.”
Ulixes cleared his throat and wrapped his arm around his pair-bonded female, gently guiding her back toward what I assumed were their temporary quarters, away from us.
“See you tomorrow,” Bantia called over her shoulder.
Lily drew breath to call back, but I lowered my face to hers and kissed her so she could not respond. When I let her up for air, Bantia and Ulixes were nowhere to be seen.
“That wasn’t fair.”
“When it comes to you, bonded one, I have no intention of playing fair.”
Her silence suited me as I carried her into the sparsely furnished soldiers’ quarters. There was a bathing unit, clean uniforms laid out for each of us, two meals, drinking water, and nutrition bars on a table no larger than one of the pillows on the bed. I could take care of my pair bonded, bathe her, feed her, and make sure she rested in my arms.
I didn’t need anything else. Not tonight.
Carrying her to the table, I settled her in the chair and pulled the foodstuffs toward her, opening everything. “You will eat. All of it.”
“You are very bossy.”
That made me chuckle, but only because Lily was already taking a bite of the nutrition bar I’d placed in her hand.
“Yum. This almost tastes like watermelon.”
I chose another flavor and ate the entire thing in two bites, saving the other bar of the same flavor for her.
“Drink.” The water cartridge I set in front of her was full and loaded with minerals and healing amino acids the doctor had assured me she would need to regain her full strength.
She sipped, then set it down. “That’s too cold.”
I lifted the cartridge, adjusted the temperature setting and handed it back to her. “Try it now.”
Eyebrow raised, she lifted the small opening to her lips and sucked more water into her mouth. “How did you do that? It’s room temperature now.”
Showing her how to adjust the water to her liking, I unwrapped more food and placed it before her, a feeling of intense satisfaction raising my chest as she devoured the food like she was starving.
Odd. I enjoyed caring for her. Seeing her satisfied. Sated, whether in bed from intense orgasms or from the simple act of drinking chilled water.
I’d never behaved this way before, and I had no idea how to stop myself or control the urge.
When she’d had enough, I lifted her and carried her to the bathing unit. There was no tub to recline in, but I pulled a small seat out from its built-in resting place in the wall and set her down. The medical gown was easy to remove, and I set the water stream to warm her. She leaned back with a groan, and I stepped out, quickly stripped, and joined her.
She frowned. “What are you doing?”
I didn’t know exactly; I only knew I needed her close to me. I needed to soothe her, care for her, take away her pain.
Her soft skin was smudged by a coating of sweat and dust. She’d been through so much, and yet to me, she looked even more beautiful than the first time I’d seen her.
I knelt at her feet and slowly, gently rubbed the cleanser over her body. When I stood and reached for her hair, she melted into my hold, and I took my time unwinding what was left of her braid and working the cleansing agent through the long strands.
“God, yes,” she murmured. “You’re hired.”
Unable to turn away, to blink, I studied her, hypnotized by her lips, the curve of her cheek, the tender welcome on her face. This was the real Lily. My Lily. Soft. Submissive. Gentle.
The fierce, defiant fighter who had driven me half-mad on the battlefield was gone, replaced by this delicate, serene goddess.
I’d done everything in my power to keep my body from reacting to her, but as she leaned into my touch, every protective, fierce, ruthless instinct I had wanted to mark her. Claim her. Punish her for every terrifying moment I’d spent digging her out of the rubble. Fearing she was dead. Forgetting to breathe. Every cell in my body flooded with guilt and pain at the thought of losing her.