Farr’vye stroked my face with his hand. He was always gentle with his claws; they never scratched my frail human skin.
Then I remembered when he’d gotten scratched by the thorns while saving me from the bushes.
Tears of emotion and guilt welled up in my eyes. I wiped them away before they turned into a full-blown affair.
“Sorry,” I muttered. “Got choked up for a second.”
“About?”
“You. You’re…”
My throat tightened. I couldn’t finish my sentence.
It was like a bad joke. A linguist who struggled with words.
Finally, I blurted, “You’re everything I’ve ever wanted, that I didn’tknowI wanted until now.”
My heartbeat tripped over itself. As soon as the words left my mouth, I doubted myself. They sounded too close to a declaration of love, and I didn’t know if I was ready for that.
But was I ever ready foranything? If I never let go of my doubts and anxieties, I’d be stuck in that hellish loop forever.
Though, when I was with Farr’vye, my mind was quieter. He offered me the breathing room to blurt out my thoughts without second-guessing myself.
Was that what love meant?
A gentle smile lit up Farr’vye’s face. “You are sweet. Thank you for telling me that.”
It felt good knowing he liked it. That he likedme.
His thumb stroked my cheek, and my body instinctively relaxed under his touch.
“Would you like to talk more?” he suggested. “Or would you prefer I empty your mind?”
I considered his offer. There was a lot I hadn’t told him yet—things I hadn’t told anyone. But the thought of unlocking those doors filled me with a dull pain, like pressing on a bruise. My mental strength gauge wasn’t full enough for that right now.
“Empty,” I decided.
Farr’vye nuzzled my cheek with his snout. The cool scales were smooth and pleasant against my tingling skin.
“Then you will now forget,” he promised.
I shivered and released a silent sigh. As if Farr’vye were hypnotizing me, my body went limp. Whatever happened next was entirely under his control.
His hands snaked down to my lower back. Cradling me, he dipped me so I lay horizontal in his lap. All I saw through my half-lidded eyes was his adoring face.
Nobody had ever looked at me like that. Nobody except this older purple alien with stalker-like tendencies.
And I’m more than okay with that,I realized, closing my eyes.
Farr’vye began what I could only describe as a full-body massage. His hands and tentacles roamed over my chest, sides, and belly. Each touch drew out a soft whine from the back of my throat. It wasn’t sexual, but that didn’t stop the budding heat between my thighs.
He dragged his fingers down each of my ribs, counting them.
“You are thin,” he commented. “I will feed you.”
I nodded lazily. That sounded nice. Eating was a hassle. I often forgot to do it until my stomach hurt. Or, if I were anxious, the thought of swallowing food made my throat tighten. But if Farr’vye fed me, I wouldn’t have to worry about it. I’d just part my lips and eat whatever he popped into my mouth. He knew what was best for me.
My back arched when his tentacles accidentally brushed my nipples. My exposed body felt sensitive, with the lightest touch sending shock waves over my skin. Farr’vye hummed a gentle reassurance and petted my chest with long, calming strokes. I went as floppy and pliant as a doll.