“Your body temperature runs slightly hotter than a typical human’s. Mine is normal.”
“Get under them.”
“You could say ‘please’.”
He snarled, flashing fangs. She moved, crawling up the bed and rolled over, lying on her side facing him. He dragged the covers over her legs to her waist and sprawled out on his back next to her. One hand grabbed his wet hair to drag it to the top of his pillow and he turned to look at her.
“Lift your head.”
She did what he wanted and he stretched his other arm out to offer her a pillow with his biceps. It was intimate again as she lowered her cheek to rest against his hot skin. He was still a little damp but he smelled nice.
“Closer.”
Her gaze held his as she wiggled a few inches over until her shirt pressed against the side of his ribs. He was so big. He reached with his other arm and clicked off the television. The room darkened since the sun was almost down.
“Sleep.”
Alli watched him close his eyes but she couldn’t just drift off. Her mind was too filled with questions and worries about 880. Did he regret touching her? Why had he done it? Those thoughts just wouldn’t fade.
“880?”
“What?” He didn’t open his eyes.
“Why did that happen between us?”
His lips pursed and she didn’t think he’d give her an answer. Long seconds dragged by. The tension around his mouth eased. “It distracted you from your fit of rage.”
She let his words sink in and hated the pain it caused. “Oh.” He hadn’t wanted to touch her at all but instead had used her body to manipulate her. It made what had happened between them seem dirty and cold. Alli suddenly rolled to face the other way but kept his arm under her face since he seemed adamant about that.
“Where are you going?”
“Nowhere. I’m still here.”
“Your voice sounds strange.”
“I’m tired,” she lied.
“I want you tighter against me.”
She wiggled back until her butt pressed against his hip and her back rested along his torso. “Is that better?”
“You can’t stroke me in that position.”
Her hands fisted. “Here’s a life lesson for you. You can’t always get what you want. I’m here and that should be enough.”
“What does that mean?”
“Goodnight, 880.” She closed her eyes.
Silence descended and she tried to fall asleep. He wasn’t a typical man and maybe he didn’t see anything wrong with what he’d done or the reason for it. It still hurt but she was trying to get past it. Taking it personally would just hurt more.
“Alli?”
“What?”
“Stroke me.”
Her teeth clenched and she lifted an arm up to curl her fingers around his hand. She caressed the back of it. It would have to do because she didn’t want to face him. It would be too tempting to watch him until the light completely faded from the room.
“Alli?”
“What?”
He sniffed. “What are you feeling?”
“Tired.”
“I don’t believe you.” He growled. “You’re being dishonest and human. I don’t like that.”
She debated on denying it but if he wanted an argument, she wasn’t going to back away from it. “Why do you want to know?”
He paused. “Have I injured your feelings? My mate would grow very silent when I did that and refuse to look at me. You are acting that way.”
She released him and rolled, sitting up. Giving him a piece of her mind might clear the air. He looked sexy stretched out on the bed with his hair flowing over the other side of the pillow. It pissed her off.
“I’m a person with feelings, 880. How would you feel if I touched you just to change your mood and for no other reason?”
“I asked you to stroke me. That would help me sleep. It’s what I want.”
Irritation flared. “Would you welcome me stroking you if I did it to manipulate you into doing what I wanted? That’s how I feel. Sex isn’t something you use that way. I get that you’re different but let’s look up the definition of decency tomorrow, shall we? It seems you need to learn what that is.”
His eyes narrowed. “It would depend on where you rub me and what you wanted from me. That would determine if it angered me or not.”
“You’re such a man.” She turned away and lay down, giving him her back.
“I’m a male. I’m not human.”
She refrained from calling him a pig.
“Alli?” He growled her name. “Don’t turn away from me. We are talking.”
“No. We’re done. I’m going to sleep.”