Her pretty blue eyes widened. “They drug everything?”
He nodded, raising the glass to her lips, making sure she took a long swallow before removing the glass from her hands and setting it down. Her tongue slid out from between her lips, collecting water droplets left behind. Why did he get the sudden urge to trace her lips with his own tongue? He groaned, reaching out and cupping her chin, tracing her pink lips with his thumb.
Her eyes fluttered closed, leaning into his touch. The trust she placed in his hands in such a short time touched him to the core. It was a trust he would never betray. With great effort, he pulled away.
He glanced down at the different foods, not knowing their names. “What do you call this?”
Her eyes opened and the shade of her skin coloured an arousing pinkish red. He saw the human males turn different colours when angered, but it was clear she was not angry from the shy manner he saw when she glanced down, and then back up at him. He could only guess it was another emotion making her skin shade.
She shifted on the bed, glancing down at the tray. He took the eating utensil and speared the gluey, yellow substance.
“Ah,” she cleared her throat. “Um, scrambled eggs.” He took a small bite, enjoying the salty taste.
Satisfied it wasn’t drugged, he fed her. The whole meal proceeded in the same manner, him asking what it was and tasting it before making sure she ate. When she protested that she had eaten her fill, he finished the rest before putting the tray back on the shelf of the cell bars.
Finished with eating, Zelron turned around and used the bodily waste bowl. Finished, he turned to find her glancing away, her skin a deeper shade of pink than before.
Concern made him crouch down and touch her shoulder. “Providence, something is wrong?”
“No, I mean yes…I’ve never been in a situation like this. I, um—” Her cheeks reddened.
“Your skin is shading. Are you angry? The human males do this when they are angry.”
“Oh, no. I’m not angry. I’m embarrassed; I need to use the bathroom, too.”
“Bathroom, I do not know this word.”
“Oh, god. The toilet, dunny, loo, that!” She pointed to the bodily waste disposal bowl. He actually chuckled. Foolish, adorable little female. And mine.
“Bath-room. See, I learn new words. Use it. I will make sure no one views you.”
Her chest heaved a gusty sigh. “Thank you.” She rose from the bunk, hurrying over, and dropped the blanket. Zelron shook his head, but took a position in front of her and turned his back while she disposed of her body’s waste, heaving little sighs of relief.
“I’m okay now, thank you.”
He turned. She wrapped the blanket around herself so it sat over one shoulder, leaving the other shoulder bare.
He drew in a slow, steady breath. There was only so much a Kelon male could take when in such close proximity to his desire. “We in this together, yes? Care for each other?”
“Of course.”
The sound of squeaky wheels turned both their heads. “I guess breakfast is over,” she muttered, moving in closer to his side as Forrester and Martin arrived pushing a trolley. On top were various instruments.
“Good morning. I trust you slept well and are not too banged up,” Forrester greeted with a sinister smile.
“Open the door, and then say that,” Providence snapped back.
Zelron folded his arms and placed himself between the bars and his female, knowing the human males now possessed leverage over him. He would give in to anything now, as long as she stayed safe.
“Such a little flirt, Miss Velour. Well, I hope you don’t faint at the sight of blood because our little party is about to start.”
It was always a given Zelron would kill this man, but if he laid one finger on Providence, he would make sure the human’s death was long and painful.
* * * *
Crap! There went the nice mood of the intimate breakfast. It was kind of bizarre, at first, but Prov couldn’t bring herself to protest at him wanting to feed her. Remembering he was alone for far too long, she wanted to show him every kindness and respect she could.
The feeling in the air and being with Zelron changed. He was more settled. Although it felt weird to be fed like a child, she also knew the food could be drugged. His insistence on tasting it all first showed Zelron cared. It made her chest tighten and feel fluttery at the same time.
Where the hell was the tough Providence Velour, town electrician, who took crap from no one? She was lost behind the big alien man set on protecting and taking care of her. No one had taken care of her since the age of five, after her mother’s death. Her father told her to toughen up, there was no affection, no girl-talks she needed. The facts of life she gleaned from school, television and the few friends she did have. The drive behind her life was trying to turn herself into what her dad wanted, but feeling the sting of his scathing looks and mutterings of ‘shudda been a boy’ always cut her deep.