“Yes, I’m… I’m alright,” I fumbled around and did my best to leave the bed swiftly and elegantly. Was there an etiquette for this kind of situation? Did I have to make the bed or leave it the way Dahr used to?
Fortunately, Karisha jumped to my rescue. “I have to travel this afternoon, so I was planning to invite you for breakfast and more reporting, if you are still up for it?”
“Yes,” I smiled widely, “I would love to.”
I moved to follow the tribe lady out of the tent and we both walked slowly into the sunlight to start a new day. After having some breakfast and chatting away about one thing or another, Karisha pulled the reports and started spreading the papers onthe table while I moved away plates and glasses to give us enough space to work.
I was fully prepared to get engrossed in the work again, but it seems like my new friend wasn’t too keen on starting just yet and had other questions on her mind.
“Why were you in Dahr’s bed if you didn’t fuck him?” she asked with a sweet, innocent voice. Honestly, I was surprised that she lasted this long and gave me enough time to eat and not choke on my food.
“I’m not really sure…” I replied and kept my head lowered, my attention focused on the reports I was trying to rearrange according to the purchasing information Karisha had told me she needed for her journey.
“You just… went there after he left or…?” she pushed.
Clearly, I wouldn’t be able to get out of this until I told her something and while I was at it, I might as well try to find out more information.
“I thought he had another injury, so I went to check. He just… invited me in.”
“To sleep?Justto sleep?” Karisha made sure to emphasise, turning the conversation to the exact point I needed it to go.
“I assume it’s a big deal for him, right? What, does he kick them out as soon as he’s done with them?” I threw a fake chuckle, but my friend must have seen right through it.
“Not at all,” she sat at the table next to me, close enough to demand my attention. “Dahr doesn’t get involved with…anyone,” she shook her head slightly to get her point across. “He’s never shown an interest in sharing a bed.”
“Right, and he’s also a virgin and prays three times a day,” I snarled. I didn’t know what she needed me to believe, but I was not having it. A man like that would probably have the entire camp of women making a queue to his bed.
“He has his picks from the camp to satisfy his urges,” Karisha offered. “Two or three women a month brag about having sex with Grannicus but that’s the most it ever went. Markos jokes about needing a constant supply for him,” she chuckled. Then, probably at the sight of my abruptly saddened face or the fact that she realised who she was talking to, Karisha made a point to correct herself.
“All I am saying is that he always keeps his affairs hidden and if it weren’t for bragging rights, no one would know what he is up to.”
“Noted,” I replied sarcastically. In summary, Karisha told me not to get my hopes up, because this man needed a new woman every other week.
“My point is, you need to be careful. We all know he is an extremely attractive man. Hell, if I weren’t mated, I would probably have my way with him more than a few times,” she giggled, trying to relax the tension in the room. “But you need to take care of yourself first,” she stopped me from arranging reports and squeezed my hand. “Just. Be. Careful.”
“I will,” I nodded and squeezed her back, needing something else to occupy my mind with.
I worked for hours until I completed all the inventory and remained deeply satisfied with myself. After a few dozen pages, the thought of Dahr abandoned my mind, leaving the sweet specifics of mathematical rules to keep me engaged until lunch.
Karisha and I shared a meal, both taking extra care to not even touch the ‘men’ subject and then I helped her prepare for the trip.
All I knew, all she could tell me, was that she had purchasing duties, which was why she also needed the reports.
“You have the afternoon off,” she encouraged. “Go do something you enjoy. Relax for a little bit.”
“Could I spend the afternoon here?” As soon as I asked the question, Karisha’s bright features dimmed, her disappointment obvious.
“Sure, you can even use my skincare,” she offered and squeezed my hand, silently urging me to take advantage of this day, but probably guessing the reason why I didn’t want to go back to the main tent.
“Sylam is outside, if you do change your mind,” she offered before leaving the tent.
“I won’t!” I shouted, having no desire other than to be on my own and stay locked in for the rest of the day.
Only, I changed my mind less than an hour later.
After all, if I was given this apparent freedom, why shouldn’t I take advantage? I couldn’t spend every single day with Karisha and then wait for Dahr to come back to the tent. I had to be able to stand on my own two feet and do something for myself.
And the one thing I needed most… the one thing I had craved for as long as I could remember since I was brought here… was to swim in the ocean.
