“I don’t want to make him,” Jolene said stoutly.
Before her, getting a reprieve from the human kiss would have been a relief. Terribly unhygienic, it seemed to me, to put my mouth on someone else’s.
But now that I’d met her, seen that mouth with its pretty smiles, the idea of gently sliding my lips against hers in a human kiss made my body seize up with anticipation.
“You would not be making me,” I insisted.
“It’s alright, Zohro,” she said. Even though something did not really seem alright at all.
Of course.
I’d told her about the details of the murder. Now, she was repulsed by me, but too kind to say so. Instead, she was framing it as saving me from a human obligation.
“Well, if you’re sure…” Warden Tenn said slowly, glancing now at Tasha who stood beside him. “Areyou sure?”
“I’m sure,” Jolene replied.
Blast.
“Congratulations on your marriage,” Tasha said, though she wore a worried little frown and her tone was subdued. “We’ll give you some more time alone.”
I understood that some humans consummated their marriage with sexual intercourse after the ceremony.
It seemed disappointingly apparent that such a thing would not be happening in our case. But Tasha and Warden Tenn hurried away to give us privacy anyway, the warden’s head bent low towards hers as they whispered.
“Well, that’s that,” Jolene said. Her shoulders slumped, as if she’d just let out a held breath. “I guess it’s time to get to work.”
“Not before we apply your salve.” It came out a little angry. Like a command.
But I was afraid that this awkward stiltedness between us would only grow if I let her go away and do some chores on her own now.
“Oh! I can do that myself. Just let me know the recipe.”
“I already made more this morning.”
“I can put it on. It’s already helped a lot.” She raised her hands between us, letting the bright morning sun illuminate skin that was nowhere near as inflamed as yesterday.
“You cannot put it on your back,” I reminded her, already striding for the house. At least I would be allowed to touch her that way. It was innocuous enough, rubbing cold squash innards on her back. Even if, pathetic male that I was, I found myself helplessly aroused by the act.
Inside the house, we both stripped out of our top garments. I returned the shirt and jacket to the bedroom, and upon re-entering the kitchen, I found Jolene with her top removed, held in front of her body as she sat at the kitchen table. I tried not to let myself stare at the elegant line of her shoulders, the slender, pale column of her neck, exposed so much more now that her thick, wavy hair was tied in a plait.
I pulled open the hatch to the cellar and descended, returning with some of the fresh salve I’d made that morning.
I put the jar down unceremoniously in front of Jolene and scooped some of the cool gel onto my fingers. As I stroked the stuff onto the delicate skin of her back, she did the same with her hands, rubbing it in and sighing.
“I really do need to make more of this for Baby Girl,” she said.
“Already done,” I murmured, sliding my fingertips along the hollows and plains of her back. “I’ve frozen a portion of the batch I made this morning. I will do the same next time I make more.”
“Oh. Thank you.”
“And…”Blast it all, Zohro, do not say it. Do not make leaving you any easier for her!“You can take it with you if you decide to go at the end of the trial period.”
Stupid. Stupid, stupid male. What was I doing? I should have been coaxing her into staying with me by dangling the salve in front of her. Like some kind of bribe.
Stay married to me and I will provide you with all the squash innards you require.
Idiot. It was too late now. I could not change my mind, tell her the salve had to stay here, without looking absolutely deranged. Or unnecessarily cruel.
