Total pages in book: 142
Estimated words: 134898 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 674(@200wpm)___ 540(@250wpm)___ 450(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 134898 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 674(@200wpm)___ 540(@250wpm)___ 450(@300wpm)
He gestures at something on his brow and then licks his eyeball.
“I don’t follow.”
“He’s saving up for a lady friend,” Raptor offers, sprawled on his bed next to Kipp’s, his hands behind his head. “They have little ridges on their brows. That’s what he was indicating.”
“Oh!” I want to shoot Raptor another annoyed look for listening in, but Kipp practically squirms, his hands going to his tiny lizard cheeks as if he’s mimicking a human’s blush. “That’s very sweet of you, Kipp. Are you going to take her on a date? If you want suggestions, find out what her favorite food is and take her some of it.”
“That’s a wise choice,” Raptor comments. “What’s your favorite, Gwenna?”
“I love a tall glass of shut-your-trap-and-mind-your-own-business.”
Raptor laughs.
Kipp huffs with amusement and goes back to gesturing wildly, extolling the virtues of his lady friend, who works as a messenger in the lower parts of the city and apparently has gorgeous skin. It’s so sweet.
Both Hemmen and Arrod return just before dusk and flop down in their bunks, not speaking to the rest of us. Hemmen pulls out a book and lights a candle to read by, while Arrod takes a nap. Kipp and Raptor start a discussion on the best kinds of blades, and since I know nothing about knives, I retreat to my bunk and work on stitching a subtle breast dart into the front of my fledgling uniform so I don’t look so very boxy when I wear it. It’s a terrible thing to be vain, but I’m not a looker in the face, and I’m not rich. Tits are all I have.
As we settle in for another week, I stare up at the ceiling in bed that night, hating how out of control I feel. It’s because Raptor thinks he has the upper hand on me, I decide. He thinks he can push me around and I’ll allow it, and I have been allowing it, because I’m worried that he’ll find out the truth. It’s clear he’s not going to leave me alone, and while I wouldn’t mind another glorious fingering (truly, I wouldn’t mind that at all), I don’t want him to continue to have the upper hand.
I need to gain control of our relationship again, such as it is. If nothing else, we need to be on equal ground. I have to stop getting flustered every time he addresses me, because others are going to guess that something is going on. But how do I get on equal footing with him again?
An idea floats into my head. An obvious one.
I could touch him like he touched me. Make him come.
He’d like that, of course. But then he wouldn’t have one over on me any longer.
And if I’m being honest with myself…I’d like touching him, too. Every time he gives me a look from across the room, I feel as if I’m the only person he’s noticed that day. That no one else matters but me. It’s made me wet for hours.
It could backfire spectacularly, me touching him…but…Raptor knows how to be discreet. And if he doesn’t keep this to himself, well, it tells me all I need to know about him.
I glance over at his bunk. He’s a few feet away from me, sleeping on his back with the blankets at his waist. Kipp isn’t in his bed, which is good, because he’s a light sleeper. I lay where I am, quiet, and listen to the sounds of Arrod and Hemmen sleeping. Good. They’re both fast asleep.
I can do this now, before I have the chance to talk myself out of it.
Sliding out from underneath the covers, I sit up and put my feet on the floor. After two quiet breaths, it’s obvious no one is waking up, so I tiptoe the short distance over to Raptor’s bed and kneel beside it. He’s enormous, his big body taking up so much space that the bed seems inadequate and downright uncomfortable for someone his size. Even the blanket doesn’t look sufficient.
I have no idea why that fascinates me so much. Why I can’t stop thinking about him. Why I increasingly search out his amused comments or his wry laughter. I can’t afford to have a crush on a fellow student. On anyone, really.
I tell myself that I shouldn’t be doing this, even as I reach for the blanket and peel it back, just a fraction.
A big hand reaches out and grabs my wrist. Raptor’s awake.
“You’ll get in trouble if you get caught, little bantam.”
Oh, I know that. But he’s not telling me not to touch him, either. I pull free from his grasp and give him my best saucy look. “So be quiet.”
The darkness hides his face, but he gives just the faintest huff that tells me he’s amused by my response. He releases my wrist and his hand goes to his stomach.