“I’d never hurt you though. I never want you to be afraid of me.”

“I’m not.”

“Good. Your opinion of me is important. I don’t want any lies between us, Vanni. I want you to accept me for who I am, instead of just showing you the better sides of me. I try to be the best male I can be but I have flaws. Everyone does.”

“I know I do,” she admitted.

He grinned. “Tell me a few.”

“Beth tells me I’m too trusting because I don’t want to be one of those negative people who always look for deceit in others. My older sister is like that and she’s a downer. I always look for bright sides.”

“I think that’s a good trait.”

“I didn’t see what a liar Carl was.”

He scowled. “That male didn’t deserve you.”

“Thank you.”

He jerked his head toward the bed. “Let’s rest.” He released her and gently nudged her closer to it. “Take everything off.”

She hesitated but then tore the shirt over her head. It was probably the fastest she’d ever climbed under the covers in her life. Smiley might have some scars but he did have a perfect body otherwise. It made her more aware of her flaws. She peered at him while he went to the curtains and pulled the thick drapes closed to block out a lot of the light. He approached the bed and climbed in.

“Come here. I want to hold you.” He lay on his back and opened his arms.

She had rarely shared a bed with a man. Her first boyfriend and she had discussed living together but he’d kept putting it off. Later she’d discovered he’d been a cheating bastard who was afraid she’d figure it out if they shared a home. Carl had wanted to wait until after the wedding to live together. She inched closer.

Smiley pulled her against his side until she rested her head on his chest and his arm curled along her back, his fingers stroking her hip under the covers. His chin rested on the top of her head. “I like this.”

“Me too,” she admitted.

Vanni was in his arms and she felt right. Smiley breathed in her scent, making a mental note to ask her for her bath-product preferences. He liked her other shampoo better but the one she wore was nice too. Her skin was soft where he stroked her and he shifted his legs, trapping his hardening dick between his thighs.

She looked exhausted. The reason behind it made him angry. The Woods Church, her ex-male and his father would pay for what they’d done to her. He tugged down the covers a little after her breathing assured him she slept and got a good look at her back. He’d just caught a glimpse of it when she’d removed the shirt and practically dived into bed.

Rage rose in him. Her pale skin was marred with multicolored bruises. All Species had experience with being Tasered and it wasn’t pleasant. She was too fragile and the male responsible would feel far greater pain if he ever got his hands on him. He planned to talk to Justice and go over everything he’d learned from her so she wouldn’t have to deal with the trauma of telling it again. Smiley swore silently to be there when the task force teams brought in the ones who’d hurt his Vanni.

He regretted the faint bruises he’d glimpsed on her ass. His actions had put them there and he made a mental note to be more careful the next time he lifted her in his arms. Avoiding anything that might hurt her in any way was a top priority.

My Vanni. He closed his eyes. None of the symptoms were there that other males had warned him about. He liked her scent but didn’t feel addicted. He’d managed to keep quiet regardless of how good the sex was and it was the best. He did feel protective of her but flashes of memory of the night at the hotel haunted him. She’d been terrified and dependent on him to help her. That had bonded them.

He still wanted her for a mate. He opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling. They were different but they could make it work. He was motivated. She had obviously been ready to settle down with a mate since she’d agreed to marry Carl. He hated even to think the male’s name. Smiley would make a far better mate than that abusive human.

Guilt also surfaced. He’d had an opportunity to tell Vanni that she might be pregnant when she’d remarked that everyone was aware Species couldn’t breed. He should have informed her that was not correct but had been afraid it would remind her of the Woods Church’s accusations against the NSO. She wouldn’t be sleeping in his arms after sharing sex if he had. The last thing he needed was for her to avoid him. He also wouldn’t have taken her on the floor if he’d seen her bruised back beforehand. He hoped that hadn’t been uncomfortable for her.

He sniffed at her again, hunting for any telling signs of pregnancy but detected none, though his sense of smell wasn’t as good as a canine’s. It would be better if he could talk her into going to Medical. They could tell with tests faster than a change in her scent would. He pondered how she would take the news if she did carry his child. He’d mate her for sure if that were the case but even without a pregnancy, he still wanted to claim and keep her.

She was nothing like Species females. Her blushing and nervousness endeared her to him even more. She was shy and it made her adorable. Her lack of sexual experience would be fun. He grinned, remembering the way she’d responded to his mouth on her pu**y. He looked forward to teaching her all the ways he could give her pleasure. He just needed time to show her he was the right male for her.

He formed a plan. He would get her addicted to him. She wouldn’t want to leave if she became dependent upon him. Sharing sex was a great way to cement their bond but he needed to connect with her on an emotional level as well. He’d cook for her and show her how domestic he could be. It wouldn’t hurt to talk to a few of the mates to ask their advice. He would do that in the morning when he needed to go home to get clothing. It was a given that he’d move to human housing since he doubted she’d feel comfortable if he took her to the men’s dorms.