Free Princess SOS by Sara Page Page A

on, maybe he’ll let me use the bed and rest. Alone.
    He reaches for me and I can’t help but flinch and pull back. I’m not sure if I do it because I’m still afraid he’ll hurt me or I’m afraid I’ll feel that jolt.
    He seems offended. He gives a sharp nod of his head and pushes himself up to his feet.
    I hope I didn’t piss him off. I’ll have to be more careful not to do that. Piss him off, that is.
    He walks over to the wall by the door and I notice there’s a panel with some buttons. He pushes a button and part of the wall behind him disappears, revealing a closet. He looks over the contents of the closet carefully, then he grabs something black and pushes the button to close the closet door.
    He strides back over to me and then extends the black fabric in offering.
    “Thank you,” I tell him as I accept it.
    He stares at me.
    I twirl my finger in the air telling him, “Will you please turn around?”
    Yeah, he’s already seen all of me naked and as I am, I’m not hiding much. But it’s the principle that counts. He needs to know and understand I don’t feel comfortable being naked in front of him.
    He points to me, then he points to the bed.
    I have to keep myself calm when I ask, “You want me to sleep there?” Because I’m afraid he means or wants something else.
    He nods. Whew.
    “I want to sleep alone,” I make clear.
    He frowns. I was afraid of that.
    If he pushes the issue, will I be able to sleep in a bed with him? I think not.
    “You can have the bed, then. I’ll sleep on the floor.”
    He angrily shakes his head.
    “So you’ll let me sleep in the bed? Alone?”
    Begrudgingly he nods his head.
    I smile and tell him, “Thank you!”
    He seems pleased by this because he smiles back.
    “May I have some privacy now?”
    The smile fades away and he gives me a long, heated stare. My body reacts involuntarily as his red, glowing eyes roam over me, they’re like two burning coals, warming me with their touch.
    It’s over almost as quickly as it began. He tears his eyes away from me, spins on his heel and stomps over the threshold. He pushes the button and I stare at him as the door rises from the floor until I can’t see anymore.
    I hear him stomping down the hall. My shoulders slump. I’m overcome with exhaustion.
    What just happened? Did I imagine all of it? I think things were easier when I thought he wanted to eat me. What am I now? A pet?
     
     

Chapter Twelve
     
     
    I haven’t slept in a bed for days. There’s a massive soft bed in front of me and I couldn’t take advantage of it. I ended up falling asleep huddled in my little corner on the floor.
    When I wake, I’ve got a bad creak in my neck. My face feels puffy and my eyes still burn as if I’m tired. I think I slept and I think I’m awake now. It’s hard to be sure, though, because being here feels so weird. Is this a dream?
    From my vantage point on the floor, I’m still alone. Shakily I get to my feet and begin to poke around. I touch everything. I touch the bed, running my fingers across the silky sheets. I touch the walls, hoping to discover the grooves of other hidden doors. It feels good just to walk around, to have space to explore.
    I walk over to the panel of buttons on the wall. Dammit, all the buttons are the same color. It would be so much easier if there was a way to tell them apart.
    I hesitate for a moment and then push a button, thinking perhaps it was the button he pushed last night to open the closet door. Nothing happens so I try another button. Then another.
    Perhaps he disabled it somehow?
    I hear his heavy footsteps stomping from somewhere on the other side of the door. Crap. I run over to the bed and sit down. I smooth the black shirt over my thighs and try to look natural.
    The alien speaks something and then the door drops down, sinking into the floor. Ah, he switched it to voice recognition. Given how crude his language is, it will be a miracle if I can get the commands figured out.
    He