Free Bonds of Blood [Lords of the Expanse] (Siren Publishing Classic) by Honor James Page A

realized there was no other choice and, with eyes averted as best he could manage, he went to the tub. Sitting on the floor so he’d only see her shoulders, neck, and head, he gently touched her hand. “Xandra, the water is getting cold. It’s time to get out,” he said in a low tone, hoping he didn’t scare her.
    She jerked in the water and sat up so quickly her cloth fell from her eyes. The fear that was suddenly there was heart stopping. It was hard for her to breathe, and finally she saw Andries. “What?” She was confused for all of three seconds until she realized she was stark naked in the water and he was sitting on the floor at her side. “Moon and stars, Andries,” she whispered, “I didn’t get you wet, did I?” He was simply looking at her. She realized then that she was far too different from him. Her skin was a pale green, actually the lightest blush of green, but compared to his skin color, it was very different and odd. “Do you need me?” The question came out breathy, sexually charged, even if she didn’t realize it.
    Loaded question, he thought as he stared at her. “I was concerned since you were asleep and the water was cooling. I thought you might prefer getting out now instead of when it was truly chilled,” he told her, his voice lower than normal for no reason he could determine. “Your luggage was in the other suite. I had it brought up and your bags are sitting in the bedroom.”
    “Thank you, Andries.” She slid back into the water, her gaze on him. “It’s been so long since I have felt safe that I forgot how good it feels to simply give up and allow my body to fully rest.” Her hand moved to cover his and smiled. “Thank you for seeing to my luggage being brought up. I will get out now and get ready for bed.” She hesitated. “Will you be sleeping with me, Andries?”
    “If that is your wish, I will,” he told her as he stood, averting his eyes and giving her his hands to help her up. He didn’t want to embarrass her right off and he was sure he’d pushed her to her limits already. Backing up so she could step out, he pulled a towel from the warmer and passed it to her. “I’ll wait for you in the other room so you can have a moment, Xandra.” He was running. He freely admitted it, but the warm scent of her flesh was a temptation to him. He needed to feed before they did anything, and while she was drying and dressing, he’d have a bag of blood so he wouldn’t be tempted and thereby hurt her.
    “Thank you.” She watched him leave and dried herself as she thought of him. He was everything she had ever dreamed of having in a husband. Why had her father chosen him for her? Her father was a cruel man. He would rather give pain than anything that could be seen as a pleasure, and Andries gave her pleasure. The way he moved, spoke, touched her, it made her happy.
    She slowly dried her hair with the heavy warm towel. The long lavender strands were then finger combed out to hopefully dry before they went to sleep. Once her hair was somewhat dried, she dried her body and pulled on his robe to step out into their bedroom. Seeing it empty, she opened the first case and frowned. There was nothing in there but weapons. She moved to the second case and opened it as well, again, weapons. Laser rifles, knives, flame wands, she didn’t understand.
    Walking quickly to the door, she twisted the knob. “Andries,” she called through the hall and then began her search for him, knowing that by bringing weapons into their home, she was all but telling him she didn’t believe in his ability to protect her. Even though the weapons weren’t hers, it would still be seen as a direct hit to his masculinity, and his warrior side.
    Sticking his head out of the small kitchen unit, he kept the glass of blood hidden. “You called?” he asked and then, seeing her face, set the glass down and moved to her. “Are you all right?” he asked as she got closer to him.
    “I think that you