Page 23 of Bikar

Bikar folds his wings into his back and steps out of the way, allowing me to join him in the hall. Together, we walk towardthe cafeteria. “You mentioned you wish to learn about visual and audio data, but that you know literature. How is that so?”

Lighting up at the question, I dazzle him with a cheerful smile. “Yes! I’m so happy you asked. Mrs. Cavanaugh was the town librarian where I grew up. She was one of the few people who would talk to the children that came from my…community.”

“Tell me of this female. Your tone implies she was of great importance to you.”

Bittersweet memories fill my head, but it isn’t lost on me that he caught on to one of the fewgoodthings about my old life. Locking eyes with him, I pause at the door to the cafeteria. “I’d love to tell you about her, Bikar.”

CHAPTER 21

BIKAR

Bambi’s face is as happy as her scent while she regales me about the older female who was kind to her after her mam died. My little one glossed over her mam’s death, and I did not pry. She will talk to me of such things when she is ready. Instead, Bambi tells me tale after tale about how thisMrs. Cavanaughintroduced her to the wonders of the written word and sharpened her reading skills as a youngling.

Interjecting periodically, I asked questions about her favoritegenre, authors,and so on. Talking about books is the most animated my mate has been in my presence to date. Every time she mentions a book she favored, I have surreptitiously uploaded it to her personal tablet. I have even gone so far as to research if there were any visual adaptations to her favorite stories, and if so, added those to her virtual library as well.

Our meal ofItalian foodhas gone well, and I will have to thank Heather for the suggestion—much as it galls me. My mate cleans her plate as we converse, and my hearts glow with happiness to see her so at ease and full of life. Reaching across the table, I lift her plate with mine and take both back to the replicator, ignoring her protests.

“Bikar, you really don’t have to do things like that for me. I can clean up after myself.”

Tapping several buttons, I enter the sequence for something calledtiramisu.Less than a tic later, the confection is done, and I take a large portion of it back to my mate.

“I am aware that you can, little one. That does not mean that you must. Not while I am present. It brings me satisfaction to care for you in such small ways. If it truly bothers you, I will stop, but if you protest out of some misguided notion that you are not worthy of such treatment, then I will continue to disregard your objections.”

Bambi’s parted lips close; she huffs and rolls her eyes. Little arms fold across her chest as she tries to glare at me. Ignoring her, I carefully set down thedessert. “Do not be cross with me for caring for you, little one. It is a mate’s pride and joy to tend to the needs of his female.”

Pausing for effect, I lean into her personal space and whisper in her adorable, rounded little ear. “In every way she desires.”

Standing, I round the table and take my seat, not bothering to hide my self-satisfied smirk. The tic she sees it, her beautiful, brown eyes narrow at me. “Are you trying to seduce me, Bikar?”

Leaning back in my chair, I kick my feet out and cross my ankles. “I must not be doing a very good job if you must ask me such a question.”

Delightful pink color blooms across her cheeks, and she breaks eye contact, staring down at hertiramisuas if she just realized it was there. “I…” Her words falter before she tries again, and they come out so low I have to strain to hear her. “I don’t know what to do.”

Projecting every bit of confidence I can while forcing my body to remain relaxed is hard, but I succeed… barely. “There is no right or wrong way to woo one’s mate. You do not have toknow what to do. You need only tell me if I do something you like or dislike.”

Leaning forward, I lower my voice. “The ultimate decision of what happens between us is entirely up to you. Did I read your tentative acceptance of our bond wrong? If so, I will cease my flirting… for now.”

The words are bitter on my tongue, and I am fortunate she cannot scent my dismay. We are a rotation closer to Viri 9 and thus moving steadily closer toward an uncertain arrival. If I push her away from me, I risk competition from the other males of the planet.

Her reply is soft-spoken, but clear. “No… I don’t want you to stop… uhm… wooing me. I think I’m beginning to trust that if I don’t like something, you’ll stop.”

“I would rather cut out my own hearts than cause you any angst, little Starshine.”

I am unsure if it is my tone or the look on my face—perhaps both—but something makes her expression relax, and she smiles at me. “Ya know, that response doesn’t surprise me at all.” Glancing down at her plate, she quirks an eyebrow. “How did you know I’ve always wanted to try tiramisu?”

“A male cannot reveal all of his courting secrets, Bambi. It just is not done.”

She stares at me shrewdly for a tic before guessing. “Heather told you about it, didn’t she?”

Unwilling to risk Heather’s wrath or upset my mate, I choose the path of least resistance.

Ignorance.

“I have not the slightest idea why you would think such a thing. Finish your sweet treat; we have more literature to discuss and upload.”

For a moment, I think she is going to sass me again, but instead she rolls her eyes again before taking a bite of her long-awaited confection. The moan she lets out makes the front of my trousers tight, and a bright red blush stains her cheeks when she realizes what she’s done.

The quip slips out before I can stop myself. “Perhaps some rising, I will be the one to make you utter such sounds of lurid pleasure.”