“I understand.” His body relaxed and he nodded.

“The sheriff is also a friend. He and my grandmother were close. He’s almost an uncle to me. He’s not more important to me than you are, don’t ever think that, but I told him I’d do this. He needs my help and I need his to make sure those assholes pay for kidnapping me.”

He nodded. “I could carry you to our bed and lick you until you scream my name if I had just killed them instead of allowing my people turn them over to yours.”

The guy had a point. Tammy grinned. “Yes, but it would have been wrong.”

“Licking you until you scream my name is not wrong.”

“I meant about the killing part.” She laughed. “I love the licking part a hell of a lot. That’s definitely not wrong.”

He growled. “Let the sheriff wait.”

She backed up and her hands dropped away from him. “I’ll talk to him and he’ll leave. Once he does, we can go back to bed. Okay?”

He nodded. “Fine.” He turned, grabbed the pumice stone, and studied his free hand, palm up.

“What is that for anyway?”

He made certain she could watch as he used the stone on his fingernails. “It cleans them.” He opened his hand palm out to her. “It also helps keep the rougher spots on our skin smoother.”

spots on our skin smoother.”

Tammy reached out and ran her fingertips over his fingers. She could feel calluses on the tips of his fingers and at the top of his palm where his fingers began.

“What causes that?”

“Being Species. Some of my kind have this. Some don’t. I do. It helps me climb trees without tearing up my skin.” His eyes narrowed warily. “Does that make me less appealing to you?”

She shook her head. “I kind of find the rough texture of your hands a turn-on. They make me shiver and goose bumps break out. I like it.”

“Good. I worried my differences from a human male might make me less able to attract your sexual interest.”

She fought a smile. “Don’t worry, Valiant. I am learning to appreciate all your differences.”

He stared into her eyes, seemed to gauge her honestly, and smiled. “I am glad.”

Tammy quickly finished her shower while Valiant attended to his nails and his calluses. She quickly dried off, wrapped a towel around her body, and walked into the bedroom. Four shopping bags waited on the bed.

She dumped them out to see what she had to work with.

Two bags contained clothing for Valiant but the other bags were for her. She chose a pair of cotton knee-length pants and a black, oversized T-shirt. They had bought her bikini-cut underwear and two exercise bras that were stretch-to-fit.

Valiant entered the bedroom behind her. His wet hair had been brushed back. He looked different with it combed away from his face. He kind of looked more frightening to her. His mane-like hair softened his features a little and made him look more cuddly and attractive. Tammy smiled but didn’t say a word while Valiant dug through the pile she’d made for him of the large-sized men’s clothing.

Tammy nearly stepped on a shoebox peeking out from the bottom of the bed. She retrieved it and opened it, guessing they were for her since the box wasn’t big enough to contain anything for Valiant’s big feet. Inside was a pair of white flip-flops. She hated them but she at least had shoes. She left them in the box. She wasn’t planning on leaving the suite. She heard a doorbell chime and her startled gaze flew to Valiant.

Valiant smiled. “There are doorbells in the suites. It’s our food.” He had pulled on a pair of black boxer briefs.

“I’ll go get it.”

“I’ll go. I’m dressed.” She smiled at him. “You’re showing way too much skin. It could be a woman delivering our breakfast.”

He laughed. “Would you feel jealous if a female looked at me?”

She hesitated. “Yes,” she answered honestly.

His humor faded. “You are mine and I am yours. You don’t need to feel jealous. I would not allow another to touch me.”

“I’m glad to hear that,” Tammy called out as she quickly left the bedroom. She liked that he’d said that.

She walked through the living room and opened the door. “Hi,” she said instantly.

The woman who stood there had to be just over six feet tall. She had long brown hair and dark eyes. Tan skin and strong features made the woman appear intense but beautiful. It was the first time Tammy had been that close to one of the females. The woman had wide cheekbones, the flatter nose, and she looked down at Tammy with a smile that showed off some sharp, pointed teeth. Her expression wasn’t threatening.

“Hello back, small human. I have brought you food.”

Tammy couldn’t help but laugh. “Thank you very much. I’m Tammy.”

“My name is Breeze.”

Tammy moved out of the way to allow her to push a cart from the hallway into the living room. Tammy almost winced as she saw food containers nearly slide off the tray. The tall woman didn’t seem to notice or care when she turned, her gaze studying Tammy from head to foot. She chuckled.

“So you are Valiant’s mate.” The woman didn’t hide her amusement. “You’re so small. I believed he would pick Sunshine. She’s as tall as I am.”

“Sunshine?”

“One of us. He has been looking for a mate. I had to see for myself the human woman I heard about from last night. They said you were small the way Ellie and Trisha are. They were right. A re all of your woman about your size? I don’t get to be around many of your females.”

“I met Trisha last night, right? The pregnant doctor?

Who is Ellie?”

“She’s a human mate to Fury. He is canine but they are not here. They live at Homeland. She is my good friend. I came here with some of our women months ago to help with the opening of Reservation. I miss my friend and I wanted to meet you. I enjoy being around human females.” She grinned.

Tammy smiled back at her. She saw the woman’s grin swiftly turn into a tense line when her gaze fixed on something behind Tammy. She guessed Valiant had entered the room. The growl that rumbled a second later dispelled any doubt. The New Species woman backed toward the door, her gaze dropping to the floor. Fear showed on her face.

Tammy spun and put her hands on her hips. “Don’t growl at her.”

Valiant’s angry glare shifted to Tammy. “I don’t want anyone near you.”

“Deal with it. I’m making a friend.” She turned back around and smiled at Breeze. The woman looked surprised as her gaze lifted to meet Tammy’s. “Don’t mind him. He’s,” she shrugged, “protective.”

Breeze nodded. “He has reason to be. Some of our people don’t tolerate humans.”

“Well, you aren’t one of them. You said so yourself that you are friends with women like me. It was really nice meeting you. I hope I get to see you again soon.”

The woman flashed Tammy a smile. “I will be delivering all your food. No one else wanted to.”

“Because they don’t want to see me?”

The woman’s gaze flashed to Valiant as she shook her head. She glanced at Tammy. Her attention returned to Valiant. “I’ll see you again at lunch.” The woman fled, closing the door behind her.

“They are avoiding me.” Valiant walked to the cart to remove the lids on the plates.

Tammy frowned. “Why would they do that?”

“I frighten them. I’m not,” he shrugged, “social.”

“You mean because you roared at them last night when they stared at me?”

“Yes. Exactly.” He nodded. “Let’s eat.”

Tammy and Valiant moved the food to the coffee table. Someone had sent a few different drinks. Tammy lunged for the chocolate milk. Valiant made an unpleasant face.

“What’s that look for?”

“That stuff is disgusting.”

“Chocolate milk?”

He nodded. “It makes me sick.”

She hesitated. “Oh. I see.”

“What do you see?”

“Well, I had a dog once. He ate a candy bar and threw up. It’s probably that animal DNA of yours. I love chocolate.”