The human ducked his head and quickly fled in the opposite direction.
“What’s going on?” Darla pressed against his side.
Clark Yenna stepped out from another store to their left, and winked. He jerked his head for them to keep moving. “We’ve got you covered,” he said softly. “Nobody is going to give you or your lady any problems. Teams five and six are here, too, dressed in civilian clothing to get rid of anyone who needs to learn some manners.”
“Everything is fine.” Gnaw released her hand and put his arm around her waist. “Are you hungry?”
“Yes.”
He found the restaurant easily. Two members of team five were standing near the entrance, giving him slight hand signals that it was safe to go inside. He really appreciated their support. It also made him relax. He had backup if any humans decided to show their dislike of aliens.
The human female inside didn’t appear surprised when she saw them step inside. Her next words confirmed it. “Welcome to Jorgio, Mister Gnaw and Miss Darla. Please follow me to your table.”
The table was tucked into a corner but within sight of all the other occupied tables. He saw a few more familiar faces already seated, males sharing meals with some of the female members of their tactical teams. The interior was much nicer and smaller than the cafeteria. They’d decorated it differently, too.
“Here are your menus. Your waiter will be here shortly.” The female left them at the table, returning to the front.
Gnaw looked at the thick paper and scowled.
“What’s wrong?”
He looked at Darla. “I don’t read your Earth.”
She scooted her chair closer to his. “I can help you with that.”
“You are so beautiful and sweet,” he murmured.
She smiled at him. “Thank you for bringing me here. It’s really nice and romantic.”
“I would do anything for you.”
She leaned in closer, putting her head against his arm. He inhaled her scent, wanting to be alone with her. They needed to eat first, though.
“I like meat,” he said, nodding toward the menu.
“I remember. I promise not to order you planet surface covering or anything that comes in a bucket.”
He slid his arm around her waist, worried that she was having bad memories.
She suddenly giggled. “Okay, cooked meat.” Then she smirked. “They have squid on the menu. That’s a small creature that kind of looks like our captors. I hear it tastes bad, or I’d ask if you want to share some. Revenge should taste sweet. Not gross.”
He couldn’t resist leaning in and pressed his lips to her forehead. “They will never harm you again.” He didn’t bring up their next mission, hoping she hadn’t heard about the Blaze being attacked.
“You always make me feel safe. Even when they had us locked up.”
He pulled back and studied her pale blue eyes. “You are my heart, Darla.”
“You’re mine, too. Now—have you tried steak?”
“I like that.”
“Let’s order, and then…will you take me to your bed?”
His rod instantly stiffened, and he adjusted how he sat to accommodate it. “Always.”
Chapter Sixteen
Darla walked faster than normal, holding Gnaw’s hand. She really wanted to get to his cabin. Jessa had said they needed to let people see them together. She had no doubt they’d succeeded in doing that. A few even seemed…extremely nosey.
She glanced back and confirmed it, spotting two of them. She bumped against Gnaw. “I think we’re being followed.”
“It is fine. They are members of the tactical team escorting us to my home, in case any humans have a problem with us being a copulating couple.”
That jarred her enough to forget about who was behind them. “Copulating couple?”
“Ones in a serious commitment to each other.”
“Ah. Understood. That’s really nice of them to do that.”
“It is. I knew Roth planned to tell Clark that you and I were going on a date.”
“Who’s that?”
“He assigns duties to the tactical teams and my grouping. He’s a good human. He calls us his sons.”
“I like him already.”
Gnaw stopped in front of a door and put his palm on it. It opened, and he surprised her by scooping her into his arms and carrying her inside. It was a huge cabin with a really big living space, a kitchen, and a big table with chairs. He strode through it quickly.
She wrapped her arms around his neck. “Why are you carrying me?”
“Earth custom. You are my mate, and this is the first time you have entered our home.” He went to another door and it auto-opened, revealing a bedroom. Only it didn’t have a twin mattress, like Darla’s. It was big enough for two or three people.
Gnaw gently placed her back on her feet and turned away, tapping the pad on the door. “I am locking it. My grouping won’t disturb us, but it was set to open when it detected movement. We normally don’t have our doors on the setting for privacy.” Then he turned to her and reached for his shirt, pulling it over his head. “I want to touch you now.”
Darla stared at his exposed chest. She’d missed seeing his dark bared skin. It was just as muscular and velvety-looking as she remembered. She fumbled for the back of the dress. He seemed in a hurry to get naked, and she was all for that. “I want you, too.”
He bent, tore off his boots, and reached for the front of his pants. “I am so blessed.”
She shoved the dress off and quickly got rid of her underclothing. “I should feel nervous, but I don’t. I just missed you so much.”
Gnaw straightened, and her gaze ran down his body. He was already hard. The sight of his size gave her pause, but she remembered how good he felt inside her. They fit together perfectly.
