uninvited

chapter twentytwo

unsteady

This time when she landed on her ass she decided to stay there. The guy needed a few lessons in dating. Number one don't swipe a girl's legs out from under her. Number two no flipping the girl over your shoulder.

Even if he was making sure to lessen the impact.

And not that they were dating. Nope

She looked at him as he stood over her. Thank God, he was back in his own clothes.

Jess ignored the hand he offered her. After a moment, he got the hint and sat next to her. He didn't even look winded while she gasped for breath.

He was also preoccupied. She knew it wasn't from picking her brain. Not much had happen on that end. No feelings. Frey and Pensley only passed on flashes here and there. Hallelujah.

"If you have somewhere else to be, you can run along."

He hadn't said much about Ray of Sunshine but thanks to Dezrick, she knew there'd been no burning flesh.

"I spoke to the human Julian today."

Not what she was expecting him to say. "About what?"

"I was confused on what you meant last night when you said we were even now. Were you pleased with my help with Meline? Even Dezrick could not help me with the answer."

She could only imagine what Julian had come up with and wasn't sure she wanted to hear it.

"He said that it could not have been easy for you to trust me with your sister's well-being. He said it meant something that you did. When I asked him why it was hard for you to trust, he said that was up to you to tell me."

"I choose not to. So, why does this have you all moody?"

His eyes locked with hers. "Dezrick believes your father leaving hurt you deeply."

"Let's talk about anything but this, okay? I don't want to get mad at you right now."

Seeing his look, she went on. "Oh good, lord. It's nothing so dramatic. You wouldn't understand anyway. I have trust issues. Big deal, move on."

"It pleases me, that you let me help with your sister."

Grunting, she got to her feet. Being knocked down would hurt less than this crap. She got in the fighting stance he'd taught her.

Slowly, he got to his feet.

"If we are going to talk, we need to talk about all the stuff you have in storage."

He blocked all her punches and even threw a few of his own. "What about it?"

He was going easy on her and that pissed her off. "It's a waste. Plus, we've been through a lot. There are other kids like Mel. Kids that have lost too much, some who have lost everything. They need some normalcy in their life."

Her thrill at getting a right hook by him was short lived. She threw every cuss word she knew at him as she held her hand to her chest.

His face was made of freaking stone. He hadn't even flinched.

"Here, let me see it."

"Your face crushed it."

He checked each finger then held it up so Dezrick could scan it with one of the cameras. "No broken bones. There's some claramax cream in the infirmary."

A jar appeared in his hand. It went on freezing cold and smelled like a cross between oranges and pine cleaner.

Her hand instantly felt better.

Kellum looked down at her as he scolded her. She caught a few words. Careless. Lucky. If she was lucky, he'd be someone else's problem right now. Instead, here he was all up in her personal space. Close. Smelling nice. His touch gentle. Too gentle for her peace of mind.

Jess shushed him.

"I am not sure what that means."

"It means be quiet." She motioned him closer then tried a more direct approach and order him closer. "We need to conduct a small study. That should be right up your alley."

"What kind of study?"

Since he wasn't coming closer, she took that step that separated them.

He still had her hand but other than that, they weren't touching. Yep, he smelled that good.

The top of her head barely reached his shoulders. She raised on the tips of her toes. Her lips were only a breath away from him.

Crap on a stick. She liked being this close to him. Breathing became more of a chore. Her insides were overcome by warm swirls.

She checked out his breathing. Unsteady but then again, he could just be worried she'd lost her mind.

It was a very reasonable concern.

She was standing here smelling the alien.

He hadn't moved a muscle.

Which would be worse? He was standing here not feeling a thing or him just as bothered as she was? She pulled back far enough that she could tilt her head back and meet his eyes. Seeing the heat in his eyes, sent her warm swirls into overdrive.

She could be in trouble here if she wasn't careful.

"Kellum, your heart rate is extremely high. Do you require medical attention?"

"Do you, Kell?"

"You have magic?"

His rough voice so close awaken every nerve ending in her body.

"Human Jessalynn, do you require help?"

"No." She couldn't manage more than a whisper.

"Is this what you are feeling?"

All the warm feelings drowned in a wave of reality. She took a step back. "Suppose so."

"Why did it work now and not earlier?"

"You and Dez will have to figure that one out. As soon as you give my hand back, I'm out of here."

He looked down at their joined hands then back up at her. "Explain these feelings to me."

"That will have to wait for another day." A cold day in hell. "Hand please."

Kellum released it and she couldn't escape fast enough.

"Jessalynn?"

She was so going to pretend not to hear that, or how warm and husky his voice was.

Damn little green men who didn't feel anything.