Skars turned back to her from the chest and must have caught the gist of what she had been thinking. “You like the clothes I gifted you with?”
Raine ran her hand down the pant leg. “I love them. I’ve never worn anything so pretty,” she answered truthfully.
Skars knelt down in front of her to take one of her feet. Raine watched as he pulled a peach-colored, soft-soled slipper with a red rose embroidered on the front onto her foot.
“It fits.” She raised disbelieving eyes to his.
“You are pleased?”
“Very.” She nodded as he placed the other one on. “Thank you, Skars. I’ll try not to get them dirty. I can even wash them before I give them back.”
“Why would you give them back? They are yours. All the clothes are my wedding gifts to you.”
“I … don’t understand. You bought women’s clothing? Were you planning to marry someone else when you bought them?” Raine didn’t know how to respond to the generous gift.
“Neinn.”
Raine lost sight of his face when he rose to stand and took her hand, beginning to tug her toward the elevator.
“It is my duty to trade for the clan’s wants and needs. When I see something I want, I have learned to purchase it rather than regret the loss afterward. It can take months to travel to planets. Some wouldn’t be worth the time or expense to return.”
“Which makes sense. It’s not like you can beam yourself from one planet to another.” She gave a small laugh as they entered the elevator. Then she couldn’t help herself as the doors closed, giving him a curious glance. “Or can you?”
Raine wished she hadn’t asked when his glower returned.
“Neinn.”
“I was just asking. There is no need to get so testy. Don’t you want me to ask questions when I’m curious about something?”
“Já. You can ask Ulf.”
Joy filled her at the information. “Ulf? You managed to get him and Tayla back while I was sleeping?”
“Neinn.”
“Then how am I …?” She broke off as it dawned on her why he had chosen Ulf to answer any question she wanted answered. “That’s just plain rude.”
“I’m a Viking husband; get used to it.”
Chapter 18
Skars
“Wait!”
Skars halted, about to usher Raine out the elevator at her hissed exclamation.
Suddenly on the alert, he stared around the galley. Seeing no danger, he cast her a questioning glance.
“Are any of my friends here?” she whispered, edging behind him. “Were they given clean clothes, too? I don’t want them to think I’m getting preferential treatment.”
Now that he understood there wasn’t any danger lurking to pounce on them, his hands clenched to prevent himself from returning to their room, to punish her for scaring him badly enough that any potential offspring he might have would refuse to make their journey to be housed in their mother’s womb, who would be constantly making the scraping noises which put every hair on his body on edge.
Unclenching his hand, Skars hauled her out from behind his back to march them into the galley. “There is no one here but us,” he gritted out. “I wanted us to share our first meal together alone.” Another decision he was regretting. One of a long list of mistakes he had made since his arrival on Earth.
“Have a seat. I will get your food.”
Without waiting to for her to take a chair at the long table that at least fifteen could sit at easily, he went to the compartments on the wall to choose a variety of foods for Raine to taste. Choosing several for himself, he loaded the offerings onto a tray.
Sitting down across from her in the middle of the table, he placed several dishes in front of her. “Our food is different from what you’re used to. I chose some which should be similar, if not plain. We like our foods spicy, so those are unseasoned until you are adapted to our taste.” Skars pointed at one dish. “This should taste like a beef steak to you.”
From her guarded expression, he guessed the computer was wrong.
“How did the others like it?”
Skars leaned across the table to cut a small bite, spearing it with a utensil then raising it to her lips. “Vikings do not show fear,” he reminded her.
Giving her a pleased look when she opened her mouth, he waited for her reaction.
“It’s actually really good.”
He cut several more pieces for her before moving to the next dish to spear a purple vegetable. “This should taste like your potatoes.”
Raine opened her mouth, this time without his prompting. Chewing the food, she raised her thumb in the air.
“Does that mean it is acceptable?”
“Very.” She grinned at him.
Feeding her from each of the remaining dishes, he gave the utensil to her so he could eat his own meal.
“These purple things are really good.”
“They are called doths. The meat is trippe.” Indicating the other dishes, he gave her the names of the remaining ones on the table.