“Let’s hear you say it,” he purred.
“Khall,” she said softly.
Fuck, his name sounded good in her mouth.
“I didn’t know Terrans color-shifted,” he said, desperately trying to get his mind onto another subject.
“We don’t,” she said, looking confused.
“Your cheeks,” he said. “They darken sometimes. Why?”
“Sheesh, Dad,” Minerva scolded. “Way to be ignorant about other races. They have websites devoted to educating the universe about that kind of thing, you know.”
“It’s fine,” April said quickly. “I don’t mind explaining. Humans don’t really color shift. But sometimes blood rushes to our faces when we feel intense emotion and it’s visible if we have paler colored skin. It’s called a blush or a flush.”
“What kind of emotion?” Khall asked, striding over.
“Oh, all different kinds,” she said. “Those are ready, Minerva.”
Minerva started moving the bread from the pan to a platter.
“Which different kinds?” he pressed, stealing an uva-berry from a bowl.
Bo smacked his hand, but she was smiling.
“Well, let’s see,” April said. “I blush when I feel embarrassed or shy, or really pleased, or excited. And I get flushed from exercise, or when I feel angry.”
“Blush and flush are both pink?” he asked.
“Yes,” she said. “And sometimes Terrans go pale, if they’re afraid or anxious. But you can’t feel that, so I’ve never noticed myself doing it.”
“You can feel the color change?” he asked, fascinated. “What does it feel like?”
“It feels like my face is heating up,” she said, shrugging. “Because there’s more blood than usual, I guess.”
“Incredible,” he said.
She did it again and he laughed.
“Are you angry right now?” he asked.
She shook her head and turned away from him to gather up the platter of wet toast and a bowl of what looked like cooked fruits.
He followed her to the table, deciding not to tease her anymore. But was it possible that she was thinking about last night and feeling self-conscious. Or excited?
Don’t think about it,he chastised himself.
“Let’s turn the music down,” he suggested, heading over to the sofa to reprogram the sound bar.
He grabbed it and adjusted the music to a better volume for a quiet meal.
But when he straightened, he noticed the box with the lingerie on the table. April must have picked it up off the floor this morning. He vaguely remembered kicking it off the elevator last night.
He was surprised she had left it out where the girls might see it. He picked it up, planning to stow it in the hall closet until she could return it.
But he glanced down and was surprised to find the box was empty.
Surely, she didn’t plan to keep such an inappropriate gift?