Ice Planet Honeymoon (Four Novellas of HEA)

“I used to go hunting with my dad,” she says when I glance over at her. “And sometimes fishing, though we mostly just caught turtles or snakes instead of actual fish. Do we need a weight of some kind attached to the line?”

I toss the hunk of meat down into the water below and sure enough, it bobs on the surface and does not go further. “We can use a rock.” It is not a bad idea, and I am pleased she is so clever. “You are smart, Liz.”

“Nah, just something I remember from before.”

We adjust the lines with weights, tying a small oblong stone near the bait on the line to keep it under the water, and then drop one line into the water. I hand the “pole” to Liz while I work on my own. I watch her as I work on the line, the easy happiness in her face. I think of the other human females and try to imagine them out here with their mates and I cannot picture it. They do not like the wild. They would not be thrilled to be exiled with me.

Truly, I am the luckiest to have Liz. She is perfect in every way.

“You’re watching me,” she says, gazing down at the water.

“I am thinking how happy I am,” I admit.

Liz glances over at me and a shy smile curves her mouth. “Me too. This place is perfect…and you’re awesome. I didn’t think I could be so happy on an ice planet like this but…it’s amazing and I can’t imagine being anywhere else. I’m looking forward to the rest of our lives together.” Her hand brushes over her stomach, and I know she is thinking of our kit.

Impulsively, I lean over and kiss the top of her head, then hold her closer to me, pulling her into my lap. I have a sudden vision of one of the large fish biting down and then pulling my mate off the ledge and into the water. “Perhaps we will fish together.”

She chuckles. “All right, if you want.”

“I do.” I settle her on my thighs as she holds the pole. “You can tell me another Star War.”

“There’s only one,” Liz says, exasperated. “And I’ve told it to you already.”

“But you love it, so tell it again.”

Her eyes flare with pleasure as she glances back at me. “You want to hear it again? Really?”

“I like the things you like,” I tell her simply, and hold her tight.

“All right,” Liz says, leaning back against my chest. Her head fits just under my chin. Perfect, really. “A long time ago, there was this guy named Anakin, and he was the chosen one…”

Part III

Ice Planet Honeymoon: Aehako & Kira

Kira and Aehako are happily mated and waiting for their baby’s arrival. Everything is great…or is it? Because carefree Aehako has turned into the most hovering of spouses, and he’s making everyone at the cave crazy.

Kira thinks it’s time for a vacation…of sorts.

This story is an extended epilogue for book 3 of Ice Planet Barbarians — Barbarian Lover — and is for readers who want a little more of their favorite couple. Don’t start here! You’ll be missing out on so much story. Start at the beginning with Ice Planet Barbarians.

9

KIRA

I wake up to the sensation of the baby kicking my bladder. With a grimace, I get out of my warm bed, next to my sleeping mate, and make my way out to the designated “bathroom” area for the South Cave. The set-up here isn’t as nice as the main tribal cave, but we make do. It doesn’t bother me most times…just when I have to wake up in the middle of the night to pee.

Which happens a lot more lately, come to think of it.

My toes curl on the cold stone floor and I get my business done as quickly as possible, then pour a bit of water into a bowl used for washing hands. It’s cold this time of night and the water is turning into icy sludge, so I’m shivering by the time I make it back to the cave I share with Aehako. We had chamber pots in the cave for a while, but the concept makes my stomach turn, and with being pregnant, I can’t have one in the living area. I just can’t. I’ll endure cold feet.

And so will my mate, I think impishly as I slide back under the covers and immediately stick my cold feet on him.

Aehako groans and immediately grabs me, tucking me against his bigger body. “Cruel female.”

“Don’t you want to warm my toes for me?” I tease, snuggling up against him. Aehako is massive—bigger than a lot of the other sa-khui, who aren’t a small people. I have to be the little spoon every time, but he’s a sprawler and sometimes I wake up with him stealing all the blankets in his sleep. So he gets to warm my cold feet. Those are the rules.