“Hmm…that’s really tempting…” she admitted.
“I happen to have some with me now,” her friend told her. “I was going to have Lydia and Lor try them out, but you seem to need them a lot more than those two do.”
She nodded at the two line cooks who were standing as close together as possible while prepping for the night’s dinner service. They kept stealing kisses and whispering to each other—clearly they were lost in their own little world.
That’s how I want to be with Kalis, Jillian thought longingly. If only the big Kindred would stop treating her like she was made of crystal and might shatter at the slightest touch! But ever since the night when he’d found her so horribly wounded and his Ursus had healed her, he seemed almost afraid to touch her because he might break her somehow.
Jillian wondered if that had anything to do with the fact that his Ursus had crushed Brad to death accidentally. He had mentioned several times that he hadn’t meant to do it and had also stated that he hadn’t realized what “fragile creatures” humans were before. So maybe that had something to do with his reluctance to finally finish the bonding process. Jillian didn’t know—she only knew she was going half crazy with wanting him and she was tired of waiting.
But she decided, reluctantly, that she ought to wait just a little while longer—until they were on the same page.
“You know, I’d better not,” she told Suzanne. “I don’t want to force the matter—that’s a bad way to start a new part of our relationship. But I’d still love to try your new chocolates—do you have any that don’t have Bonding Fruit in them?”
“Sure—I have some with passion fruit,” Suzanne told her. “They’re almost as good. Here—let me get some.”
She went off to the pantry and came back with a small box filled with white and dark chocolates.
“These look wonderful—you really got the tempering on the chocolate just right.” Jillian looked at them admiringly. “Which are which?”
“The white chocolate ones are the Bonding Fruit and the dark chocolate are the passion fruit,” Suzanne said promptly. “Try one and tell me what you think.”
“Okay.” Selecting an oval-shaped chocolate as big as her thumb, Jillian bit through the dark chocolate and into the gooey center. At once the flavors of deep dark chocolate and the tangy taste of the center flooded her tongue.
“Well—what do you think?” Suzanne looked at her anxiously.
“Mmmm!” Jillian rolled her eyes back in delight. The dark chocolate was delicious, but the passion fruit center was the best, she decided. It had a tangy sweetness that was addicting. It was also different from any passion fruit she’d ever had—there was an almost buttered popcorn aftertaste that was surprisingly delightful. “Oh my God—so good,” she moaned.
“I’m so glad you like it!” Suzanne smiled.
“Like it? I love it! If the Bonding Fruit chocolates are half as good as the passion fruit ones, the new place is going to be a big hit. Can I have another?” Jillian asked.
Her friend shoved the box at her.
“Help yourself! I’m just so happy you like them—your good opinion means so much to me—especially with anything remotely culinary.”
“Aww, you’re sweet to say so.” Jillian smiled at her friend and helped herself to another chocolate—and then another. “That’s enough,” she said, making herself stop after a fourth. “The centers of these are so intense they’re addicting! You’re going to make a mint, Suze.”
“Thank you.” Suzanne smiled. “I’d better put the rest back for now so we can finish prepping.”
“Yes, put them where I can’t see them so I don’t eat the whole box,” Jillian said, laughing.
Suzanne laughed too, and bustled off to put away the chocolates.
As she went back to prepping that night’s ingredients, Jillian eyed Lor and Lydia again, who were still whispering together. She sighed and hoped that she and Kalis would be as close when they finally got around to bonding…
53
Kalis frowned as a low moan from Jillian’s side of the sleeping platform woke him. He was always sensitive to her cries, since lately she’d been having terrible nightmares of that night down on Earth when her ex-mate had nearly betrayed her to her death.
He had nightmares of his own, when he thought of what might have happened to her if the Goddess hadn’t intervened and sent him to her so quickly. As it was, he still berated himself for not getting there sooner. He wished desperately that the female he loved hadn’t had to go through such terrible trauma. Of course, his Ursus had healed her body, but clearly her mind was still in turmoil.
“Sweetheart?” He rolled over and pulled her small, fragile body close to his own much larger bulk, trying to be careful of her as he did so. He hadn’t realized what delicate creatures humans were until his Ursus had crushed her ex-mate without even trying. The fact that he had killed one of them—a male at that, who ought to be tougher and more resilient physically than a smaller female—had spooked him somewhat. Ever since, he had been even more careful of Jillian.