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Ariana turned and faced him. “Anything else I can do for you?”

Ah, yes, many things. Allow him to taste her peach colored lips or bury his nose into the sweet smell of her silvery hair. But he must move slowly with her or she would disappear within seconds.

“Fire?” Andreus motioned to the pit he dug yesterday when he’d first arrived. Charcoaled embers were all that remained of yesterday’s blaze.

But from her widened eyes, he could see that she had never been taught to make one. That would not be the only lesson he gave her tonight.

He pointed to his injury. “Please don’t go until you’ve helped me with the fire and dined with me.”

She hesitated, bit her lip, then glanced at the setting orange sun. “I-I have never been on the ground during the dark.”

He leaned on the staff. “Do you fear predators?” Like himself, perhaps?

Ariana covered her arms, as if a shiver had coursed through her. “I don’t know. It’s frightening to do something you’ve never done.”

Andreus studied her vibrant eyes. “On the contrary, I find it rather thrilling.” He pointed to the small stack of wood he’d gathered yesterday. “Stay with me, help me with the fire. I promise to keep you safe.”

She glanced again at the sun and finally nodded. Anticipation skated down his spine, roused his groin.

Together, they gathered the wood and built the fire. Nights did not get overly cool on this planet, but the light of the fire always brought a sense of contentment and protection.

Ariana gathered up her basket and placed it on the leaf pallet between them. “Which would you like to try first?”

A hint of shyness lurked beneath her lowered lashes, her tightened lips. Despite another man offering for her, Ariana was attracted to him—a Marimar. That knowledge would be very useful.

He picked up a toko tree nut. “So tell me of the man you are to marry.”

She shifted and silvery hair fell across her eyes. “His name is Hanken. He will be a good provider, take care of me.”

So much that she did not say. Andreus chewed the nut, an interesting combination of oily and sweet, then reached in the basket for the sweet nectar fruit.

“But do you love him?”

Her face blanched. “I do not know if it is love. That is one of the reasons why I take this journey, to look inside myself and decide if he is the right man for me.”

He tossed the fruit in the air, “What if he isn’t?” then caught it.

“I-I am not beholden to him. There have been others who have decided not to go through with the pledge.”

Cooler air blew in from the ocean, dipping the flame and rustling the leaves of the hut. Ariana glanced away then took a bite of a sweet nectar fruit. Pink juice glazed her lips.

Andreus swallowed, desire spiraling through his bloodstream. He traced a line down her smooth jaw then brushed at the liquid on her succulent lips. Her breath caught but she did not move.

He lowered his voice, felt it tremble as he spoke. “How can you know if he is the one if you do not experience another?”