Chapter Twelve of The Velveteen Tortoise is now available.

I don’t like this.

Jo’s just ended my honeymoon with Pyx.

“I don’t like it, either.” Pyx shrugs as he releases me and goes to the door. He starts ripping away the crushed metal edges of the door and jab that have served as a decent, low-tech lock for us. “If I could, I’d stay here rather than patrol.” He glances over at me and his eyes brighten with excitement. “Later, we could work on the drill together!”

We could, but I’ve lived with Jo for the past decade. I know her.

She’s up to something.

Grumbling, I shoo Pyx away from the now-irreparable door. “Step back, Pyx. You don’t want Gary to see you like this.”

Check that.

I don’t want Gary, or anyone else, to see my mate like this.

Pyx is dressed in his ‘When Hidden Within The Bale’ flow-y pants that ride so deliciously low on his hips…

Seriously. The waistband clings to that perfect spot. You know, it’s that place where his lower abs meet his hipbones and form one hell of an Akuparian Adonis belt.  His appearance is so casually comfortable yet unintentionally revealing that it’s achingly intimate.

And, apparently, my primal she-alpha-bits have pounced ahead a stage or two of our relationship—er, mateship with Pyx. We’re now at the stage where we’re so comfortable and familiar with one another that he can lounge around, half dressed with his ripped and drool-worthy torso exposed…

…While my feral, foaming-at-the-mouth she-alpha-bits prowl around him, snarling MINE. MINE. MINE.

So yeah. You better look elsewhere, Gary! This magnificent view is for my eyes only—

“Oh,” I yank the door open and there’s Gary. Blindfold on and everything…

Read Chapter Twelve…

Happy World Turtle Day! Chapter Twelve of The Velveteen Tortoise is now in-progress.

She narrows her eyes at me. “You’ll cram it in.”

“I’ll ease it in. Promise.”

“You said that last time.”

True. However… “Totally learned my lesson.”

“You also said that last time.”

Also true. However… “Each time I get better at it.”

Luna shakes her head at me. “Goal’s to not burn down the modular, Pyx.”

Fine.

But I still press closer…