Total pages in book: 126
Estimated words: 124077 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 620(@200wpm)___ 496(@250wpm)___ 414(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 124077 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 620(@200wpm)___ 496(@250wpm)___ 414(@300wpm)
He thought again of trying to stop her—of trying to get her to turn around and go back to the authorities and then decided it was futile. Terra had always been stubborn—if she set out to do something, there was no stopping her.
He just wished the Joining they would be planning was real.
42
TERRA
By the time Terra pulled into the driveway, she had almost convinced herself that bringing Taurex home had been a terrible idea. Not because she didn’t want him there—that was exactly the problem.
She wanted him there far too much.
The entire drive from downtown had left her painfully aware of his enormous presence beside her, despite the absurdity of one horn sticking out the passenger window and his knees practically jammed beneath his chin.
Every time she glanced at him, she remembered the way he had leaned into her hug in the police station after she threw herself against him, slow and careful as though he still wasn’t entirely convinced he had permission to be close to her. She remembered calling him “baby” without thinking, remembered the startled look in those golden eyes and the way her entire body had seemed to relax the moment she felt his warmth against her again.
Now she was bringing him back to the little bungalow in Seminole Heights where her mother and children were waiting, and Terra had absolutely no idea what she was going to do once they got there.
But as it turned out, she didn’t need to decide. The moment she turned into the driveway, the front door flew open and her kids came rushing out.
“The Bull-man! The Bull-man!”
Lisa came tearing across the front yard barefoot, despite the fact that Terra had told her approximately four thousand times not to run outside without shoes. Cody was only a few steps behind her, and Lucy appeared in the doorway after them, one hand pressed against her chest as though the excitement had already raised her blood pressure.
Taurex looked startled but pleased at the children’s reaction to seeing him.
Terra barely had time to park before Lisa reached the passenger side and began bouncing beside the door.
“Bull-man! Bull-man! You came back!”
“It appears that I have,” Taurex said gravely.
Terra got out and hurried around the car.
“Give me a second, Lisa. He’s kind of stuck in there.”
“I am not stuck,” Taurex protested from inside the Honda with dignity.
Cody stared at the horn poking out of the window.
“You look stuck.”
Taurex lifted his chin.
“I am simply experiencing a temporary spatial inconvenience.”
Cody burst out laughing and Terra couldn’t help it—she laughed too. Lisa bounced around giggling madly and the corners of Taurex’s mouth twitched up as though he was on the verge of laughing too.
“Hold still,” she told Taurex, opening the passenger door. “Turn your head a little.”
“I am trying.”
“No, the other way.”
“If I turn the other way, my horn strikes the roof.”
“Okay, then duck.”
“My horns do not duck.”
At this, Lisa giggled so hard she almost fell over.
“Silly Mommy!” she exclaimed. “Horns aren’t ducks!”
It took nearly a full minute of maneuvering before Taurex managed to extract himself from the little car, unfolding upward until he seemed to become twice as large as Terra remembered.
Lisa immediately launched herself at him and Taurex caught her automatically and swung her around as she shrieked happily.
“There you are!” she exclaimed, wrapping both arms around his neck. “We thought you went away forever, Bull-man! We missed you!”
Something flickered across Taurex’s face.
“I had business to attend to,” he said gently. “But I missed you too, Lisa. And you, Cody,” he added, smiling at her son.
“Well, don’t go away again,” Lisa said bossily. “You have to stay around here with us.”
Taurex nodded gravely.
“I shall try to arrange my schedule accordingly.”
Cody came closer more cautiously, but his expression was just as pleased.
“Hey, Taurex.”
“Hello, youngling.”
“Did you really get arrested?”
Terra’s eyes widened.
“Cody!” she exclaimed.
“What? Nana said,” he protested.
Lucy had made it across the yard by then.
“I said no such thing!”
“You said Mom went to get him from the police station.”
Lucy’s face went red.
“That is not the same thing, Cody.”
“It kind of is.”
Before the argument could continue, Lucy reached Taurex. For one second, she simply looked up at him. Then her face crumpled and to Terra’s surprise, her mother threw both arms around Taurex’s waist.
“Thank you for saving my grandbabies,” Lucy said to him, her voice breaking. “Thank you so, so much.”
Taurex froze and Terra saw uncertainty cross his face, as though he genuinely didn’t know what to do with an elderly human woman hugging him with all her strength.
Then his expression softened and, very carefully, he wrapped one enormous arm around Lucy’s frail shoulders.
“You need not thank me,” he said quietly.
“Yes, I do.” Lucy held him tighter. “You brought those babies home.”
“They were frightened, but unharmed.”
“You brought them home,” Lucy repeated, looking up at him with wet eyes. “I’ll never be able to thank you enough.”