Authors: Interstellar Lover
“They’re a dangerous breed, sweetheart. I like to avoid them when I can.”
She frowned at him, wondering if he was teasing. Then the Kunjari growled at a tall, furry creature resembling bigfoot who got too near, rolling into a ball of fangs and fury as it launched at the sasquatch. Bigfoot howled as it latched on and went down in heap of flailing limbs.
Okay, maybe Fred wasn’t teasing.
Jay stared curiously at the melee as Fred steered her to a table well away from the fight. He held her chair for her, then sat down next to her and showed her how to use the electronic menu. There were pictures of every dish and an electronic voice to go with the script, describing everything. Some things were obviously not for her⎯the live bugs served in water, say⎯but she wasn’t positive about the remaining choices, either. In the end she narrowed her choices and let Fred guide the final selection. He touched their selections on the screen and sat back with his arm around her. “Ah, it feels good to be back. Don’t worry, you’re going to love it here.”
If she didn’t, it wasn’t like she was staying forever, Jay told herself as she looked around. The fight had broken up, so she contented herself with looking around. The walls were formed of a red brown brick and the floor was dark brown pottery tile, flecked here and there with lighter specks. Copper tiles gleamed overhead, giving her a very homey feeling, but there was nothing earthy about the robotic waitress who zipped up with their drinks. Balanced on one wheel and wearing an apron with the club‘s logo, the metallic female didn’t even wobble as she gave them each a drink and a plate of appetizers from her tray. Her oval head had no features, just smooth, shiny metal balanced on an elegant neck supported by a triangular torso. “Good evening,” her robotic voice issued from somewhere in the head region. “Your selections will arrive shortly. If I can be of any service, please press the service key. Enjoy!” Like a lightning bug, she zoomed away.
Fred laughed as her fascinated gaze followed the robot. “They like to do things the old fashioned way here. Would you believe that model ‘bot is about seventy years old?”
“No!”
“Retro. I like it.” He took a sip of his drink and pushed the plate closer to her. “Here, try these little white cubes. I think you’ll like them.”
“What is it?” Jay asked cautiously as she sampled the appetizer. “Yum! Is it all this good?”
“Yep. It’s called libo, but we’ll save the ingredient discussion for later. I’ve got a program at home you can use to look stuff up … if you’re brave enough.”
“Ha, ha. Just as long as you’re sure none of this is going to poison me.”
“Hey, if I can survive TV dinners, I’m sure jellied whale boogers will be no problem for you.”
“What!” Jay recoiled in disgust until she saw the mischief in his eyes. She hit him. “You jerk.”
He snickered. “I never promised not to have fun.”
Their server arrived with a huge platter and slid it in front of them. Jay goggled at the amount of food. “No way we can eat all this.”
“Nah. I ordered extra for take out,” Fred assured her. “Dig in.”
Jay wasn’t sure what half of it was, but there were only a couple items she didn’t like. All of it was hearty and filling. She was especially fond of the meaty cones wrapped in crunchy wrappers. Dessert was cool, too. The robot delivered a block of skewers topped with little round balls and several sauces. Each bonbon had a sweet coating and a center ranging from creamy, gooey, crunchy, or jellied fruit. She grinned at Fred. “If I eat another bite, I might explode. This place is great!”
He licked a dab of sauce off the corner of her lip. “So are you. I’m glad I could share it with you.”
“I’m not interrupting anything, am I?” a cool, amused voice asked. Jay looked up to see a blue, fae-looking woman watching them.
“Tasin! Have a seat,” Fred told her, kicking out a chair. “Meet my, um … Jay. Jay, this is the friend I told you about.”
Jay gave the woman a small wave, unsure what she was getting into. Tall and elegant, Tasin had hair a few shades paler than her skin, liquid blue eyes and rather gauzy blue clothes. There were enough layers to give modesty, but only just.
What kind of a friend was she?
Tasin’s eyes noted the cuff on Jay’s wrist. “I see congratulations are in order.”
“Huh?” Jay said.
Fred put an arm around her and smiled meaningfully at the alien. “Definitely. This is Jay’s first trip away from her planet. It’s a big adventure for her.”
“Hm.” Tasin glanced casually around. “You had some questions, I believe. I have a few answers.” She looked thoughtful for a moment. “You remember Tark, don’t you?”
Fred’s gaze sharpened. “And?”
Tasin looked at Jay. “Your ...
friend
Fred put a rather dangerous insectoid drug lord in jail a few years back. You may not know that insectoids live only fifteen years or so, and Tark was already nine. Even a few years are a death sentence. He’s old, bitter, and out for blood—yours, Fred. And anyone else you might value.” Her gaze cut to Jay.
Worried, Jay took in Fred’s serious face and Tasin’s grave expression. “Is an insectoid like the big bugs that got into my apartment?”
Fred smiled and kissed her hand. “Yes. Little did they know how crafty you are.”
She shivered. She had a bad feeling those bugs hadn’t just been passing through.
Fred draped his arm over the back of Jay’s chair and leaned back, casually looking over the club. “So, Tark’s in jail, and he’s sending his son after me?”
Tasin grimaced. “It seems. His son is lazy, though, and concerned with his own comfort. If his father were dead, no one would care to bother you. Taking him out in prison, though, will take some doing.” There was a question in her eyes.
Fred smiled in self mockery, it seemed. “Tas, honey, you tempt me.” His fingers stroked the back of Jay’s neck as he thought, making her shiver, as much from horror as sensual tension. Could he really do something like that?
Finally, he shook his head. “Can’t do it. I’m afraid I’m going to take the high road this time.”
“It’s not like you to do things the hard way.” Tasin studied him skeptically.
“People change. I haven’t been an assassin for some time.”
She snorted. “So the blooded predator has been gelded,” she began, but her eyes cut to Jay’s. “Or has he?” Her gaze considered Fred’s relaxed expression with a wicked smile. “Hunting in new grounds these days?”
“Behave,” he said, but he was smiling.
Jay blushed and tried unsuccessfully to edge away from his caressing fingers. Hot chills skittered over her nerves, making it hard to sit still.
“Pity,” Tasin said with a wink, then stood up. “I must be going. Luck to both of you.”
Jay watched Tasin walk away, her body moving with confident grace. “She was your girlfriend, wasn’t she? Lezza, too. I didn’t know you had a thing for blue chicks.”
He brushed the hair from her cheek, his eyes full of rueful amusement, and hunger. “You want to start a fight, don’t you? I have another way to burn off that emotion.” He kissed her, right there. It wasn’t a little kiss, either. In front of a hundred witnesses, he took her mouth in a hungry claiming, shocking her with open, uncomplicated passion. He let her
in.
When he finally lifted his head, he was breathing hard. “I can swear on my life, I never gave her
that
.”
Jay gulped in air, unable to hide her trembling as he called for boxes to pack up their dinner.
Once in the transport, Fred invoked privacy mode and kissed her as if her lips were the only thing keeping him from spinning in space. Hungry, desperate, they made her shake, made her want to crawl inside him, as close as she could get.
She was almost blind when they crawled out of the transport a few minutes later. Fred led her with one arm around her elbow, his other carrying the bag. She could hardly think in the elevator, knowing what would be happening if there hadn’t been a fish woman in there, too. She could see Fred was still breathing hard. The instant they were by his door, he slapped the palm lock and pulled her in after him, spinning her around in his arms. Heat and lightning blasted her mind they slammed up against the wall. He kissed her with the hunger of a man who wouldn’t be denied, igniting her blood, making her aware of a need she couldn’t deny. She broke the kiss.
“I n-need a minute,” she said.
“What?” He kissed her throat, breathed hotly in her ear.
Jay moaned in misery, but some things couldn’t wait. “I mean it, Fred. I need a minute.”
He looked into her face, then groaned. “Okay. Have mercy on me and be quick, though.” He flashed her a wicked grin and brushed his hardness against her. “Some things just can’t wait.”
“Um.” She stumbled from his arms, her face hot. The couch nearly tripped her up, but she navigated the furniture and locked herself in the bathroom.
Finished, she washed her hands and splashed cold water on her face. Tossing aside the towel, she stared at her trembling reflection. Ah, no. She couldn’t do this. She was falling and couldn’t find a handhold. The man was going to make her break the principals of a lifetime.
Cold fear crept in, cooling the fever he’d started. She really did want to wait for the right man, the man she’d share her life with. Fred wasn’t .... She shook her head, hard, trying to shake sense into it. He was an alien. He wasn’t even the kindly nerd she’d thought he was at first. Forever wasn’t his plan. Kids, a house in a quiet neighborhood, a dog...none of that fit her new image of him. Could they even produce children together? If they did, would they have his incredible eyes? How would she explain
that
to their kindergarten teachers, or her congregation? They’d think they were possessed by the devil.
She turned around and leaned against the sink, hugging herself.
Chapter Nine
“Jay?” Fred inquired. His voice had dropped a register. Just hearing it made the heat flair again. “Are you finished, darlin’?”
Was
she his darling? He’d never said he loved her. Jay moved to the door and called through it, “Do you love me, Fred?”
There was a pause. “Well, sure. Of course I do.” It sounded automatic. Practiced, even?
Her eyes narrowed. “You know what I think? I think you’re just after a piece of tail.” Let’s see how he’d take that.
Not well. The door that had seemed so solid shivered and disappeared. Before she could gasp, he hauled her into his arms and kissed her with convincing, angry denial. He didn’t let up until the only thing holding her up was his body and the wall. “Baby, the only tail I’m thinking of is yours. You mention another woman to me again when I’m making love to you and I swear you’ll get a demonstration of ardor you won’t soon forget. You’re my religion, woman, my reason for breathing. You want worship? Let me show you ...,” he trailed off as his hands and mouth spoke for him.