Page 45 of Wanted By the Alien Warden

Incoming Tablet Communication Cherry Dawson:That vegetable dick… The dickplant, if you will… Is a very nice shade of purple…

Incoming Tablet Communication Darcy Dubois:AND WE KNOW SOMEONE ELSE WHO’S PURPLE!

Incoming Tablet Communication Tasha Wallace:Oh… Oh no…

Incoming Tablet Communication Magnolia Jones:Are you regretting joining this chat yet, Tasha?

Incoming Tablet Communication Darcy Dubois:Of course she isn’t. She’s a woman of taste. I can tell.

Incoming Tablet Communication Tasha Wallace:Thank you. I think?

Incoming Tablet Communication Darcy Dubois:Angel emoji loading

Incoming Tablet Communication Darcy Dubois:Kiss emoji loading

Incoming Tablet Communication Darcy Dubois:Heart emoji loading

Incoming Tablet Communication Tasha Wallace:Actually… I’m not regretting joining this chat at all.

Incoming Tablet Communication Cherry Dawson:Heart emoji loading

Incoming Tablet Communication Magnolia Jones:Heart emoji loading

Incoming Tablet Communication Darcy Dubois:Heart emoji loading

Incoming Tablet Communication Tasha Wallace:Heart emoji loading

14

TENN

“What are you smiling at?”

I’d dismounted outside my office, and was about to help Tasha down as well, when I saw her pleased expression.

“What? Oh, nothing.”

“You’re smiling at nothing?”

She lifted her hand. In it was her small human tablet. “I was just chatting with Darcy and the others.”

“About what?”

“Um…” Her cheeks, already pink, darkened further. I’d learned about this in the book last night. Blushing, it was called. It could be due to all manner of things. Heat. Embarrassment. Anger.

Arousal.

Blast. Just because I’d spent most of the ride back here half-hard and dry-mouthed didn’t mean that Tasha was experiencing anything similar. That was rather pathetically hopeful thinking.

I supposed her easily-reddened cheeks were a bit like a Zabrian’s eyes going white. It told me she was feeling something.But whether that something was simply a result of the summer weather, or something else, was entirely a mystery to me.

“Nothing,” she repeated.

“Ah. And thus, you smile at nothing.”

Her smile returned. And for a moment, I felt very unsteady in my boots.

“Exactly.”

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