Page 55 of Cosmic Castaway

“I am attractive.”

No shame. Literally none. I chuckled. He made me… happy. I’d never had someone who pulled me out of my brain and made me laugh so easily. He leaned closer, and for a second, I thought he might kiss me again, but he didn’t. Mindy merely hovered over me, tail twitching.

“Will you stay?”

That felt like a loaded question. If I said yes, what was I agreeing to? Though if I said no, I’d hurt his feelings. “It’s awkward.”

“Why?”

“Because.”

“I do not understand, but it’s fine.” He grinned. “How about I take you on a date? That is a thing, correct? Kalvoxrencol has talked of the dates he takes Seth on. Zoltilvoxfyn also takes Caleb on dates, though he is not as vocal.” He looked around like someone might overhear us. “But they fuck in public. Like Zoltilvoxfyn’s greenhouse. Caleb likes the risk of being caught. At least, that’s what Kalvoxrencol says. Seth caught Caleb and Zoltilvoxfyn, and it made him… turn red? I forget the right word.”

“Blush?”

“Blush,” he repeated.

The more I learned about Seth and Caleb, the more I wanted to meet them. They were humans who’d made their lives in space. Maybe I could do the same? I pushed the thought away. We were stuck here for who knows how long. The point was moot.

“I’ve caught them as well. They were fucking in their quarters with the door open. Worry not, Flower. That is not something I enjoy.”

“Good to know,” I replied. Not something we needed to worry about at the moment, but nice to know all the same, I supposed.

He beamed, then his smile faltered. “But if you like it, I can try.”

“No.” I might have no experience, but I didn’t care for the idea of other people watching or finding me and Mindy fucking.

“Then we won’t.”

“What would we do on this date?” I asked, changing the subject. We’d done everything even slightly interesting on the ship.

“If I think of something fun, will you date me?”

My lips pursed. “Sure.”

He moved even closer, leaving a hair between us. I felt his breath on my skin as he said, “Thank you.”

I grunted, embarrassed, and went back into the tent. I listened to the sound of him bathing and tried not to think about him naked. I’d seen him before, and fuck, he was pretty. Though, my thoughts veered to the way he smiled, how he played with his lip ring when he was nervous, how he made me laugh, his tail that never seemed to stop moving, how he raced about, and the way his voice rumbled.

A few minutes later, he came inside, shivering as he dried his long hair. I slithered under the nest of the blankets and held out my arms. “Come here before you freeze.”

Mindy didn’t need to be told twice. He snuggled against me before I had a chance to react. I settled on his chest, listening to the thrum that must belong to his heart. I closed my eyes when his cold fingers started to stroke my back.

This was nice. Just this. Just us.

“Did you think of something fun?” I asked.

“We should venture outside again.”

“What about the other alien? I don’t really feel like getting attacked again.”

“Trust me to protect you.”

I snorted. “There is a difference between trust and asking for trouble. He was huge.”

“We cannot remain in here forever. We will need water and food. We’ll have to venture out eventually.” He lifted my chin. “I will never let you be in danger. Not ever.”

That I believed. He was too protective of me to allow something to hurt me. “Fine.”

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