Page 12 of Adrift!
Then she was gone, leaving him among the roses, the warmth of her touch on his remaining skin fading along with the echo of what almost was.
+ + +
On all ships, the engines that hurtled them between stars might be the thrumming heart, but the galley kitchen was what drove the crew. Being a bartender who moved between the galley and the public decks, Ikaryo had always appreciated his access to both sides. It felt like a reminder that while his home might be forever out of reach, he still had places he could be.
But he wanted to be back in the garden. With Remy.
Instead, he followed Chef through cold storage and processing, checking bins against the inventory list. Their sunset tour had been scheduled for one evening, so not much had been prepped in advance, but since the Love Boat I was intended for eventual longer cruises, luckily they had laid in a substantial array of base materials that could be converted for emergency use.
“We might’ve gone overboard—not literally—with the desserts,” Styr said as they tallied the carbohydrate synthesizer cartridges. “I’ve never fed Earthers before, and I got excited. But I’m sure we didn’t useallthe raw chocolate.” The thin edges of their phonoplasts fluttered in dismay. “If you didn’t borrow any for your beverages…”
Ikaryo collapsed the mysteriously empty bin. “No, I was focused on more non-Earther flavors for the drinks.” He toggled his datpad. “Access records show only us in storage. I’ll ask Felicity to request a security review.” But they didn’t havemonitors everywhere; that would be unacceptably invasive on a dating cruise.
Even though the galley was otherwise empty, Chef lowered their volume. “We’re floating absolutely nowhere right now, but perhaps our guests needed more fuel for their late-night cabin rearrangements. Griiek was busy all morning answering room requests, and she said some of the passengers are being very conscientious about preserving resources, like bed linens and shower time.” They let out an Elnd sound of amusement, something like the leaves in the atmo-hall rustling. “They seem to have madeverycosmic connections considering our brief time together.”
The little Monbrakkan was a bit naïve, Ikaryo had noted, but as deck tech, she was responsible for implementing all the intricacies of an efficient and pleasant cruise. She’d know on a practical level where everyone—and everything—was. They couldn’t have supplies going missing, but they also needed to keep spirits up.
“Being stranded together does seem to be intensifying emotions.” He refused to think about Remy’s hands on him. But he couldn’t help wondering how she’d feel about late-night chocolates on her pillows.
And how she might taste after he fed her one.
Imagining his fingertips against her lips was definitely intensifying his emotions.
“Keep those eyes of yours out for wayward chocolate wrappers,” Chef said. “Meanwhile, if we start the regen cycle on these containers, we can cultivate complete proteins and expand the carbohydrate base indefinitely, assuming the passengers don’t raid us for more romantic midnight feasts.”
Absently, Ikaryo agreed. He’d have to cut himself off too, even if it was only from the glimmer of possibilities he’d felt with Remy.
Chapter 5
Remy hurried down the empty corridors toward her state room, where she fully intended to hide until rescue or the heat death of the universe, whichever came first.
If her lips kept burning in frustration from That Coulda-Been Kiss That Totally Didn’t Happen, the universe might just burst into flames instead.
At least she hadn’t kissed his finger to make it better!
She rounded the last corner—and almost mowed down Felicity and Mariah.
The Earther women skipped apart to make room for her, then pivoted, Mariah with eyes wide, Felicity with eyes narrowed.
The cruise director chuckled. “Who’s after you?”
Mariah gasped. “It’s not the energy monster, is it?”
Since she couldn’t keep running away, Remy paused. “Sorry. No, it’s all good. I just… Actually, since you’re here, I wanted to ask about fabricating some clothes. I’m not quite ready to knit a whole sweater”—she gave Mariah an apologetic look—“but I wanted to get out of this cocktail dress.” She plucked fretfully at the silky fabric. “Seems a little out of place now.”
“I think it’s beautiful on you,” Mariah said, and Remy wondered if there was a notation in some IDA handbook identifying unearned compliments as the rallying cry of randomly acquainted Earther women.
In mental apology for the snarky thought, she swore to make an extra-extra extravagant flower for her socks at the knitting circle as she smiled at Mariah. “I was just at the ship’s garden that has some fascinating alien flora you might find interesting.”
Over the other woman’s exclamation of delighted interest, Felicity gave Remy a closer look. “Oh. Did Ikaryo show you the atmo-hall?”
Was that a good guess or did staff gossip? Remy restrained a groan. “A distraction from the whole energy monster situation,” she said, aiming for casual and probably missing by lightyears. “Focus on customer service and all that.”
Even as the words left her mouth, she knew they sounded hollow. Ikaryo hadn’t shown her the garden out of professional obligation. The gleam in his silver eyes had been not just a desire for distraction, but something deeper.
Felicity’s feeling button twinkled, and her knowing smile suggested she wasn’t buying the blasé explanation either. “It’s good that he’s…dedicated,” she murmured.
“The garden sounds divine,” Mariah interrupted, clasping her hands together. “I need a place to gather myself before the session tonight. And there’s nothing like growing, living energy to enhance spiritual connection.”
