Page 68 of Coveted

“Why would you burn it?”

Both men looked at her as if she was the one who didn’t make sense.

“What else would we do with it?”

Alana pulled away from Vax’s side so she could look at both men. The answer seemed obvious to her, and the fact that they didn’t seem to know made her concern for Farcon 1’s agriculture grow.

“It’s vegetation. It made it through inspection which means it’s not carrying any spores or disease, so there’s no reason not to use it in your fields. I know you said you burned the infected crops which would have helped add some nutrients back to thesoil, but extra compost, especially from crops you don't usually grow, can improve the soil so you get a better yield.”

Varner looked thoughtful while Vax looked at her as if she’d grown an extra head or suddenly turned purple.

“You grow your food in rotten plants?”

Alana laughed, putting her hands on her hips.

“Actually, we use more manure than plant matter.”

His blank stare told her he didn’t understand, and a grin spread across her face as she waited to see his reaction.

“Feces.”

All expression dropped off Vax’s face, his rich, dark skin taking on a grey tone as he put a hand on his stomach.

“Excuse me?”

Even Varner’s nose was scrunched, and Alana had to shake her head. Farcon 1 may not grow many crops because the environment wasn’t very suited to it, but she’d have thought they would be better informed about what it took to farm since what they did do was so important to the planet.

“It’s mixed into the soil. It’s not like the plants are grown directly in it, though that can be done. All it does is give the plants nutrients to grow better and produce more.”

Vax still looked like he was thinking about converting to a carnivorous diet.

“Honestly, I hope whoever you have in charge of your agriculture knows more than you do. It’s a very common practice that’s been happening since humans started digging in the dirt with sticks.”

Vax huffed, giving his whole body a shake before straightening.

“I’m a miner, not a farmer. Y’all want to play with poo and say it’s to make the plants healthier, I’ll take your word for it. Just remind me to tell the chefs to wash everything twice from now on.”

Alana shook her head but still found herself grinning, and even Varner chuckled before excusing himself to go oversee what needed done. With no one else demanding Vax’s attention, she looked up at him and tipped her head toward the Administration Building.

“Ready to go get some sleep?”

He closed the space between them, her breath leaving in a rush when his hands wrapped around her waist and his head dropped until his lips were floating just above hers.

“I’m ready to go eat.”

Pulling her body closer, he tilted his hips, his growing erection obvious. Core clenching, Alana flinched at the ache of sore muscles even as she slipped her arms around his neck.

“How about you have some food, then get some sleep, then maybe we can revisit that thought.”

The breeze twirled around her legs, making it impossible to ignore the slick coating her bare folds from his suggestion. She knew he could smell it too, his nostrils flaring as his dark eyes stared into hers, but she wasn’t sure going again so soon was a good idea. She could ignore the current level of soreness between her legs, but more would make it hard to sit or walk without wincing.

Vax grumbled, a pout forming on his lips, and Alana couldn’t resist leaning closer to brush hers against them. Smooth and firm, they locked onto hers and took over in a matter of seconds, deepening the kiss before she finally pulled away to breathe.

Groaning, Vax stood, tucking her against his side again as he turned them toward the building.

“Fine, but I’m going to hold you to that. If I’m going to be imprisoned in two days, I want another memory of you to keep me going.”

Heart stumbling, Alana kept her eyes focused on the building so she wouldn’t give away her worry. She hadn’t thought about itbefore Vax brought it up, but it was true that the Council could very well decide to imprison him. Even something as vague as thwarting the Council’s orders could earn him a sentence, and if they were as vindictive as he made them out to be, they could go so far as to claim treason for shutting down the mines and refusing to produce the crystals they needed to create warships.

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