“Two days,” he says, putting aside the drone.
Just as quickly, the knot is back in my throat. Two days. What answer had I expected? What was the right timeframe for me to get used to the idea? A week? A month? My heart doesn’t want to be reasonable. Last night filled it with hope. Hearing that he’ll only be with me for two more days makes all that hope spill out and drain away. “I see.”
Vordigar gives me an intense look. “You don’t want to know where I’m going?”
I make myself a bowl full of noodles, because it gives my hands something to do. “Would you tell me?”
“Bounty hunting,” he admits. There’s a rueful note in his voice. “I’m not a fan of it, but it’s big money and the crew’s been waiting on me to go after one particular target.”
“Ah.”
“After that, I’ll have all the money I need to get back on my feet again. Maybe buy myself a small pleasure cruiser, visit a few scenic planets, take in the sights.” He shrugs.
I say nothing, poking at my noodles.
“You could come with me,” he says after a long moment.
I look up, surprised.
There’s heat in Vordigar’s gaze. He reaches over and touches my hand, his thumb brushing over my palm. “I know we just met. I know I’m not every female’s dream, but…I like you, Piper. And I don’t like the thought of leaving you. I want you to come with me.”
I blink at him. If I was a younger, more foolish Piper, I’d be head over heels excited at this offer. Leave Risda and a life of farming behind? See the galaxies? Be at his side forever? But I’m not that girl—she died a long time ago. The Piper of today has seen a lot of the universe, and none of it’s safe for humans. I shake my head, slowly. “This is my home. I haven’t had one in forever, and now that I have one again, I don’t want to abandon it.”
“You said you never wanted to be a farmer,” he cajoles me, a twinkle in his eyes. Like this, he’s so handsome—even though he’s a big, blue, horned alien and covered with tattoos and scars and I should be terrified. But I know Vordigar, and I know he’s safe. I’ve given him every opportunity to use me and take advantage of me, just so I know who he really, truly is—and he’s been nothing but teasing and kind.
He’s making this so hard. “You don’t understand,” I say stiffly. “Humans aren’t welcome anywhere but Earth. If I go with you, I’m not safe anywhere. There’s always going to be someone that’ll touch me, or try to steal me away, because humans aren’t important. You won’t be able to protect me. Not every minute of every hour of every day.” I shake my head. “Even if I wanted to go with you, I can’t.”
Vordigar nods. “I get it.”
I don’t know if he does. I don’t know if he ever will. But I smile at him and eat my noodles, because there’s nothing else to say. We eat in silence, and I keep thinking about his offer. To leave with him. To just…go. It’s so tempting.
“Thank you,” I say to him quietly. When he looks up at me, confused, I add, “For offering to take me with you.”
His mouth quirks in a devastatingly sexy smile. I don’t know if he’s handsome by mesakkah standards, but I love his grin and I love how ready it is. That makes him handsome in my eyes. “I admit my reasons aren’t entirely unselfish.”
I chuckle, toying with my noodles. “Does that mean you want to have sex again tonight?”
“You offering?” His tone gets low. Husky. Erotic.
I don’t trust my voice to answer. I look up at him and nod, my heart pounding. When he puts his hand out toward me, I take it.
I’ll think about the future in the morning. For tonight, there’s only Vordigar and pleasure.
11
VORDIGAR
I wake up with Piper in the bed next to me, watching me sleep. Her pretty face is always so serious, but she smiles shyly at me when I reach for her. I think about last night, how she came eagerly into my arms, full of trust and excitement at my touch. I made her come hard several times, and then took her roughly over and over, because I couldn’t help myself. There’s something about her that appeals to the feral side in me. Maybe it’s those little cries she makes when I’m deep inside her, or the look of wonder on her face as she comes. Maybe it’s the way she gazes at me when we’re done. As if I’ve made everything in her world just a little bit better.
I’m getting far too addicted to that feeling.
“Will you go into port with me today?” she asks, watching me.