Page 13 of Craving Stardust

“It’s amazing.” She took the bandages and started toward the door. “I imagine you’re hungry. I’ll go make something.”

“Thank you,” I called out as she left.

Turning back, she sent me a smile that made my skin glow once more. “Any time.”

As she left, I pinched my eyes closed and contemplated what I should do next. The disc had not fully healed my leg, though I’d be able to walk on it within a lunar cycle or two. Within six lunar cycles, it would be completely healed.

If her government sought to capture me, I needed to leave this planet as soon as I could. That meant I needed to assess the damage to my ship and, if it could be repaired, flee as soon as I could.

I was torn. Leaving meant saying goodbye to Iris, my fated one. But it was clear I couldn’t remain here with her even if she asked me to say.

Why would she? I was a stranger in her world, strange enough her people would hunt me.

What would she say if I asked her to go with me?

We’d just met. Did I have enough time to win her hearts?

I had to try. I couldn’t give up and leave her without showing her she was meant to be mine.

FIVE

Iris

The scent of cinnamon rolls wafted through the room as I checked Lordek's bandages. The rub burns on his arms were healing nicely, the angry red skin starting to knit back together already.

“I’m still stunned by what your healing discs can do.” Imagine having something like that in our hospitals. It could make the difference between life and death.

“I’m not sure how they work, but I can give some to you if you’d like.” He gazed up at me with an odd look in his eyes, something I took for appreciation, though he couldn’t be attracted to me. How pale I must seem when compared to his rich green skin. And his thick black hair gleamed like the deepest night, infinitely prettier than my regular old dirty blonde. He was bigger than human males. At least seven feet tall, and broad. Were all his people as big as him? “I want to thank you for your help. Giving you discs is just one way I can do it.”

“I’ll take some when you…” I didn’t want to say when you leave.

I didn’t want him to go, but I knew he had to.

He’d probably been here too long already. My pulse flatlined whenever a vehicle drove past the farmhouse, and each time my phone rang, I jumped. Yeah, like the government would call before storming the place. Nah, they’d set up full SWAT teams with armored vehicles in the road and fields all around and move in with tear gas and weapons raised. We’d be lucky if either of us made it out of a confrontation alive.

Would Lordek fight back or surrender?

The thought of them taking him made my throat close off tight. It wasn’t just that I’d never see him again; this wasn’t about me and my growing feelings. Silly feelings, actually. I barely knew him. I couldn’t care for him yet.

But I hated to think of what they would do to him if they caught him.

“I need to assess the damage to my ship, fix it if I can.” His soft gaze met mine. “We both know I can’t remain here for long. I need to leave as soon as I can get my ship running again.”

I suspected he’d take a big chunk of me when he left, but there wasn’t anything I could do about it. His life was in the stars and mine was here on Earth. I had the farmhouse I’d inherited from my grandparents, my new business to grow, and the friendships I was building in this cute little town. A full life with a lot of promise.

There wasn’t anything for me outside my planet’s atmosphere even if Lordek was inviting me to go with him, which he wasn’t.

He’d only been here a short time, but my heart was tugging me in his direction, telling me there was something precious growing between us. My feelings had to be one-sided. What would he think if he knew I was crushing on him already?

Some nurse I was. Talk about a poor bedside manner.

“Are you hungry?” I bunched up the soiled bandages to throw in the trash. He didn’t need the wounds covered; they were no longer open, and I suspected within a day, I’d only find faint scars.

“I am.” His grin made my bones quiver. Everything quivered actually, whenever he looked my way. “Whatever you’ve made smells amazing.”

“Cinnamon rolls. I didn’t make the dough. It came from a can.”

He frowned.