Page 40 of What Makes an Alien a Dad?

The other man reclined in his chair, clearly not intimidated by the gruff greeting. “Nice seeing you, too, Thormus.”

The professor, my professor, since there were two of them here now, folded his arms across his chest, his scowl deepening despite the open smile of his colleague.

“I asked what the fuck are you doing here?”

Professor Egus lifted both hands in a pacifying gesture. “I had business with someone at the hospital and came up here to get some food. Then, I spotted the lovely Madam Maya Gupta. And since you’ve never bothered to introduce us, I took the liberty—”

“You shouldn’t have,” Professor Thormus cut him off. “Now take your food and leave.”

“But Madam Maya and I have just met.” Professor Egus pouted. “We’ve had no chance to have a proper conversation.”

“Good. She’s heard none of your nonsense yet, then. Now go.”

I kept moving my gaze from one man to the other, wondering what got my reserved, even-tempered professor so irritated. Egus seemed friendly and easy-going—a fun lunch companion. I didn’t mind him staying. However, not knowing their history, I didn’t want to interfere.

“This rooftop terrace is not a part of your clinic, Thormus. I’ll stay here for as long as I wish. If Maya doesn’t object.”

And just like that, Professor Egus ended my neutrality, dragging me into their argument. They both stared at me now, awaiting my decision.

“I... I don’t mind,” I said, then noticed that Professor Thormus’s expression darkened. “Unless of course, there is a reason why you shouldn’t be here?”

“There are plenty of reasons,” Professor Thormus snapped.

“All of them are only due to your intolerable disposition and grumpy nature,” Egus objected with a charming smile. “Lighten up, Thormus. Sit down and have lunch with us. Can’t you see you’re upsetting our lovely Madam Maya by being your usual cranky self?”

Egus obviously knew what buttons of Kear’s to push. My professor shot me a concerned look.

“I’m fine,” I assured him.

He nodded, making a visible effort to collect himself, then took a seat on my right. His frown eased somewhat, but the thumb on his right hand placed on the table tapped slightly in a nervous gesture.

It reminded me of the way he tapped on the inside of my knee during the medical exam that morning when prompting me to open my legs wider for him. My heart skipped at the memory, and my inner muscles clenched.

His actual touch was rare, even during an examination. He used medical devices fitted with probes, tips, and scanners that minimized any form of physical contact between us. He also wore gloves during the exams, which made skin-to-skin touch impossible.

Not that I wished for any skin-to-skin contact with Professor Thormus, of course. It’d be all kinds of inappropriate if I did.

This intense attraction must be the result of being alone for too long. I was severely touch-starved by now.

Back on Earth, I’d had a large extended family who loved to hug, a few friends who didn’t shy from showing and receiving affection, and a boyfriend who might not be the greatest at sex but who definitely liked having it often.

No wonder I felt deprived of all of it here on Neron. With Professor Thormus being my main companion lately, it seemed both my mind and my body decided to project my longing for physical contact onto him. That had to be the explanation of my physical pull toward him.

The tension at the table grew uncomfortable. To ease it, I took it upon myself to start a conversation.

“So, you don’t work at the hospital, Professor Egus?”

“No. I have my own clinic on the other side of the city. It’s a happy coincidence that I’ve run into you. I don’t come to this side of town often.” He glared at Professor Thormus over the rim of his cup, but his smile remained unchanged when he set the cup down.

I glanced at my professor, too. “How do you know each other if not through work?”

“We went to the same academy,” Egus explained, not giving Kear a chance to say a word. “We also work in the same field now. But we only get to see each other a few times a year, at the assembly. Your progress is a major point on the agenda of those meetings now. But it’s a shame we have yet to see you there.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever been invited.” I looked at Professor Thormus for confirmation, but he wouldn’t meet my eyes.

He’d always been extremely protective of me, sometimes overly so. It wouldn’t surprise me if he didn’t forward the invite in his effort to shield me from unnecessary attention.

“Of course you have,” Egus exclaimed. “You’re always invited. You are our main attraction, so to say. The only reason none of us have seen you yet is because Thormus has been hiding you so diligently. It’s such a lucky coincidence that I’ve met you today.”

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