Page 62 of Catching the Kot'oll Driver

I swallow. “Hey, I’m not your specimen!”

“So, you know I’m right. Looks like you’ve found yourself someone great.”

My cheeks are burning right now. Maybe it would be better if Grihul and I were already mates, but we aren’t, and I don’t even know whether we’re going to be that. I like to have him around and he seems to enjoy my presence around him, but... I still haven’t given him an answer although he asked more than once.

The captain watches me for another moment before he lifts his brows. I lift my hand between us to stop him. “No, he and I aren’t mates.”

He blinks and shrugs. “I see. Sorry about that. But I’d still wager you’d enjoy working with him.”

“What do you mean?”

“Sometimes, there’s chemistry between beings that makes them good to work alongside each other.”

I wonder whether he is lying about that and just messing with me. I’m not supposed to fall for Grihul, but...

The captain shrugs. “After he is released off his withholding, he’s free game.”

“You are saying as if I’m going to eat him alive or something.”

He laughs. “You sure can do that if you set your heart to that.”

I hiss at him. “Geez, you’re crazy.”

“Our team is crazy, thus we have you.”

Sometimes, I hate him so much... He is the leader and is very experienced in managing a team, so I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised that he will see through me.

I ask, “Do you think he is a good being?”

“Good for you? Probably.”

“What does that mean? Do you think I’m not good enough—”

He lifts a hand to stop me. I look away, resisting a sneer. Sometimes, he and I and others joke around, but he is my boss, after all. If I don’t want to get fired, maybe I should respect him a little bit.

“Kendra, have you ever found someone who you can’t stop thinking about?”

I shake my head. “Not really. Well, I suppose I did think about those who hurt me a bit, but that’s pretty much all there is.”

“I get that, but you know what I mean.”

Maybe I do think about Grihul a bit too much.

He continues, “Just give him a chance if it feels like the two of you can communicate with each other and make each other a better being.”

I clench a fist, slowly letting it go. Is Grihul making me a better being? That... I’d care about him that much more than I care about other beings past work relationships and stuff. That... I actually don’t mind his presence around me, even though he annoys me at times.

Speaking of which, how’s he doing?

The captain says, “Just be honest with yourself. You want him to stay around you. Otherwise, even though you may feel sorry for him for what happened, you wouldn’t come here with him. Not to mention the two of you wouldn’t be near the mall together if you didn’t care. We’ve been working together for years, and other than official meals, you’d never even join team dinners.”

I suppose he is right. it may be a bit too obvious to everyone on the team for me to be found with Grihul.

He says, “I wish you all the best. Looks like you’ve finally realized that some big guys are nice.”

I roll my eyes. “Don’t embarrass me in front of him.”

“Sure. In fact, I’m planning to leave. Just call me if something comes up.”

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