Page 15 of Holiday with the Aliens

“That the name of the girl he brought over from Mars?”

Ro nodded. “I tried to talk him into taking me to Earth first, but he held firm. And I was being an asshole.” Usurping a sick child’s place on a ship wasn’t a good look on anyone.

“Sounds like you respect that.” It wasn’t a question. “From what he told me, things are good between you.”

What had he said? Ro’s cheeks flamed and her eyes widened. She wasn’t shy about sex, but she also didn’t go blasting out her escapades to anyone who asked.

A laugh burst out of Ettie. “Good god, you’d think he showed me naked vids! He doesn’t kiss and tell.”

“But my face does, apparently.” It was usually easier to keep her cool, but Ettie had that same quality that Dash did, keeping her at ease, making her want to smile.

She shrugged. “Dash doesn’t normally… connect with his passengers like that. But if he likes you, I’m glad for him. And since it seems you like him…”

“We’re adults, we’re allowed to have some fun with each other.” Though it had been more than fun. Mind blowing. Soul expanding. Life changing. And she was going to walk away. She had to.

“So it’s just fun?” There was something in Ettie’s tone that Ro couldn’t read, but it made warning bells ring in the back of her mind.

“We’ve known each other for a few days. We won’t see each other again after the end of this trip. It can’t be anything more. Can—” She cut the question off. If she voiced it, she might start feeling hopeful, and that was a sure way to get hit with soul destroying anguish. If she knew she couldn’t keep Dash, that was fine. She could keep a protective barrier around herself, keep him from getting too deep under her skin, too far into her heart.

“I think you can do anything you want,” Ettie answered the unasked question. “Dash is one of the best guys I know. And he’s got a huge heart. If you break it… don’t. Just don’t. Tell him what you want from him, what you’re willing to give. He might surprise you.”

A signal beeped, letting them know it was safe to unbuckle their harnesses. “Meet back for dinner later.” Ettie got up and headed for the cockpit to do whatever a captain did on a ship this size.

Ro stayed where she was, her mind buzzing. Letting herself believe she could keep Dash was an exercise in futility. It had to be. He had his life shepherding people around the system. She had her life making deals on Mars. There wasn’t an intersection.

Could there be?

It wasn’t like she had to spend every hour of the day working. And he was based out of Mars. With a little finagling, they might be able to come to an arrangement.

But was it worth even thinking about for a guy she’d known for only a few days?

Not just any guy. Dash.

Dinner came and went, but when Dash showed up, Ro didn’t know what to say. He smiled at her with those open eyes of his and her heart cracked, wanting to let him all the way in. She ate mechanically and helped clean up afterward, and when she was done Dash was waiting.

“Is everything alright?” he asked. “You seem…”

“I talked to Ettie earlier and…” and what? She liked him? His cousin made her question things?

“Ettie is an overprotective doe. She’d ram you head on if she thought it could protect me. Don’t worry about her. She meddles.” He placed his hands on her shoulders and kissed her forehead. “It’s been a long day. Let’s get some sleep.”

Doe? Ro let it drop. She’d called her sister stranger things. She leaned against him to soak up the warmth of his body. She could stay leaning against him all night, but the promise of a bed was enough to get her moving. They made it down the hall, neither quite willing to let go of the other. This was nice. Was it always like this when you lo—liked someone? That Ro hadmade it well into her thirties without being able to answer that question didn’t speak well of her track record, but it was what it was.

Unlike on Dash’s ship, they weren’t staying in dedicated guest quarters, but instead right down the hall from the crew.

How thick were the walls?

Feeling Dash’s body pressed against hers, inhaling his scent, it was all going to her head… and her other places, and she wasn’t sure if she’d be able to keep her hands to herself. Why should she?

“Here we are,” he said as they came to the door at the end of the corridor. “Home sweet home. For the night, anyway.” The door slid open and revealed quarters that were about the size of a small closet. Two adults could barely fit, and the single biggest piece of furniture was the bed. This room was clearly meant for one person, and fitting two on the bed would be cozy, but Ro grinned over at Dash.

They’d make it work.

Dash meant to be a gentlebuck. The stress of the day had to be tiring, and it would only be worse when they got to Earth and still had to cross half a continent to get Ro home. She needed her sleep, needed to actually rest. And they’d been so caught up in each other the night before that both of them had to be on the edge of exhaustion.

Well… maybe they weresupposedto be, but as the door slid shut behind them, Dash found a well of energy that seemed to have been waiting for this moment. His cock was half hard and his blood heated as he stood near his would-be mate and breathed in her presence.

She leaned back and pressed her hips against him. Dash had to fight back a groan, but he didn’t resist rubbing against her, showing her what she did to him.

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