Page 38 of Gravel and Grit

When she came back, he managed to hold in his second groan, but just barely.

The clothes were so big on her small frame she was almost swimming in them. It didn’t matter. Seeing her in them, inhisclothes, was damn near as devastating as seeing her in a towel.

The little spin she did to show him the slits in the back revealed an

enticing swath of bare, pale skin that nearly brought him to his knees. She’d thankfully folded the waistband of the pants enough that the tail hole was no longer visible otherwise he would have completely lost control of himself and pounced on her.

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ZAEK

“You know, I’ve had breakfast for dinner, but I’ve never had dinner for breakfast,” Mira quipped, throwing him a smile over her shoulder as she walked to the eating room.

“I like spaghetti,” he admitted sheepishly, bouncing his wings in a shrug.

As they sat at the table, he caught the uncertain look she gave the food and apologized for his subpar cooking.

“I am usually much more proficient at meal preparation,” he assured, eyeing the spread with disfavor.

“It looks great,” she lied, smiling at him sweetly.

He snorted and gave her his favorite droll look, but he appreciated her graciousness.

Zaek waited while she served herself, as was polite, then heaped the remaining food on his plate and scooted the bowl of mineral he’d gathered from outside closer to him.

“Uhh, Zaek? Are you eating… rocks?”

“Mmm,” he mumbled around a mouthful. Swallowing, he said, “The mineral here is quite good.”

“Is that a dietary need for your people?”

“It is,” he answered, encouraged that she seemed curious about him again.

She’d been very quiet the last few days, her inquisitiveness and what he liked to think was fascination with him subdued under a somber kind of

pensiveness. In fact, he’d noticed the change after he told her of the crash and the coming rescue. Did he dare hope she was upset that he was leaving?

Could that mean she held some kind of affection for him?

“It replenishes the nutrients drained by transforming to stone.”

He noticed her open her mouth as if she wanted to ask more before she closed it again without saying anything.

“I enjoy your curiosity, Mira, greatly. I am happy to answer any questions you might have.”

She peered at him for a moment, checking his sincerity he thought.

“I wanted to ask about your world, but I didn’t want to make you homesick,” she admitted quietly.

“Ah. I am happy to tell you of Duras.”

Perhaps, if we describe it well, she might want to see it for herself.

He told her of the beautiful purple skies, of the soaring black mountains, and, because he knew she was a scientist, of the cities where species from many different planets came to visit to exchange knowledge and trade goods.

He told her of his home, his aerie, high above the ground, that had been in his family for generations. He described theat-ukris, one of his favorite animals on Duras. It resembled an eagle, crossed with an octopus and a whale. They flew high in the skies and spent their whole lives without ever once touching the ground.

When he could no longer contain his own curiosity, he asked about her life. She seemed reluctant at first, but he was patient. He waited, silent and calm, to see if she would tell him, to see if she would trust him.

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