Page 31 of Space for More

Be direct and grab on to a vuloi to make my interest clear.

Compliment aespians on their antenna and talk a lot so they hear my pretty voice.

Mimic the movements and posture of ankites.

Get close to a shikzeth so they can scent me, but don’t touch them until they give me permission.

Show off my neck to nexxit—that one explains why both Phelix and Mezli stare at my neck as much as a vampire would.

“Sorry, I don’t have any tips for humans yet! My sample size was only two until a few days ago and one of them is my best friend so we didn’t fuck. I was going to fuck Paul the night you got here, but alas…I’ll have to wait to see if there’s any fuss to be had about human men.”

I let out a weak laugh. “I guess we’re on even ground there. The only human man I tried to flirt with was 25 years my senior, and it didnotgo well.”

Mezli waggles her eyebrows at me salaciously “Ooo, you like older men?”

“Hah, not really, but older people were the only option for me,and he was the first single person who moved to Europa 3 that wasn’t old enough to be my grandfather.”

I shouldn’t use the past tense. I’m going back to Europa 3, and back to my lack of romantic prospects. Tonight is my shot and I’m going to make it count, but it’ll be a blip on the unchanging horizon that is my life.

“Only old people live on Europa 3? That sounds unfeasible. What about technicians or spaceport workers? Eligible offspring visiting their parents?”

“There are all of those things, but they don’t live on the planet. The farm bots and tech are mostly self-sufficient and things are so spread out that I rarely encountered anyone from off-world. I guess I could’ve hung out at the spaceport, but it was only staffed when residents had a scheduled transport.”

“So it’sthatlevel of rural.” Mezli’s eyes widen.

“Yeah. It’s beautiful and I understand why people retire there. Each homestead is almost completely self-sufficient. The only thing they need around on a regular basis is a doctor. Me.”

“Shit, that’s way too much pressure on one person! Aren’t you afraid someone will get sick while you’re away?”

My stomach sinks as she cuts to the heart of one of my many fears about leaving Europa 3. “There’s a temporary medic covering things while I’m gone. Hiring them is draining the maintenance funds that everyone pays into, so it’s not a permanent solution.”

“Hold on.” Mezli speaks so loudly that half the club line turns to look. “They’re not paying their live-in medic as much as they’re paying atemporaryworker?”

My face grows hot at her indignant exclamation and the attention of people who’ve turned to see why she’s shouting. “W-well, no. Most people don’t want to live on Europa 3, so theyhave a hard time getting anyone to come at all. Hence the increased payment for the temp.”

She frowns. “Do they at least subsidize your housing and living costs?”

“I live with my parents and pay for my own groceries so, uh, no. They don’t.” A pit is forming in my stomach the longer this conversation goes on. I’d never even considered that could be something I’m entitled to.

Mezli grabs my shoulders and brings her face so close to mine that I can feel her warm breath ghost across my cheek. “Eden. They’re exploiting you. I don’t care that your parents live there. That setup is ridiculous.”

“It-it is?” She’s so intense right now that the overwhelming urge to apologize for making her upset bubbles up and spills out of my mouth. “Sorry, I didn’t realize…”

She sighs dramatically at my words, her hands squeezing my shoulders tighter, and pierces me with her dark gaze. “You need to start demanding more from life. Otherwise, people will keep exploiting you. You deserve better. Take what you need with no apologies.”

Take what you need with no apologies.She says it with such conviction that I’m moving before I consciously realize it, smashing my lips to hers.

Reason resurfaces a second later and I pull away before I can let myself register or enjoy the contact, then immediately do what she just told me not to. “Sorry! I’m?—”

She growls at me and grabs the back of my head, tugging me back into a kiss. She bends me to her will with her lips and tongue, taking control of my senses until all I can feel is her and the need formore.

When she’s had her fill, and not a moment sooner, she pullsback and lets go of my hair. An ankite in line behind us clears their throat to indicate that we’re holding things up. Mezli uses her lower hands to make a rude gesture at them, and stands her ground, keeping her eyes on me.

“See how good no apologies feels?”

“Y-yeah…” I’m breathless and weak-kneed in the aftermath of that kiss.

“Good! Now let’s get in there and find you someone to seduce.” As if flipping off a switch, she shifts back to her casual, friendly demeanor. Like she didn’t just alter the core of my being with one kiss.

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