Page 38 of Fallen from the Stars

His voice had taken on a gentle tone that seemed to only come through in the neural link; it was in such moments that Theo felt most connected to him, though she’d never be foolish enough to tell him that. His ego was big enough already.

“Hey, I amnotfawning. I don’t fawn.”

“Fair enough, Theo. I will amend: you’ve beendroolingover him.”

“I don’t drool!”

“Oh really? Who’s been the one keeping watch while you sleep?”

Rolling her eyes, Theo shifted position, stretching her legs to either side of the sand pile. “Even if that were true, it doesn’t count while I’m sleeping.”

“Why not? You’re probably dreaming of him at night.”

That was too close to the truth for her comfort.

“Ugh, why am I even discussing this with you?” She flattened her palms against the sand and compacted it into a harder mound. She used her fingers to smooth the sides and corners, slowly giving the pile a new shape.

“Who else are you going to discuss it with? I mean, I’m sureVasilwould talk to you about it if you approached him, but you don’t want to do that, right?”

She scowled down at her work. “I can’t talk to him about it.”

“Why not?”

“Because he wants more than sex. He wants…a mate. A life partner.”

“Is that a bad thing?”

“If I accept that, I acceptthisas my fate. It means…that this is where I’ll spend the rest of my life. That there’s really no going back…”

“Back to where?” he asked in her mind.“Home? That ship wasn’t your home, Theo. Even I understand that.”

He’d spoken the truth — she knew it in her heart. TheCSC Agamemnonhad been just another place she happened to live in for a while; it had never been her home, and neither had the ship before it or the one before that. The only time she’d ever felt like she had a home was with Malcolm.

Theo brushed the hair away from her face with her wrist, but a few grains of sand still scratched her cheek. “Vasil makes me feel too exposed. It…scares me.”

“What about that scares you, Theo? You had a hard life, but you’ve always persevered. People close to you have failed you in the past, but if you never let yourself move on, if you never open yourself up again, you’re going to feel isolated and alone until you die.”

“Wow, thanks for the uplifting words, buddy. Can I ask you a question?”

“Of course.”

“How is it you have all this…psychology crap in there, but cooking a bird is too complicated for your processors?”

“Ouch. I’ll make note to use softer language in the future so as not to upset your delicate sensibilities. Really though, Theo. What doyouwant?”

She let out a puff of air. “I don’t know, Kane.”

“Well, whatever it is you want, I think what youneedis…someone.”

Movement ahead caught Theo’s attention. She looked up to see Vasil rising from the waves. Her heart leapt at the sight of him, and a warm, exhilarating sensation flooded her.

With the fiery sunset behind him, Vasil’s form was shadowed and mysterious, but light made the moisture clinging to his skin shine like glittering gold. She absently dug her fingers into the sand, and a different sort of heat swept through her as he drew nearer and his features — including his sculpted muscles — came into view.

“Theo, your vitals—”

“Nice talk, Kane,” she said quietly, smiling up at Vasil. “Hey.”

Vasil stopped a couple meters away from her and smiled. “Hello, Theo.” His eyes dipped to the sand piled near her legs, and his brow furrowed. “What are you doing?”

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