Page 23 of Oh No, I Shot A Spaceship And Kissed An Alien Cyberchef

I bite my lip, considering her words. The thought of opening myself up, of being vulnerable again, terrifies me. But then I think about Nelan – his quiet strength, his dedication to his craft, the way he makes me feel both challenged and supported.

“And if he does do anything to upset you… We can sic Elana here on him,” Charlotte adds to the conversation, snickering.

Elana beams, as if the idea of violence is something she looks forward to. Or perhaps she’s just proud to be our group’s chosen protector - a gun-slinging warrior in her own right.

“Actually… given how bloodthirsty she looks right now, maybe we should keep her on a leash,” I tell Charlotte with a giggle.

“I’ve got one if you want,” Elana says with a mischievous smile.

“Oh gods!” I throw my arms up into the air. “No one wants to hear about you wearing a leash and collar.”

“Who says I’m the one to wear it?!”

Charlotte throws back her head, cackling like some deranged witch. Our laughter soon joins hers until we are all bending over, clutching at our aching stomachs and gasping for breath. The tension from the morning finally breaks.

“Thank you,” I say, my voice thick with emotion. “I don’t know what I’d do without you guys. Probably cry into my not-coffee and accidentally poison half the guests.”

“Now that we’ve covered interplanetary politics and matters of the heart... are you going to tell us about this mind-blowing night with Nelan, or do we have to use our imaginations?” Zoe asks.

“Oh, they finally banged?” Jen asks, opening her eyes. She slips into a stool, looking at me like she half expects me to sprout a long nose or horns or something. “How was it? Best night of your life, right? Did the earth move? Or I guess in space, did the stars realign?”

I feel my face heat up again, but this time, it’s accompanied by a flutter of excitement in my stomach.

“Well,” I begin, a small smile playing at my lips, “let’s just say those cybernetic fingers of his are good for more than just chopping...” I pause for dramatic effect. “They make a mean back massage too. What did you think I was going to say? You are so dirty-minded!”

I feel something shift inside me. The wall I’ve built around my heart doesn’t come crashing down – years ofpain and fear can’t be erased in a single night, after all. But maybe, just maybe, a few bricks have started to loosen.

Control isn’t about never letting anyone in. It’s about choosing who to trust, who to let see the real you. And maybe, just maybe, it’s time for me to start making those choices again.

Whatever this strange galaxy throws at me, I’ll face it head-on, be it facing down intergalactic political intrigue or opening my heart to the possibility of love.

Because that’s who I am. Laura Rodriguez – survivor, friend, kick-ass chef, and maybe, just maybe, a woman learning to love again.

And hey, if all else fails, I can always threaten to poison their food. That’s the real superpower of a chef in any galaxy.

Chapter

Nine

NELAN

The kitchen bustles with activity, a stark contrast to the usual quiet efficiency of the NutriSynth. It’d be so easy to turn to the machine and do all this with a few clicks of the button… but for once, I’m actually content to just let the kitchen turn into a disaster zone. I can always clean it up later.

When was the last time I enjoyed cooking like this, I wonder? Probably back when I had two organic arms and fewer existential crises.

The little human female standing beside me has changed everything. Even before I lost my arm, I’d fallen into the trap of everything needing to be perfect. Yet the last few days… I’m finding what I once lost: a passion to just make others happy. It doesn’t have to be perfect, it just has to be good enough. I don’t need to be perfect.

Laura moves gracefully around me, her presence both comforting and disquieting. I can’t help but steal glances at her, remembering the warmth of her body against mine just hours ago. She’s surprised me with her requests, taking charge in bed,but I find it refreshing. All the Volscian females I’ve been with expected so much but did so little to define what they wanted. You could work endlessly for your entire life and never make them happy.

Laura told me exactly what she wanted, and I loved every moment of it. I want to please her, and I’m more than willing to learn every little thing that makes her squirm.

“Nelan? Earth to Nelan?” Laura asks, prodding me in the side. I jolt, glancing down at her.

“Sorry, what?”

“Can you pass the Grokian fruit?” She grins up at me innocently. “You know, the one that’s long and throbbing.”

I shake my head, trying to focus on the task at hand. Cooking. If only my body would follow suit. I pass her the fruit, careful to keep my own throbbing fruit hidden beneath the counter’s edge. Who knew cooking could be so... stimulating?

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