Page 57 of Tis the Season for Tentacles
Najar attempts a scowl. “What makes you think that?”
She gestures a hand and a tentacle at both of us. “You’ve got the same dopey grins and blissed-out expressions as these two,” she says, pointing at Sasha and Khephren.
“Busted,” Sasha says with obvious mirth.
Meanwhile, Khephren beams at us like a proud father. “You two are lovers now? How wonderful! I’m so happy for you both.”
Najar holds up a hand. “Whoa, Kheph. Slow down. I know what you’re probably thinking, and this isn’t that.” He darts a glance at me, and I nod back, even though I feel a faint twinge of pain in my chest.
“Felix and I have agreed to enjoy a no-strings-attached, friends-with-benefits arrangement during the short time he’ll be traveling with us.”
Khephren’s face falls, but then he immediately rallies. “That’s not a bad place to start. Even a casual relationship can turn into something far more serious given time and the necessary encouragement to grow.”
Najar wipes a hand down his face with a sigh. “No matchmaking, Kheph. I mean it.”
His best friend bounces in his chair and chortles to himself. “We’ll see.”
We awkwardly take our seats at the table, and Luna shakes her head. “Don’t pressure them, Kheph. Not everyone is like you and Sasha.”
“Thank you, Luna,” Najar says.
She takes a fierce bite of her bread roll. “Damn and blast. Now I’m the only one not getting laid around here. So unfair.”
A short time later, the innkeeper joins us and explains that the trails should be clear by midday for us to return to our ship, and we thank him for his hospitality. I watch as Najar covertly takes him aside to explain what happened with the restraints he destroyed on the bed. Thankfully, the innkeeper doesn’t appear too troubled by it, especially when Najar pays him to have the equipment replaced.
He bustles off and we finish a leisurely breakfast.
That afternoon, we end up being ferried back to our ship by our previous carriage driver, Mecknos. This time, Najar and I sit on the same seat in the carriage, cuddling together in our thermal suits under a warm blanket as we glide over the pristine white landscape. It’s truly breathtaking, and I commit every detail to memory that I can.
“I’m grateful to you all for bringing me here,” I tell him. “It’s been a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and I’m glad I got to share it with you.”
“This was my first time visiting the planet too, and I must say, I will be taking some very fond memories with me.”
He quirks his lips at me, and I grin back.
Once we arrive at the ship, we bid farewell to Mecknos and wade through a deep snow drift until we can finally board theSleigh Belle. After shedding our thermal suits in the cargo bay, we head into the main part of the vessel.
“Oh, my ship! How I missed you,” Khephren practically sings as he hurries toward the bridge.
“Babe, I’m gonna go check on Jonesy and the fur babies,” Sasha calls out before heading toward the canteen.
Just as Najar and I start to follow Khephren and Luna onto the bridge, the bright pink alien whirls around, his eyes sparkling as he points a hand and two tentacles at us. “Halt right there!”
We freeze.
One of his tentacles points upward, and we both crane our necks to see the sprig of mistletoe secured above the doorway.
“You’re both standing under the mistletoe.” Khephren claps his hands together with glee. “You know what that means?”
Luna joins him and they say in unison, “You have to kiss!”
My cheeks warm at their over-the-top display, but I quirk an eyebrow at Najar.
He looks down at me and his lips twitch with amusement. “Challenge accepted,” he says and leans down to ravish my mouth.
The world falls away when his lips meet mine.
God, he’s a good kisser.
