Page 44 of Fighting Gravity
“Don’t do that. I’m past that destiny bullshit. The only reason I get to live is to suffer the consequences of all my bad choices.”
Crap. If Raul were around, this would be the part where he punches me in the head to snap me out of it.
“Why do you think—”
“About that shower,” I cut him off.
19: Quinn
Once I had a bit more nutrients in my system from another one of those plastic pouches, Norm took me down a long hallway with blinding white walls to a room filled with individual stalls. The walk winded me, but I chalked that up to blood loss and injury because I was a fit girl. I did everything I could to keep the blanket around my body, hoping no one would walk out and find me vulnerable.
Then again, none of the gek had expressed interest in my body. For all I knew, humans repulsed them. I suppose that was more of a Ket thing. His species certainly didn’t shy from my body.
My stomach twisted at the thought. As much as Norm pissed me off and sometimes scared the shit out of me, I much preferred him over that lanky creep on Tao Prime.
By the smell of the chamber we’d entered, it was a bathhouse of some kind. There were separate stalls lined up on one wall, each with what looked like frosted glass barriers in between for minimal privacy. Lucky for me, we were the only two there.
Norm chose a random stall for me and tapped the controls, making water spew out from the walls and ceiling in thin, gentle streams. I stepped up to feel the warmth of the bath and sighed with relief.
“Oh, thank God. It’s warm.”
When I moved toward the tantalizing water, Norm did not give me the space I wanted. I looked over my shoulder at him, raising my brows.
“Do you mind?”
“Not at all.”
I rolled my eyes and huffed. “So, I’m bathing in front of you?”
“You’re hurt. I need to observe.”
“No,” I refused. “You turn around or I’m not bathing.”
Norm groaned with irritation. “Humans are so modest. Do you thinkIcare if you bathe? It’s a luxury I’m granting you. This ship was a cruiser and there’s no shortage of water, but if you’d prefer to not take advantage…”
I scowled at him, nostrils flaring. The academy I attended had plenty of co-ed shower times and Norm wasn’t even attracted to me so I wasn’t entirely sure why I cared about him watching me, but I did. Maybe because he’d only ever threatened, hurt, and condemned me since he snatched me off my shuttle. His eyes were the sharpest if all eyes had edges.
But it was what it was. I needed to bathe. I could smell myself and I could feel the grime of that damn port on my skin like oil.
Staring challengingly back at Norm, I watched him cross his arms over his broad chest and lean against the wall, waiting. For a second, I forgot he was an alien. That look he gave me was the same look my combat instructor used to give me when he wanted me to throw a punch. It was only so he could block it and show off, but it always worked on me.
I was an idiot.
And Norm’s invitation wasn’t going to lure me. Instead, I wanted to hold the reins. If he wanted to taunt me and exploit human modesty, I was going to hit back a little.
Not sure my idea was really hitting back, but I was feeling out of my mind, weak, and I was probably concussed. So… I dropped my sheet, staring Norm right in the eyes as it slid down my body and left me nude. His gaze followed the light fabric as it slipped to the floor and then trailed back up in a way that might make a girl feel sexy if he was human… or if I wasn’t covered in medical patches and bruises.
“So, these are waterproof, right?” I sighed.
“Yes.”
I spun and limped into the shower stall, standing in the middle of the water spouts. The warmth of the stream soothed every tight muscle in my body and I found it hard not to relax under the gentle, massaging flow. Still, I kept my back turned, hoping I could forget the black, prying eyes watching me.
“Is there soap?” I asked.
“Soap?”
“For cleaning.”
