Page 41 of Uprooted
“You’re supposed to ask the other person if they want to go on a date first,” I tell him.
“Is there such a thing as a surprise date?” he asks. He looks a little defeated. Bri’s accusations that I’m torturing him come to mind and I decide to go along with his plan.
I nervously look down the hall to make sure no one’s in sight. I point my finger at his chest. “You better not get me in trouble,” I say. “Wait right here.” I close the door on his gorgeous face.
I look down at my clothes, the same outfit I’ve been wearing every day since we left Earth. They are wrinkled and not at all what I would choose to wear on a first date. I desperately spin around in my room looking for something else— anything else—to wear. I fling open my closet doors. More coveralls hang inside.
I roughly dig through my drawers and pull out a tank top. Why didn’t I think to pack something other than the basics? I grab a pair ofblack leggings. It’s just barely better than what I was wearing before, but it’s all I’ve got.
I glance in the mirror on my way out the door. I fiddle with my hair and pinch my cheeks a little. The door slides open and I’m second-guessing my wardrobe change. Now I look like I’m trying too hard. When I’m finally brave enough to look up at Aro, his gaze is traveling up my body. Our eyes finally meet and he hits me with that incredibly sexy half-smile I’ve been trying to stay immune to.
“You look great.”
“Better than dirty coveralls, I suppose,” I say, trying to hide how self-conscious I feel.
“You won’t hear any complaints from me.”
He takes my hand and pulls me through the hallways. Every time we cross someone’s path I release his hand. The moment we’re out of sight, he grabs my hand again. He’s making a point. It’s clear he is not concerned about hiding from anyone. I, however, don’t want to get caught.
I’m just now getting comfortable with the idea of having a fling with Aro while I’m here. My concerns about the “no fraternizing” rule haven’t gone away completely. Maybe I’m getting more comfortable with the risk, or maybe it’s just getting harder to deny myself when it comes to him.
We get to a darkened office and Aro slides the door open with flourish. Inside the softly lit room I see two bowls of noodles on a desk that’s been adjusted to sit lower to the floor and nano lights scattered over it, casting a romantic glow.
“You did all this?” I ask.
“I wanted to take you on a human date,” he says and pushes a strand of his wavy black hair back out of his eyes.
“You can just call it a date. And I love it. Thank you,” I say.
I shorten the distance between us and look up at him. “Do you know what usually happens at the end of a date if it goes well?” I ask.
“I didn’t get that far in my research.”
I reach up and grab his shoulders and pull him down to me. I push up on my tiptoes and surprise him with a kiss. My heart pounds in my chest when he steps even closer, bringing his body against mine. A rumble comes from his chest while his grip tightens on my waist. I break the kiss and watch his eyes slowly open.
“I like human dates,” he says and lowers his mouth to mine again. I push on his chest, stopping him. I want to enjoy all the effort he went through before this goes any further.
“The noodles are getting cold,” I tell him and turn to our little setup for the evening.
We eat and talk for hours. He tells me about all the places he’s been on j’Tilak throughout his time in the military and what it was like growing up. He tells me some funny stories about his sister, who I’m convinced is already my new best friend.
I tell him what it was like as a kid bouncing back and forth between galaxies. Some of my favorite places we stayed and other not-so-favorites. I deliberately avoid talking about Earth. I don’t want to ruin our good time by talking about the renewed pressure we are under.
I tell him how I’ve always wanted to come here, and what it could mean for my future. I’m surprised when I admit to him that my goals aren’t completely altruistic. Yes, I want to contribute to fixing the pollination crisis, but I also want to make a name for myself. I want to accomplish something and prove to myself that I’m successful. I like this version of me with Aro. I feel like I could tell him anything and he wouldn’t judge me.
The nano lights flicker on and off, signifying they are running low on battery. We’ve been holed up in the office most of the night, completely unaware of the time.
Reluctantly, we drag ourselves up from the floor and stretch. I'm stiff from sitting for so long. Aro is the perfect gentleman and walks me back to my bunk. I don’t trust myself enough to invite him in. With a door safely between us, I lean back and imagine his lips on mine again.
28
Aro
My mind replays the look on Elowen’s face when we stepped into the office. Nothing can ruin my happiness today. I’ve even forgiven Tai for irritating me. I clap him on the back when I get to the security hub. He lurches forward at the contact and presses his lips together. Maybe he hasn’t moved on from our last interaction.
“Lugo and Andi didn’t return last night,” Tai says. And just like that, my smile fades. Tai steps aside from the floor-length touchscreen that's displaying all the interior security feeds. I tap through each one, magnifying each stream to check for them. Sure enough, there is an empty charging space in the porter bay.
“Anything on comms?” I ask.
