Page 34 of Soros
“Are those handcuffs really necessary?” I heard Mrs. Davis ask behind us as we left.
Closing the door, I sighed. “What a waste of time. The poor woman was just lonely.”
“We’ve all been there,” Nerix said. “But right now, I’m starving. Let’s find something to eat and get back to the hotel. I wouldn’t mind a few hours of sleep.”
My pulse instantly picked up as I thought about the hotel and what had happened between Tania and me last night. All day, I had struggled to focus on work because my thoughts kept returning to Tania, to us, and what it all meant. Just the memories of our make-up sex last night made my palms sweaty. Being close to Tania again had felt so intense and amazing. All this time on the spaceship, she had been cold, distant, and angry with me. And then suddenly last night, she had been incredibly passionate and hungry for me. Her nails had clawed at my back and her legs had been wrapped around my hips as if she wanted to be sure that I didn’t pull away.
My fear was that it had been a nostalgic thing for Tania and that when I saw her again, she would be back to resenting me. I craved more of that special connection with Tania and yet, I felt uneasy about going back to the hotel and facing her. There was always the chance that she had regretted sleeping with me. Pocketing my hands, I agreed with Nerix. “Yes, let’s get something to eat and head back to the hotel.”
CHAPTER 13
Trailing the Suspect
Tania
Star stood paralyzed, blinking her eyes and looking around the large clothing store. This shop was one of my favorite fashion chains because their items were fashionable yet reasonable in price.
“What’s wrong?” I asked her.
“Is this how humans shop?”
“Yes. We browse until we find something we like and then we try it on. If it fits and the price is right, we buy it and take it home. Maybe you’ll find something in this shop but if not, it’s okay. There are plenty of other shops.”
The way she turned the ring on her finger was a sure sign that Star was nervous. She stayed close, trailing me as I began looking for clothes that would complement her blonde hair and blue eyes. “If you see anything you like, let me know,” I told her.
“Mmhh…”
“How do you shop on Markatoria?” I asked her after making sure no one was close enough to hear my question.
“Not like this.”
“No? Then how did you get new clothes?”
“My sister would take me to the Hall of Beauty.”
Picking up a cute white shirt with short sleeves, I asked. “What is that?”
“The Hall of Beauty?”
“Yes.”
“It’s like a dressing room, the size of my bedroom back at the tower, so quite large. They serve you drinks and make you feel special. You have to stand still in a specific place and do five positions. After that they know your body’s measurements and you give them your requests. Whatever occasion you need clothes for, they will present you with options that suit your body. Once you select the model you like, you get to pick the fabric and that’s the fun part as they have thousands to choose from.
“While you sit and enjoy your drink and snacks, there’s a holographic model of you with the clothes on in different colors and fabrics. Once you see something you like, they save that, and in the end, you can see yourself in up to five holographic models side by side with your favorite colors and patterns. After that it’s easy to choose.”
“Sounds very relaxing,” I agreed. “I’m afraid that here on Earth you have to walk into each shop, pick out items that you like, and try on everything in real life. You can do online shopping and have things shipped to you, but I haven’t heard of holographic models that will show you how you’ll look with the clothes on. I like that idea.”
We managed to find enough clothes for Star to fill three large bags. Being practical, I told her, “You’ll need a bag for all of this.”
Leading her down the street, we were walking while I answered her endless questions about things we passed.
“What kind of species is that one?” she asked and looked at a man walking with a small poodle in his arms.
“That’s a dog.”
When a minute later, we passed a couple with a German Shepherd, she once again asked, “What species is that one?”
“That’s a dog too.”
