Page 39 of Master
"Tarook said the Alliance used to erase the memories of the abducted... to make it easier for them," I told her in order toease any worries about Buck's memory suddenly returning one day.
She didn't seem surprised. "I still got my memories, not that they’re anything great. Just a sorry ass ex-husband and working at my uncle's diner since I was sixteen. Buck's life on Earth was more complicated. He’s happy now.”
"Then it's good he doesn't remember." Lula was right. While the idea of people taking my memories struck me with sickening dread, in Elvis's case, I had to wonder if it wasn't a mercy. His legacy on Earth reeked of heartache and rumor. He seemed truly happy here with Lula, which might not be the case if he recalled the past.
Our conversation veered into more pleasant subjects as we finished in the kitchen. Lula told of how she and Buck met her first day on Tau Ceti when she'd answered his advertisement for a housekeeper. As for how I met Tarook, I told the truth, letting her fill in the blanks of what happened after my rescue with romantic imagination.
I'd just settled into bed, wearing the old-fashioned white ruffled nightgown Lula lent me when Tarook strode into the room. He’d showered, his chestnut hair laid in damp waves across his shoulders. He wore a pair of tan drawstring pants that had to be borrowed from Buck, since they appeared at least six inches too short. Despite the ridiculousness of his outfit, he looked sexy as hell. The scent of soap and spice wafted into the room, affecting my hormones like an aphrodisiac.
Good lord, I don’t remember being this lustful going through my twenties the first time. Of course, there wasn’t amuscular, sexy, alien warrior wandering around back then. Who knows what might have happened?
Tarook strode toward the bed, grinning wickedly. Just when I opened my mouth to ask what the hell he was thinking, he snatched the blanket from the edge of the mattress and settled onto the floor.
"I'll sleep on the floor." The smirk was gone and, in its place, a sweet smile.
I glanced at the flooring where he sat. The planks were roughhewn and completely inappropriate for a human... or alien to lie upon.
"While I appreciate the offer, the only thing worse than sharing a bed with you would be digging a two-inch splinter out of your ass." My turn to smirk.
Tarook pulled his knees against his chest and cocked a brow at me.
"Here." I leaned over and snagged the blanket from his grasp, rolling it longways into a bolster, which I placed in the center of the bed. With the mattress divided, I crawled over the bolster to the right-hand side, gesturing for Tarook to follow.
He gazed at me curiously for a moment before sighing tiredly and climbing onto the bed. He shifted only twice, settling to lie on his back with an arm folded under his head. I tossed and turned much more than twice. It was impossible to get comfortable because of the day's excitement. It has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that I shared a bed with Tarook.
Yeah, I didn’t believe it either.
After I laid wide awake for over half an hour, it became awkward. Especially since I didn’t think Tarook slept either. Didwe talk about being unable to sleep? It would be better than lying here doing nothing.
“I didn’t expect this.” The words came out before I meant them, too, sounding wistful.
Tarook gave an amused snort. “What? Us in bed together?”
“I didn’t expect that either, but it's not what I meant,” I said and chuckled. “I meant the farm. Buck and Lula, it's like Earth when I was a child. I expected something different.
"Different, how?"
I felt the mattress shift and knew Tarook looked at me. He'd proven Vaktaire could see far better than humans in the dark, so I turned to face him.
"I don't know... Being in space, I expected everything to be technical and modern… like the Jetsons."
“Jetsons?”
“It’s a children’s television show about a family in space.” I forwent telling him how old a show. I’d aged myself enough in one day.
“Do humans have television shows about everything?”
“Pretty much,” I laughed.
Tarook was silent for a long few minutes. When he spoke, he carefully measured his words. “Is Tau Ceti not like your Earth?”
"It is,” I sighed, flipping onto my back. “Like an older Earth. It’s nice, just different.”
Tarook gave a faint grunt and followed my lead in changing position. Only his movement put him nearer to myside of the bed. On instinct, I poked at the bolster, shoring up its fluffiness.
“You didn’t have to construct your little barrier. I gave you my word. I won’t touch you unless you ask for it." Tarook's voice dripped with amusement.
“You already broke that promise,” I told him sternly.
