Page 31 of A Mate For Matrix
Don’t smile at her. Don’t touch her. Don’t even look at her.
He glimpsed himself in the cracked side mirror—wearing the dorky hat, trying to fit inside this absurd contraption, sulking like an angry house cat.
He sighed.
“This is ridiculous,” he muttered aloud. “I am the commander of a strike unit. I have faced space pirates, genetically engineered assassins, and Crawler queens. I will not be undone by… emotions.”
The group that had exited the shop with the steaming cups and bags walked by the rear of the van. His stomach growled again.
But his eyes never left the bank door.
He breathed a sigh of relief when Jana reappeared nearly thirty minutes later with a satisfied smile and an envelope clutched in one hand. Matrix relaxed—slightly.
She walked over, opened the door, and slid into the driver’s seat, glancing over. “You okay?”
“I am evaluating your town. I want to try the food products from that place,” he said, nodding towards the enormous sign next door.
She peered around him to see what he was talking about. “You want a donut?”
Matrix adjusted his hat. “Yes. I would like to try a do-nut.”
Jana laughed and fastened her seatbelt. “Okay, one drive-thru donut pickup coming up. Then we’ll hit the grocery store.”
Matrix hoped the smell of the do-nuts would help overcome the odors in the van. He also hoped they tasted as good as the smell coming from the building suggested.
He relaxed back as far as he could, studying Jana as she placed their order for three dozen assorted do-nuts and two large coffees. The nagging ache had calmed the moment she returned. As long as she stayed by his side, things were good. It was when he couldn’t see her that he’d have to figure out what to do.
Things will get better once we’re on the ship and heading back to Zion.
For now, he was going to eat all the do-nuts and watch her.
Chapter Fourteen
The little brass bell above the door jingled as Jana stepped into Vivian’s Woman’s World. The boutique was the pride of the town—three generations strong, lovingly composed of pink awnings, antique chandeliers, and racks of impossibly expensive clothing arranged like exhibits in a museum. Soft piano jazz played from somewhere near the perfume counter, and the scent of roses and lavender hovered in the air like her mother’s garden when she was little.
“Look, but don’t touch. Everything here is really expensive compared to what I normally buy,” Jana mumbled, leaning into him.
Matrix stood beside her, his nose wrinkling at the overwhelming swirl of perfume as he peered inside. There were a few places like this on the spaceports he visited. He always avoided them, as the smell could trigger a migraine.
His hat and sunglasses were still in place, but nothing could hide the predator grace of him or the long line of muscle stretching beneath his black shirt as he surveyed the store like he was planning a tactical invasion.
“I was not planning to touch it. I am here to observe… and protect,” Matrix replied, narrowing his eyes at the lone male sitting in a chair near the entrance.
Jana rolled her eyes but didn’t argue. After the bank, she’d decided not to leave him alone again—not that he would have allowed it.
An older woman in a peach cardigan, her silver hair swept up in a perfect French twist, looked up from behind the front counter.
“Oh my,” she breathed, her eyes sweeping over Matrix like he was a late entry in the Mr. Universe competition. “Welcome to Vivian’s. I’m Penny. Can I help you?”
Jana flushed and tried to wave her off. “I’m just picking up a few things. You know, end-of-the-world shopping spree.”
Penny blinked when Jana gave a snorting laugh. “Pardon?”
Matrix stepped forward, fixing the woman with a warm smile that probably should’ve been registered as a controlled substance.
“She is relocating—permanently,” he clarified, his tone sincere. “I’m here to ensure she’s equipped for the journey. She’ll need clothing… and accessories.”
Penny sighed and visibly fanned herself with a handkerchief. “Well, aren’t you the devoted one.”
