Page 33 of Crave
With her eyes closed, shefelthis presence before he said a word.
“Kinsley, I am afraid. What if I fail?”
The cracked edge to his tone sliced through her, and she wanted to flinch away from a reality she knew much too well.
Instead, she opened her eyes to look up at him. Though he considered himself small for an orc, now he looked small even to her Earther eyes, reduced by his fear. Heart aching, she gave him a sympathetic smile. “Sil. Sweetie, I don’t know what to tell you. Youalreadyfailed.”
Oh, there was the flinch she’d restrained. She hadn’t meant to pass that to him, that hurt, not from her own mouth.
But then he straightened, as if the body blow of that reality had knocked him loose. “You’re right. If I was ever going to have anything to show for myself, I would’ve had it by now.”
“Except maybe you do.” She jerked her chin. “Out there.”
She held her breath. He’d probably walk away again, angry at her prodding, aware of her hypocrisy. And she wouldn’t blame him at all. Hell, she hadn’t even believed there was an “out there” until, like, five minutes ago.
Slowly, he unfurled a hand to her. When she put her fingers in his, a spark jolted through her, sending prickles all the way to her toes as he levered her to her feet. Another of his arms came around her, and then the other two when he reeled her all the way into his embrace.
He gazed down at her, his opalescent eyes bright with that same spark. “What if I believe you?”
“Only one way to find out.”
Taking her to the very back of the shuttle, he showed her the mobile mining rig. “This is how we survey and sample before we bring theDeepWanderin closer,” he explained. “I might be able to gather and refine enough of the dust…” He shook his head. “No point is saying more right now.”
“I think maybe it’s okay to wish just a little.”
He seemed focused on the machines as he initiated the collection process. “What would you wish for, Kinsley? If you were wishing just a little.”
“I…” She swallowed, thoughts colliding like untethered rubble. “I wish I could help more.”
That was true enough, and she hoped he appreciated how rarely she said it. But it wasn’t anywhere near everything she wanted to say.
He just nodded. “It’ll take a little while for the agglomerator to amass enough material. In the meantime, I should review the automated repairs. But after that, we need to leave.”
She nodded, but he had already turned away.
He hadn’t even asked if she had any other suggestions for spending the spare time…
There was essentially nothing for her to do on the shuttle, nothing she knew how to do anyway. She went back to sit with Roxy.
The datpad winked on. But instead of the rock speaking through the device, a familiar looking image was illuminated there: the front page of the Intergalactic Dating Agency handbook.
“Greeting, lonely lady of Earth,” it said when she touched the datpad.
“Still lonely,” Roxy agreed.
Kinsley lifted one eyebrow. “You want to submit your profile to the IDA?”
“You.”
“I already did.” Except she’d been rejected. Ouch.
Not that she’d ever let something like rejection or rules stop her. So why was she starting now?
Because losing this time meant losing Sil.
She shied away from the thought. They were partners in petty crime, and they had enjoyed their time together. That was it.
It couldn’t be more. Because wanting more was always her mistake.
