Page 78 of Sunastara & the Venusian
After a moment, she nodded, only once.
“How? I’ve never told anyone.”
The expression on her face was one I’d never seen on her before, not her customary annoyance or exasperation or even pity. I thought it might be a young bionic’s attempt at compassion. “You did. Two years ago. You were drunk, and I knew you wouldn’t remember it in the morning. But you told me.”
I dropped my head. “You’re right, I don’t remember.Stars, I shouldn’t have burdened you like that. I’m sorry.”
Taking my hand, she said, “You have nothing to apologize for. And yes, you should have.”
“Thank you, Elanie.” My eyes filled with tears. Because Iwas apparently a crier now. “You are a wonderful being and a true friend. I love you.”
She blinked, and a tear trailed down her cheek. Then, as if coming to her senses, she pulled her hand from mine so she could swat the tear away. “I have to go,” she said. “I have a lot of work to do. But,” she paused, clenched her jaw, then said in a reluctant rush, “I love you too,” before spinning away and disappearing down the hall.
Thirty minutes later,after Freddie’s head emerged from between my legs and I remembered how to speak, I rolled him over, climbed on top of him, and told him about Elanie.
“She told you she loves you?” he asked, his fingers curling around my thighs.
I raised my hips enough to guide him into me before sinking back down with a satisfied sigh. “She did. It was a big moment for both of us.”
He stared up at me with unfiltered hope in his eyes. “No more secrets?”
Leaning forward, and just before my lips met his, I promised, “No more secrets.”
31
Flowingswaths of white and silver digital gossamer adorned the main deck ballroom, cascading from the rafters to brush against the floor. Tiny bubbles of golden light shimmered over the soft fabric, rising toward the ceiling like the entire room had been dropped into the bottom of a champagne glass. It was pure elegance. Which, let’s be real, for this ship, was miraculous.
“Hello, gorgeous,” Freddie said, coming up behind me, his breath tickling my ear.
I turned to face him.
“That outfit.” His hungry gaze devoured me, sliding down the crimson silk of my jumpsuit, past the matching velvet cuffs encircling my ankles, all the way to my intricately jeweled heels that sparkled in the golden light of the digital effects. “Spectacular.”
“You don’t look half-bad yourself.”
“What, this old thing?” He waved a hand over his immaculate three-piece suit.
Sliding my hands up his chest, I pinched the foldedcorner of his red pocket square. “It matches my outfit. Which”—I raised a brow—“you haven’t seen until now.”
He smiled at my bemused expression. “Pure luck.”
“Let me guess. You have a collection of pocket squares in yourPerfect Venusian Gentlemankit. Which you keep nestled between your guide to flawlessly messy hair and whatever magical concoction always makes your breath smell minty.”
“Naturally,” he said, staring at my tits. “Hmm, I like what you’ve done here.” Carefully, he raised the spindle of my Orion’s Tooth from where it dangled between my breasts.
“I thought it would make a nice necklace.”
When he pressed the tooth back into place, his finger followed the line of it all the way down to its tip, coming dangerously close to disappearing down my top.
“See you after the party?” I asked, staring down at his finger, wishing we were alone so he could trace a path all the way down my body. We’d both work the floor tonight, but I’d been assigned specifically to the Kravaxians. Which meant I wouldn’t see much of him until after the ball dropped.
“Count on it,” he said, dropping his hand to his side and kissing my cheek.
I let him go first, mainly so I could admire his butt as he strolled toward the bar, where Garran and Kasa were ordering drinks.
“Sunny,” said a low, smooth voice behind me. “What are you staring at?”
I spun around to find the ship’s handsome, blue-skinned Portisan physician grinning at me. “Dr. Semson,” I said, clearing the guilty I-was-staring-at-Freddie’s-ass warble from my throat. “You got the night off?”
