Page 44 of Stars At Dusk

‘Ready to call it?’

‘Never,’ she exclaimed. ‘What we could accomplish here will change the very fabric of orbital aviation. I’m buzzing. I don’t want to stop.’

Kage smiled, this time widely, which lifted his rugged features and faded his scars. ‘I see that. But Harlow, if you run yourself down without recharging, you’ll be no good at coming up with fresh breakthroughs. Your team needs you energised and rested.’

‘Yes, daddy-o,’ she shot back with a small salute. ‘Truth be told, what I am is starved. I haven’t eaten since lunch, and that was hours ago.’

On cue, a slight rumble sounded from her tummy.

His face became serious. ‘Let’s roll, Harlow. I’m taking you to dinner.’

Her eyes widened in disbelief, and she reared back in her chair. ‘No, you’re not. I’m not going on a date with you.’

He smirked, his eyes glittering with amusement. ‘What makes you think I’m asking you on a date? Do you want a date with me, Harlow?’

She bristled. ‘As I’ve told you, I’m not going on a date with anyone for a long time.’

‘Not even with Megawatt Blondie from this morning?’

‘Is that what you’re calling him?’

‘Call it as I see it.’

‘Nope, not even him.’

‘On a serious note, Harlow, watch yourself with Rubenwhatshisface. I’m not sure he means well.’

She side-checked Kage. ‘Why?’

‘Not sure. He gives off some strange vibes. We brought him into the components design department to replace Sondra, who’s now working with you on the Proto-XE team. He comes across as slippery and overly eager to please.’

‘I see. He seems nice enough, if not a little intense in person and wary of the high-level security in this place.’

‘He mentioned security?’

‘He called you a hard ass for banging on about it.’

Kage’s voice dipped into a dangerous tone. ‘Did he now? Well, he better not fokk around because he won’t like what he finds out.’ It took a moment before he powered down. ‘Now, enough about the newbie. Are you coming to dinner or not? I need to eat, and so do you.’

She gave him a long, considered look. Then she shook her head. ‘I made a promise to myself, Kage. And I’m sticking to my guns. So no go for dinner.’

He gazed at her with those silver eyes, studying her closely. Then, after a beat, he shrugged. ‘Fine by me,kara. Your loss. See, what I had in mind for tonight is one of the best menus in all of Eden II, fashioned after our best street food. Delicious pork and chive dumplings, fried chicken and enoki parcels, beef tartare on garlic toast, cumin and chilli skewers. Need I go on?’

He watched with a grin as her mouth watered and her eyes dilated.

‘Butnada,’ he drawled on. ‘You lucked out with your hardline take on eating across a table from me.’

He hopped off her table and strolled to the door of the lab. ‘You coming? Last shuttle leaves in 5.’

She gasped and soared to her feet. He watched her with hooded eyes as she hastily shut down her comm tab and screens. She gathered her bag and jacket and jogged out of the room. The door securely shut behind them as they walked through the modular space and towards the terminal.

Kage let Harlow walk ahead of him as they boarded. He took the same seat as earlier this morning, as did she.

The flight back was mostly silent, with Kage’s focus on his comm tab while she stared out of the plex window at the metro city unfolding below them.

They were back on the landing pad at 517 and into the lifts leading to her suite floor in no time. She’d pressed her floor number and noted he didn’t punch in a destination. She shrugged, ignoring him.

She stepped out when the lift slid open its doors at Suite 2’s entrance. To the sight of a waiting stainless food warmer cart sitting at the front of the suite.

---