Page 12 of Kien's Kindred

Just her luck to have this pent-up sexual frustration with no way of relieving herself. Especially since her and Kien were joined at the hip for the next week.

She blew out a heavy breath and pulled into the gas station across the street from their hotel. Kien jumped from the truck to pump gas before she could put it into park. She’d told Kien the day before that she could pay for the gas, but he’d have to pump it. After all, American men pumped the gas in relationships. That was also when she gotten the idea that she could probably make him do anything by stating that. She put that bit of information in her back pocket for later.

“Incoming call from The Kidnapper.”

She glanced out the window as Kien started the pump and hit the accept call button. “Hey, ma.”

“Well, it’s nice to know that you aren’t murdered somewhere.”

Nisha rolled her eyes. “Don’t be so dramatic, mother. What are your plans today?”

“While I would love to tell youallabout my busy day of taking the dogs to the groomers and getting my hair done, none of that is exciting as what you have going on.”

“Exciting?” Nishahumphed. “I’m going out of town with a friend. There’s nothing exciting about that.”

“Really? So why are you with him?”

Nisha eyed Kien’s reflection in the side mirror through her window. “I told you, nothing is going on between us. I can’t speak about it right now, though.”

“Nisha, you are out of town with a man. There’s got to be a reason for that, even if he is just a friend. At least tell me about him so I have something to tell the authorities if you come up missing.”

“Kien is...handsome, and fit, I mean, he’s got a great body and he’s handsome.”

“Um, ok. So, he has a nice body and he’s handsome. Got it. If you come up missing, I’ll tell the authorities to look for a fit, handsome man.”

Nisha choked. “Ma, that’s not what I meant.”

Sayaka’s laugh was loud, deep and throaty. “You’re the one who talked about his physical traits.”

Kien glanced at her and gave her a two-finger salute that started at the middle of his forehead and flicked outward in a sweeping motion. He’d done it to her once before. Yesterday, they’d been at a store and he’d gotten a little too excited about bobble heads and she’d told him to cool it.

“He’s an explorer. I think that’s interesting, really interesting. He’s smart. He’s a scientist and has a really good at his job.” Kien lifted the gas nozzle from her car and put the hose back. “But you don’t have to worry about me. Tasha is dating his friend and he’s good people. I’m just doing him a favor since he’s new in town and doesn’t know a lot about America.”

“Oh? A foreigner? Where is he from?”

“Greece or somewhere.”

“So, nothing is going on between you and this man?”

“Nothing.”

“Well, good. Because my friend Jenni has a nephew she thought you would be interested in.”

Nisha didn’t want Jenni’s nephew or anyone else. The man she wanted was unavailable. The epitome of it. “Ma.”

“If you say there’s nothing going on between you and this man then what could be the harm? I can give him your number—”

Kien was making his way around the car. There was no way she could have this embarrassing conversation with him within earshot. “Ma, I’ll call you back later.” Before Sayaka could answer, Nisha disconnected the call.

Kien opened the door to slide into the passenger side. “I don’t think it’s a good idea to have your mother hook you up with a man while we’re petending to be mated.”

Nisha flustered as embarrassment rushed over and through her. She’d hadn’t even thought of that possibility while she talked. How many times had Tasha told her that she was too loud?

With her face aflame, Nisha pushed out of the door. “Hang tight. I’m going to get us some snacks for the road. Do you have a taste for anything?”

“I think I would like to try the beer and the soda.”

He was the fit type who’d she’d normally wouldn’t think would put beer, sugar or sweets into his system, but he was also an alien slumming it on Earth and probably wanted to experience everything Earth had to offer. He’d sampled the women, food was the natural progression.

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