“No one is gettingserviced. It’s a little misunderstanding. How the fuck did you find me?” Technically he’s sort of correct, but I’m trying to do a good deed down here! Not treat them like my own personal harem.
“You’re quite the talk of the colony. I didn’t have to slink around in the shadows long before I put together that you are their ‘Golden Goddess of Majestic Whatever.’ There are only so many places a goddess can be locked up down here.”
“I’m not locked up, and I already said there’s been a little mix-up. They think I’m…their…you know…goddess,” I say the final word under my breath, hesitant to even utter the word because it sounds absolutely insane.
“Okay, well, whatever they think you are, playtime is over. Get out and get dressed. We’re leaving,” he orders and goes back to my bedroom, closing the door behind him.
His tone activates a part of me that has been dormant since the last time I saw him. I want to stomp my feet like a petulant child and refuse to cooperate. As soon as I’m dressed, I can tell him to get fucked.
I scramble up the edge and tightly wrap the towel around my body. My reflection in the mirror startles me. The face mask dried and cracked, making me look 200 years old. I’m sure Tai loved this.
If he were a gentleman, which he is not, he could have announced himself from the bedroom. He’s trying to aggravate me. Iscrub the mask off and look around the bathroom for my clothes, but every stitch of clothing is in my bedroom, with him.
“My clothes are out there. Turn around and close your eyes,” I tell him from behind the closed door.
“Isn’t that a little redundant? Turn aroundandclose my eyes?”
“Ugh. Just do it!”
We’ve been in the same room for a whole thirty seconds, and he’s already tried to pick two fights with me.
I run to my clothes on the floor and get dressed as quickly as possible, my wet feet catching on my skirt while I try to pull it up. I lose my balance and teeter over trying to work my foot free.
“You okay back there?” he asks over his shoulder.
“Fine, everything’s fine. Give me a minute.” I grab the top next, burning with irritation. What I wouldn’t give for my coveralls right now. He better not comment on the goddess outfit. I tug everything into place, throw my shoulders back, and straighten my spine. I hate this outfit. It’s meant to be a spectacle and reduce me to a sexual object, but I refuse to give it power over me.
“I’m decent,” I say, summoning my most dignified tone. The skimpy outfit doesn’t cover much, and I’m the tiniest bit nervous about him seeing me in this. Even though he has seen me in much less.
He slowly turns. His eyes wander all the way up my body. The chemistry between us is palpable, but it doesn’t change that I’m still mad at him.
“What the fuck are you doing here?” It didn’t even occur to me until now he could have ended up on the same planet as me after the evacuation. Even though he’s annoying, and his sudden appearance complicates my plans, I’m glad he’s okay.
“I’m here to save your ass. You’re welcome,” he says irritably. “Where are your clothes?”
As though I had a choice.
So much for the warm feelings. They disappear as quickly as they show up.
“You can’t come in here and act like this isn’t your fault!” I cross my arms in front of me, hoping it looks obstinate and not self-conscious.
“My fault?” He smolders with anger and takes a step closer. “How in the universe could this be my fault?” His face is tightly controlled. A ripple of self-righteous disdain simmering under the surface.
“You forced me off j’Tilak. If you would havejustminded your own damn business, none of this would have happened!” I let my temper get the best of me and the words are loud and harsh.
“Shut up! Someone is going to hear you,” he whisper-shouts. His eyes dart around the room and he takes another step closer to me. “If you would havejuststayed with the escape pod, we wouldn’t be down here with these nutjobs.”
I stop myself from complimenting his correct usage of the word “nutjob.” But I make it a rule to not flatter alien men like Tai, even if they are incredibly hot when they are mad.
“I’m not going anywhere with you. In fact, I think I’ll stay here.” Whatever he says, I want the opposite. “I don’t know if you had a chance to meet any of…my followers…but I am needed here,” I say, doing my best to sound regal and unbothered.
“PUH-LEASE. If by ‘followers’ you mean the brethren, yeah. I met them and they are all certifiable. Get your bag. We need to leave. You aren’t safe here with them.” Tai paces across my room. I assume he’s looking for my pack. My eyes flicker to the bottom drawer of the only cabinet in the room. Tai picks up on the movement and walks toward the drawer.
“I’ll be fine. They’d never hurt me. They worship me.” I look him up and down, sizing him up. It just now occurs to me that his arms are under the ill-fitting robe, and not through the sleeves.
“What’s going on there?” I pull up the robe to see what’s underneath.
“I’m cuffed,”he mumbles.
