Page 30 of Retrograde

Sagan frowned and glanced at Treena. “If you and Toni think it’s fine. I would worry I’ll be mocked as…”

Frivolous? “Heavy” and focused on food?

Who knew with how horribly our media treated her?

I loaded my bowl with meat and toppings, not even bothering with the lettuce since I was so hungry. Taco meat—beef and then ground chicken—tofu, the sautéed onions and peppers, and something called salsa verde? I had no idea, but it smelled delicious.

Then it was fresh tomatoes, shredded cheeseandcheese sauce, diced avocado, black olives, and finally sour cream.

“You didn’t have to get exactly what I did,” she whispered when we were done. “And you’ll need more than one anyways.”

“Exactly why I wanted to try what you liked first.” I shrugged when she blushed. “Besides, I didn’t get lettuce.”

She snorted. “There wasn’t room with all thecheeseyou added.”

“I am a cheese fiend. Cheese should be on almost everything.”

She chuckled and nodded. She led me over to a table and I quickly set down my tray and pulled out her chair. I didn’t try to push her in because that always got awkward and mostly it seemed like an attempt to make her luscious breasts bounce.

“What can I get you to drink, My Queen?” I asked and hated myself the moment the words left my lips. “I’m so sorry. I wasn’t thinking.”

“It’s going to take me a bit, but thank you,” she accepted easily. “For now, the security protocol is that I only drink from unopened anything and people will have to accept that a queen can open her own bottles of water or soda.”

“I would hope so when you rule a nation,” I teased as I sat too.

One of the staff came around with a cart and offered Sagan a bunch of options. It was stocked withherdrinks that would bewheeled directly back to a locked fridge where other things that were just for her now would be.

“Who implemented this?” I hedged.

She cleared her throat. “Benson. He discussed it with Treena’s head of security, Davian, who has decades of experience and they gave me their opinion. I appreciated the concern and kindly accepted.”

“Good.” I nodded when she and several others focused on me. “Their job is to make sure you’re always safe—feel safe, and they should go the extra mile after someone slipped through. I think that should be reported so people know they can’t get to you again.”

“It’s on the agenda,” Treena said as she sat, giving me a look to let it go.

So it was a sensitive topic. Got it.

I waited until Sagan took a bite but then did the same and…Moaningdidn’t quite cover what noise I made. It was a mixture of every happy noise I could ever make. I took two more huge bites and savored them just to be sure before setting my fork down. “This is one of the best things I’veeverput in my mouth.”

Sagan’s eyes went wide and then my dick went hard asheatfilled them, clearly hoping I put her sweet, sweet pussy on that list.

Which I did… But knew better than to say that right then. I would later.

“I’m converted to your culinary cult,” I told the four women firmly. “What else? What else have I been missing all of my life and had no idea.”

“Wine from—” Myriam started to say but sighed when the others gave her looks. “No, I willnotshut up about the wine. I love that wine and so do all of you. Fix the embargo. I want my damn wine if I’m going to have this stressful of a job.”

I threw back my head and laughed so hard I almost fell off my chair. It honestly wasn’t that funny, but it was knowing I’d found my people. I wanted Sagan in my life, and seeing the type of people that were her friends made it that much clearer for me. It really did.

I enjoyed eating and talking with them, getting a real glimpse into who she was and then smiling as she clearly wanted to know about me as well… While building me my perfect taco bowl.

I went over by Darren when I was done and smiled. “You’re right.”

He snorted and threw his fork onto his plate. “Yeah, no shit, kid. And?”

“And I’m all in, but I need to know why that upsets you,” I admitted. “Why do you not want her with someone who wants only her?”

Princess Maple, Prince Fraser, and a few others flinched and gave Darren shocked looks, but he didn’t flinch.