Page 91 of Meteor Storm

With a heavy sigh, I fell back on the too-soft mattress and stared up at the silver ceiling above me. I felt guilty for leaving with Innifer too fast before Thilar came out of that room. I should have waited. I should have made sure we had a moment to talk, but I didn’t. I just walked away. Now, all I could do was pray that I hadn’t already seen him for the last time.

At some point, I’d fallen asleep curled up on top of the large bed. There was no telling how much time had passed. At least, I was used to there not being a way to tell time. Innifer mentioned that our Buddies would work on the Deimos, so I flipped my wrist over, tapping the face on my cuff to see it light up and display the time for the first time since I was launched into space. December 7th, 5:46pm.

I didn’t know how much I missed being able to tell time until that moment. I felt so human for thinking it. For needing that simple structure.

Sitting up, I found a small pile of supplies on the bed beside me. A couple towels. Toiletries. A stack of clothes. And of course, a fuzzy blanket. I reached out and ran my hands over it, smiling a little at how wonderful it felt. I couldn’t wait to curl up in it, but that would have to happen later. I needed a shower. A good one.

I grabbed a soap bar and some shampoo and immediately stripped, walking over to the tiny shower unit. There was a wall dividing the shower from the rest of the room and on it was a hook to hang a towel, similar to how I would have done on Earth. It felt comforting to fall into such a generic routine, even if it was simple.

Inside the shower, there was a touch pad to control the temperature of the water and though the stream was weak, feeling warm rain on my skin was one of the best feelings in the world.

Simple luxuries. I never knew I could miss them so much.

I lathered my hair in shampoo and worked it through until my scalp was layered in suds. Then I did the same to my skin, scrubbing everything away until I felt like myself again. Or, as much as I could feel like myself. I was uncertain I even knew what “myself” felt like anymore, but when I felt the warm water bathe my skin, it was easy to remember how much I liked a good, hot shower. The glass around me instantly fogged up, cocooning me in my own little world for a while until I finally could get myself to turn off the water and end it.

I slid the glass door open and reached out, grabbing the towel and wrapping it around my dripping body as I moved out onto the tiny bathmat. Behind the dividing wall, I could hear the door to my room slide open on the quiet hydraulics and paused.

“Coming,” I said, patting my feet dry.

I twisted the end of the towel, tucking it into itself over my breasts, and twisted my wet hair over one shoulder as I stepped out from behind the wall. I expected to see Innifer standing there, but instead, a tall figure stood at my bed, setting a pack down on the end of it. A familiarly broad back was facing me, a long queue of intricately braided locks trailing down his spine. When he turned, my heart stopped.

Thilar.

I looked him up and down like he was a dream. Black tactical pants hugged his muscular legs, and a simple fitted long-sleeved shirt covered his broad frame, making him look like a soldier on leave. My gaze flicked to the duffel bag resting on the bed behind him, and instantly, my hopes soared to dangerous heights.

“What are you doing here?” I asked, my heart frozen with anticipation.

“I have been deemed unfit to lead another unit. I’ve instead been assigned to accompany you back to the Nexus as an ambassador for my people. To learn everything that I can.”

“Are you lying to me?”

He stepped closer and my pulse started to kick up, beating with what I thought was premature excitement.

“I don’t lie, Penny. I was told to use you to learn. Your biology. Your mind. Your emotions.” As he spoke, his hand reached back, tapping the door panel so it slid shut, closing us inside a room that now looked much smaller with him in it. “In other words, I am not supposed to leave your side.”

“Study me, huh?”

He nodded, his gaze burning into mine and setting my core on fire.

“In depth.”

He took another step toward me, and I could hear my heart hammering like a drum in my chest now.

“So… you’re coming with us? With me?”

“Yes,” he rasped. “They, of course, needed me to provide some samples to study my physical condition after everything. And I had to provide my accounts to the scribes. I completed everything as fast as I could so I was able to—”

I almost tripped over my own feet to get to him. I could listen to everything he had to say later. At the moment, I was far too desperate to touch him to care about what he was doing before that moment. I leapt up onto his body, my legs locking around his narrow waist as I pressed my mouth to his. Thilar caught me easily, wrapping his solid grip around my body and plunging his tongue into my mouth. I moaned against his lips and rocked my body against him.

“You’re sure someone isn’t going to come take you away?” I breathed.

He shook his head, turning me and pressing my back up against the wall.

“As far as I’m concerned, I’m yours, Penny.”

Those words sent hot chills straight to my center, breathing life into my whole body again. He kissed me once more, his tongue sliding deep and possessively into my mouth. His words echoed in my head like a record on repeat. I’m yours, Penny. My pussy fluttered, aching to be filled as completely as my heart had just been.

“Penny,” he said gruffly, his kisses like fire down the side of my neck. “If you’d like to talk so I can clarify the situation, we can—”