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RECIPIENT ID: CCLSL-25109
FROM ID: A35R109-09
DATA: THAT SOUNDS FASCINATING. TELL ME MORE.
So that was it. He wanted to know more about the expedition. Kaia supposed it made sense; the chaos of such an event could provide opportunities to worm his way onto the ship. At least now Kaia had a solid direction in which to go digging, and just the right source into which to pitch her shovel.
Paradoxically, the memory of Orion shaking as he refused to look at her and sent her away made her pause. He hurt her, bad. But he had stopped.Madehimself stop. How hard was that for him? What did it mean? Was she more angry at him for acting on his nature, or at herself for almost,almostwanting him to?
Orion was not a good man. Shit, not hurting her shouldnotbe the bar here. So why did the idea of using him for expedition intel make something in her chest twinge? Kaia was just too hyped up from what happened. Too emotional. She’d get over it.
She shoved the tablet back under her mattress and thought through her approach.
CHAPTER29
ORION
Back in his suite, Orion stayed in the shower longer than was responsible in terms of water usage. At first it was to cool himself off—to get his head off the thought of going to her cabin. When that didn’t work, it was to stand under the stream pattering his head, shoulders hunched forward, neck craned as his hand tugged at his dick in impatient strokes.
His breathing came in labored pants, and as much as he tried to think about something other thanheras he jerked himself off, those fearful eyes and small, plush lips kept invading his goddamn brain.
He spat the exorin that pooled in his mouth like metallic drool. His oversensitive tongue was spiked in his arousal.
Orion’s cock jerked in his fist, and the telltale sign of release pressed against his palm in the form of hard spines emerging at the underside of his shaft. Not sharp enough to pierce, but they sure did hurt. The pressure on the protrusions sent exquisite pangs of punishing pain. He wondered what it’d feel like to have her tight little snatch squeezing them, punishing them both.
The silvery exorin leaking from the spikes slicked his grip on his overheated, swollen skin. He tightened his hold, a strained groan escaping his throat at the ecstatic ache of it. A droplet of precum leaked out and across his forefinger. Orion seized the wall high with his other hand to hold himself up as visions of green owl eyes staring up through wet lashes invaded his brain.
A few more rough thrusts and the first rope of cum shot into the ceramic tile before him. The rest spilled over his fist in thick spurts. The cloudy white of it mixed with his exorin, coalescing into pale silver swirls.
Later, in bed, Orion decided to up Kaia’s calories. He was distracted, checking her tracker every hour, fixating on her training at the expense of his own duties. And now, wasting water. He had to get her out of his system, and this shit needed to go faster.
* * *
The next day, Kaia was waiting for him outside the entrance to the command center before his first morning meeting. This never happened. Her studies were in the same part of the ship, but they rarely ran into each other. Nor was she ever standing there, waving.
“Kaia.” He acknowledged as he approached. Her arms drifted up in a familiar motion, hugging her tablet to her chest like armor. But she paused, then dropped her hands resolutely to her sides.
“Hi,” she said.
He cocked his head. He had expected her to avoid him after the previous day. She’d been scared, rightfully so.
“I…” She paused, closed her mouth, then opened it again. “Wanted to thank you.”
“Thank me?” Orion glanced at her throat, spotting the hint of purple-blue skin peeking from the collar of her long-sleeved shirt. She shifted, pulling the fabric up higher over the mark, which revealed another bruise on her wrist.
“For not… I know it must’ve been hard. For you.”
Orion glanced at the door behind her. He did not need to think about that again right now. He’d been doing nothingbutexhibiting self-control this entire fucking time. And now she notices? When he was on the edge of fucking collapse?
“I wondered if I could ask your help.” The strange placidity in her voice brought his attention back. She stood meek before him, wringing her hands.
Help?Kaia? His little “I want nothing to do with you and you terrify me” bitchy scavenger? Was his little display of restraint enough to soften her up?
“What kind of help?”
“We’re learning aboutColossal’s prior expeditions at the academy. You know, Prime Galaxy, Elsie Galaxy, Noranor… I have to report on where it might make sense to go next. And your mom's planning another...”
“They’re teaching you that shit? Why?”
