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I burrow into her embrace, letting my body language speak for itself.
"Thought so," the woman says confidently. "Maybe you leave my sweet human alone and go find someone else to harass, Pendar."
He bares his teeth in a horrifying show, his tail swishing back and forth as he points at me. "She's a keffing shit driver, Haina."
"You would be, too, if you were having to learn how to drive another civilization's sleds. Give her a break." She presses another kiss to my temple, her arm tightening around my shoulders. "Come on, Ali. It's my turn to buy lunch. I'm sure when we come back out our friend Pendar will be gone. Right, Pendar? I'd hate for Ali to have to file another report with the custodians. You know they hate it when vendors mess with the locals."
"You're a vendor, too, Haina. I could just as easily complain about your interfering."
"Nice try," she says, and kisses my cheek again. "Ready, love?"
Somehow, I manage to nod. I take the hand draped over my shoulder and hold it as we walk toward the only cantina in Port, acting as if this is normal.
"Don't say anything just yet," Haina murmurs in my ear, and then nuzzles it again. "Praxiians have good hearing and we want to make sure he buys what we're selling."
If he buys it? Heck, I've bought it, too. There's nothing I want more than for her to nuzzle my cheek again. I slide my other arm around her waist and we walk slowly toward the cantina, my head spinning from the closeness of her.
She's just being friendly, I remind myself. Don't read too much into this. She's just helping a colonist in need avoid a big pushy jerk.
We head inside the cantina and Haina—I've already memorized her name—pulls a seat out for me at a table in the corner, and then heads for the bar. She speaks quietly to the bartender and then returns to my side, sliding into the seat next to mine. "I hope you like the local brew and avaashi," she tells me, leaning in. "I didn't know what to order and the bartender pushes his nasty fried leaves on everyone. If you want something else, let me know and I can get it."
I nod, feeling self-conscious now that it's just the two of us. My hair is probably a mess and she likely thinks I'm an idiot.
Haina leans in closer at the table. "Do you ever plan on talking to me or are you just going to stare with those big eyes of yours?"
"Sorry," I say meekly, my face heating. "I-I'm—not good. With people, that is. Shy." The words jerk out of me as if pulled. "Sorry."
Haina grins at me, and I can see one of her front teeth is slightly twisted, giving her an impish look. It's so cute, but everything about her just makes me happy. "Well, that explains a lot."
"Explains…?" I ask, trying to carry a conversation if she wants to have one. It's the least I can do.
"Why you always show up when I'm here on my route, and yet you never say anything to me. I even take my time stocking in the hopes you'll open up and say something, but you never have. I thought maybe you didn't like aliens."
Oh.
Oh. She wanted to talk to me? Haina noticed me watching her? I'm partially horrified that I've been so obvious and partially thrilled that she's seen me. "I like aliens."
"So many of your kind don't, and I don't blame you." She gives a little grimace. "It's one reason I have this route, you know. Lord va'Rin requested more pleasant personalities from his vendors. No idea how someone like Pendar slipped through the cracks."
"Maybe he's pleasant for a praxiian." They're a rather vicious, warlike people.
Her eyes widen and Haina grunts. "Come to think of it, you might be right." She falls silent as the bartender arrives with two drinks and food, and her hand casually covers mine. It's like…we're holding hands. Like we really are a couple. I know it's just pretend, but this isn't helping my crush in the slightest. We continue to hold hands as he tosses down two baskets of food in front of us and then sets down two strong-smelling beers. Or rather, “brews” as the aliens call them.
"Service with a smile," she teases, grinning up at the bartender.
He huffs with amusement and shakes his head at us. Even this curmudgeon likes Haina. I think it'd be impossible not to like her.
He walks away and she continues to watch me. I stare back, memorizing her features. Her brow is covered with the thick plating that skims up to her horns, and this close her cheekbones are almost sharp. It gives her a pixie-like look…if pixies were seven-foot-tall blue aliens with massive biceps.
