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“Modest,” Rihep snorted.
“Idiotic,” Kuran added.
“You’re both jealous because it’s true.” Etnil chomped a mouthful of burrito, his nose in the air.
Stacy chuckled at the irreverent Imdiko who sat across the low table from her. His black hair was mussed from an earlier tussle with Rihep, whom he’d attempted to crawl over to sit next to Stacy. Though his hair stood in different directions, he was a fine sight…when he wasn’t making silly faces.
Rihep turned his calm gaze to Stacy. “It’s a little too much excitement to greet your arrival tonight. I’m sorry you walked into a fearful situation.”
“I’m sorry if it turns out to be because of my people. They won’t be happy until they’ve run Kalquorians off. Then they’ll blame you when things fall apart because you aren’t around to help us.” Humans were so predictable, she thought.
“Fear causes us to do many strange things. It is fear driving them, you know.” Having once studied for the Temple of Life’s priesthood, Rihep often saw matters from a philosophical point of view.
Stacy appreciated his take. She also appreciated his good looks, which featured his carved jaw and high cheekbones. All three men were handsome, but Rihep took her breath away. His body was perfection, and she could see him as he was when naked despite him still wearing his gray duty uniform.
Realizing the turn her thoughts had taken, she laughed inside at herself and returned to the conversation. “When fear drives people to harmful acts, they need to learn what’s really scary.”
“You’ve been hanging around Kuran too long. I don’t mind you sounding like him; just don’t start looking the same, okay?” Etnil tried to drape a napkin over the Nobek’s head to hide his rugged face.
His expression bland, Kuran grabbed his clanmate’s wrist and bent his arm behind his back so Etnil was forced to lean on his shoulder to relieve the pressure. The Imdiko gave him a wide-eyed look while repeating “Ow, ow, ow, ow.”
Kuran held on and ignored him to speak to Stacy. “If it’s an attack and we discover who did it, there’ll be plenty to worry the offenders. The station is Kalquorian jurisdiction by the treaty with Earth, so they’d end up in our courts and one of our prison colonies.”
He released Etnil, who shook his arm and rubbed his shoulder. He winced. “The prison colony guards aren’t half as mean as Kuran. Compared to having to live with him, the bad guys would be on a retreat.”
“Thank you for the compliment, my Imdiko.” Kuran was almost as serene as Rihep.
It was typical nonsense from the pair, and Stacy relaxed into another night in Clan Rihep’s company. It was funny how what was normal could continue to feel special. Even if she failed to win the election to make her interim governor position permanent, Stacy had won a prize much, much larger.
“Open and catch.” Etnil made as if to throw a bite-sized morsel in her direction.
“Do it and pay,” she warned, shaking a fist. Shewasbeginning to sound like Kuran.
“A clan feeds its Matara in respect. This is the only way I can obey our tradition since Kuran and Rihep won’t give me my proper seat.” He was still lining up his shot.
“I’ll give your seat a proper hiding if you throw food at her,” Kuran warned.
Etnil popped the bit of tortilla in his mouth and fanned himself, batting his eyes at the Nobek. “Tease.”
Kuran picked up the last bite of Stacy’s burrito, dipped it in verde sauce, and popped it in her mouth. When sauce dribbled on her chin, he licked it off.
“That’s tasty,” he decided. He nibbled along her working jaw.
Stacy hurried to swallow the mouthful, enjoying the turn dinner was taking. “Do I get to be dessert?”
“I insist on it.” The Nobek swept his arm over the table, sliding their dishes to crowd Etnil’s.
“Hey!” The Imdiko promptly shoved everything in Rihep’s direction.
Kuran ignored him despite Stacy’s giggles. He pulled her onto his lively lap, and she lost track of what everyone else was doing as he kissed her.
He tasted of burrito and kloq, but she did too. Who cared when she was held prisoner against his massively muscled body? She sank into the pleasure of their tongues twining, of his hands moving over her, getting her hot and wet.
“I love it when you wear skirts. It used to be pants when you first came to Earth,” he purred against her lips. He swept a calloused palm up her inner thigh. “The panties are unnecessary, however.”
“Until the wind blows,” she gasped as his fingers found her beneath the silk. He rubbed where it felt best, and she moaned and arched into his touch.
“You know what I think you should do from now on? As soon as you step foot in our quarters, you should remove your clothes. You should be naked all the time when we’re alone.” His fingers pushed past the elastic of the panties’ leg.
