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Lila made a little noise of protest, and my mate laughed. “Yes, yes. I know you liked the meat, niña. But I prefer these sauces as well as having some vegetables. Gives some variety.”
Once we reached the ship, I would need to pay attention to what she liked so I could ensure the cooks added it to the regular rotation.
You’re thinking as if she’s going to be yours, an irritated voice growled inside my mind.
I scowled, wanting to tell it to frek off.
Even though it may well be right.
Another awkward night passed. Tark and I took shifts sleeping on the second bed since I had insisted Zo-Fee take mine once again.
I wasn’t sure which was worse—trying to sleep in the partially reclined copilot’s chair or laying only a few feet away from my mate without touching her.
No. The latter was worse,farworse.
Her soft breaths not touching my skin. The warmth of her only a memory.
I rolled over, putting my back to temptation, and punched the pillow into a new shape. It didn’t help.
When my comp chimed to signal the morning wake up, I leaped up and hurried to the galley, warming water for jormint tea. The mild stimulant would be welcome. I hadn’t slept well since my one night in the glen holding Zo-Fee.
I set out meat and vegetable rolls for Tark and myself, but I dug around in the cabinet, looking for the small supply of breeseed porridge we should have on board. I heated up a portion, stirring in dried lopberries, since the other Hyoo-mon females loved them so much.
With everyone up, we folded the beds back into the walls and lowered the table and chairs. I sat the porridge in front of Zo-Fee, who was reading something on my comp, the screen filled with her Hyoo-mon language.
She took a distracted bite. As soon as the porridge hit her tongue, she grinned up at me. “This is delicious!”
I grunted, secretly pleased.
Tark refused to take the chair across from her, giving me a pointed look and jabbing his finger toward it when Zo-Fee wasn’t looking.
I scowled at him, bared my fangs, and ate standing up.
My friend just shook his head and finished his food quickly. Once done, Tark bribed Lila into the cockpit with extra pieces of steak and a bowl of water.
He shut the door, closing her inside, and went straight to one of the vertical lockers built into the wall of the main cabin. He pulled out his spacesuit, clamped the transparent bubble helmet under an arm, and headed for the airlock.
“What are you doing?” I asked.
Mischief glinted in his eyes as he turned toward me. “A sensor flagged a problem with the right impeller. I’m going out to fix it. It should take me at least an hour, if not two.”
“What the frek are you talking about?” I might not have been an engineer like my friend, but even I knew the shuttle didn’t have impellers.
His gaze flicked past, landing on Zo-Fee for a moment before returning to me as he raised his eyebrows. Tark stepped sideways into the airlock and toggled the controls. “Bye!”
The inner hatch slid shut.
I was alone with Zo-Fee for the first time since getting on the shuttle.That frekker did this on purpose!
But I couldn’t stay mad at him. My best friend was right. I needed to fix this.
My voice sounded rough, as if I’d been gargling shards of glass, but I forced the words out. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you we were fated mates.”
Zo-Fee’s head snapped up until she looked straight at me.
“Do you forgive me?” I asked.
CHAPTERTWENTY-ONE
