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She patted his tail. “No, Dar, there’s no need. Brandon’s in the past now. I should have dumped his self-absorbed ass before he had dumped mine,but it was easier to stick to the familiar than to end a two-year relationship and start from scratch. I think I endured his degrading attitude because part of me believed he was right: that no other man would want a woman as flawed as me.”
Dargus’s claws extended. He dug them into the faux-wood table to get himself under control. His voice was still unsteady when he told Lia, “You’re a flawless Luvian gem, my pumpkin. Never let anyone convince you otherwise.”
She lowered her gaze as a shy smile stretched her lips. “Thank you, Dar. I no longer see myself the way Brendon wanted me to.” Her fingers brushed along his tail, making his anger subside and something else rise up. In his pants. “You’ve helped with that, too, actually.”
“I have?” If she kept caressing his tail, Dargus would be eating not a local dish but her soon.
She nodded, eyes still averted. “Your words and… touches… make me feel beautiful and desired.”
It was decided. He was having a taste of her. On the table.
The table shook as two glasses of water landed on it with a clank.
“Food?”
Dargus glared at the waiter. Would it have hurt to make a sound while approaching?
Maybe he made a sound, Dargus, but you were too focused on your fantasies to notice? Head in the game!
“Can we have a menu, please?” Dargus asked as politely as possible.
“No menu. Choose.”
Lia’s elegant eyebrows shot up.
“Do you have Agorian stew?”
“Yes.”
Dargus looked at his true mate. “Do you trust me to choose for you, Lia?”
She nodded without hesitation.
Declaring he would bring them two stews before Dargus could place the order, the waiter left them alone at last.
Silence fell between Dargus and Lia, and both of them went for their glasses to avoid the awkwardness.
“Mmm, this tastes like water with a spicy touch.”
Thank the Three, we’re back to a simple, safe topic. “It has been locally sourced. Do you like it?”
“Mhm.”
They both drank some more.
“How about Funk’fru? Is it to your liking, Lia?”
Her eyes lit up. “Both yes and no, I’d say. I like how old-school everything looks in the marketplace: no modern buildings, no robots, no flashy holosigns, no vehicles. Everything is environmentally-friendly and blending into the natural surroundings.”
Dargus nodded. “The Consortium prides itself on making moons and small planets a trading and tourist attraction without destroying ecosystems and natives’ way of life.” He took a sip of his drink. “And what don’t you like?”
“It’s not so much the place as it is me.” She shrugged. “I used to live in a big city over a year ago, I had gotten used to the hectic rhythm. But the months spent in Kettonbury have changed me in that respect. So many people in one place… It sets me on edge.”
“Ah.” Dargus flashed her a grin. “Yet another thing we have in common, my pumpkin. I prefer the peace and quiet on theDickionover busy settlements.”
“But don’t you get bored? Lonely? Cubbie is with you, but he’s not the talkative kind.”
He smiled at the joke but grew serious afterwards. He hadn’t told anyone, but she deserved the truth. “I never felt lonely, not until Bargus met his true mate and reduced the number of jobs he takes. We both work on our own, but many of his cases used to be linked to mine or vice versa. Not so much now.” Dargus began playing with the curly plant-based straw in his glass before confessing, “Since having you on my ship, I’ve realized even more how lonely it is aboard when it’s just me and Cubbie.”
