Joston
This is the happiest, the most fulfilling, the most exhilarating day I’ve had since the day I flew Lasson Birtak into the forest fire and we rescued his sister, Fitch, and Chlo. If I could have a day like this every day . . . well, damn, I’d take that if it was on offer. No need to think about it.
I’d take that fabulous kisser as well.
While I listen to Ozker, I steal a few glances her way. She’s talking to the male who’s taking over her desk as the shifts change. Her sleek, shoulder-length black hair seems integral to her personality. Like she was born with it cut like that. It brushes against her shoulders, hiding her serious face, which shows hints of her long-ago Chengdry heritage.
I believe she said her name was Niya Redmor.
But it doesn’t matter what the hell her name is. What matters is her luscious mouth, the exciting curves of her form, that spark in her dark gray eyes. The fast beat of her heart. Her response to my ministrations.
“That last loop,” Ozker says. “How did you manage that?”
“I’ll take you out tomorrow,” I say. “After the raft’s unloaded.”
“Damn,” he says. “I’ve got the kids tomorrow.”
“Maybe later, then,” I say. “We’re here for a few days.”
“In two days, then?” he says.
“Absolutely,” I say as I see Niya leaving the control room. “Gotta go,” I say to Ozker. “Taking care of things.”
“Day after tomorrow,” Ozker says, sealing the appointment.
Niya is halfway down the stairs before I catch up to her.
“You’re not just walking away, are you?” I say.
“I have to get home,” she says.
“I’d rather we go out,” I say. “I hear the restaurants on Engra are excellent.”
“They may be,” she says, “but I have to get home.”
“You’re mated,” I say, since this fine female who was so easy to kiss has suddenly turned cold on me.
“Yes,” she says, but I can tell she’s lying. You don’t spend a lifetime on Choryn without being able to spot a liar twenty parsecs away.
“What’s his name?” I say, and she hesitates just long enough that it’s now obvious to both of us that not only is she lying, but that she’s a terrible liar.
I jump down a few stairs and stand facing her, holding on to the rails on either side of the stairway, blocking her exit.
“You’re no more mated than I am,” I say after she still hasn’t been able to come up with the made-up name of her nonexistent mate.
“Don’t you need your helmet?” she says, reminding me that I left it in the control room.
“No,” I say. “I need you to have dinner with me. Would that be so difficult?”
“Yes,” she says. “That would be exceedingly difficult.” Her eyes are a deep violet now, no longer the dark gray they were in the control room. Must be the light here in the hallway.
“You could have fooled me,” I say. “Just a few minutes ago you were pledging your undying love to me.”
This stops her cold.
“There are at least a million unmated females here on Engra,” she says as she brushes past me, ducking under my arm. “I’m sure any one of them would be happy to have dinner with you.”
I follow her out to her rollcar. Well, it’s not exactly a rollcar, but close enough.
She opens the hatch and gets in and I get in beside her, nudging her over to the passenger seat.
“I’ll pilot,” I say.
“Get out,” she says.
“Come on, Niya,” I say. “You can’t tell me that you didn’t enjoy those kisses as much as I did.”
“I have no idea how much you enjoyed those kisses,” she says. She lifts one of her hands and is about to touch her face, then puts her hand back in her lap.
“I haven’t kissed a female in months,” I say.
She looks out the side window.
“I’m sorry,” I say. “I’ll leave. Maybe you do have a mate but I’ve dazzled you so much you’ve forgotten his name.”
As I move over to leave, she says, “Is this how you always do it?”
“Only today,” I say, because despite my prowess with females, I actually have never done it this way before. I usually start slow and build up.
She grabs my arm.
“Don’t go,” she says. “I’ll make you dinner.”
I secure the hatch, glance at the controls, which aren’t all that different from a rollcar’s, and say, “Where to?”
Her hand is still on my arm. She stops staring out the side window and turns to look right at me.
That’s when she leans over and gives me another one of the most exciting kisses I’ve ever had, and I fight to keep my cool.
Especially because just then Ozker walks by, bangs his fist on the roof of the rollcar, and winks at us. But I don’t think Niya even noticed, she’s so intent on this epic kiss, so I put my arms around her and surrender to the moment.
Niya
If we weren’t in the lot outside the control room, I’d be . . .
Well, no, I wouldn’t be. Although I wouldn’t be doing what I’m doing either. Which is giving myself over to this rush of feelings I hadn’t expected. Certainly not today. Just an ordinary day at work. And the day before the day I’ll finally get to talk to someone who understands. Because Chlo can’t see me until tomorrow.
Then this wild pilot shows up and my day—and it feels like my life as well—is turned upside down. Like the transport raft was.
Maybe that’s what Joston Lynar does—turns everything he touches upside down. Turns me from someone who would never even fantasize about doing something like this into someone who does this very thing. Kissing a male I hardly know. Asking him to my place for dinner. Not caring who sees me making out with this flyboy from the Marinax.
“Niya,” he says into my ear as he pushes back my hair.
“Joston,” I say.
“I don’t want to let go of you,” he says.
“We have to pick up my son,” I say, killing the very mood I helped to create.
Joston breaks our contact, and I’m pretty sure he’s going to leave. Can’t blame him.
“You have a son?”
“I do,” I say. “Aeryen. He’s almost seven.”
We’re not kissing anymore, but Joston is holding on to my hands.
“Then you do have a mate.”
“I don’t,” I say.
“He died?” Joston looks perplexed.
“Yes,” I say.
Joston will be leaving with the Marinax. I don’t need to tell him the elaborate story I give everyone else—that my sister, who’s working on a top-secret project in Majnia, wasn’t allowed to bring her baby with her. A story that everyone on Engra understands immediately. And sympathizes with.
“You wouldn’t last two seconds on Choryn,” he says as he starts up the s-car.
“I imagine I wouldn’t,” I say. “Chlo told me they won’t let anyone from outside Choryn settle there.”
“Hah,” he says as I point at which road to follow. The guy drives my s-car like it’s his—and like he has no respect for any speed limit. But he’s forced to stop at the barrier on the crossroads.
“You know someone named Chlo?” he says while we wait for the barrier to be taken down. It, as well as the other barriers, has been up since the last attack on the palace. It makes driving around difficult, but they’re needed to protect everyone.
At least that’s what they say. Officially. They’re actually here to prevent further attacks.
But I have other, more pressing, concerns than the attacks on the palace.
“Yes,” I say. “Chlo Nightbird.”
“The Chlo Nightbird who’s Lasson Birtak’s mate? That Chlo Nightbird?”
“Yes,” I say. “I’m seeing her tomorrow.”
“She’s not allowed on Engra,” he says. “Everyone knows that.”
“I’m going to see her on the Marinax,” I say as the barrier comes down and Joston accelerates again. I had no idea my s-car could go this fast.
“When did your mate die?” Joston says as he takes the turn right before Aeryen’s school.
“Years ago,” I say.
“How many years ago?” he says.
“Is this an interrogation?” I say.
“This is a conversation,” Joston says as he pushes some of his white-blond hair back from his face. This male is devastatingly handsome and he knows it. And he knows that I know it.
“A few,” I say.
“You know, most mates would remember the exact day their mate died,” he says as we pull up in front of Aeryen’s school.
“I prefer not to think about it,” I say.
Aeryen’s at the building’s doorway, and he’s waving at me.
“I’m Chorynean,” Joston says. “If you don’t want to tell me the truth, just say so. I’ll understand.” He opens his hatch and gets out. I do the same.
I can’t tell him the truth and there’d be no point in doing it anyway.
“You’re right,” I say as Aeryen runs up to the s-car and, ignoring me, goes immediately to Joston’s side.
“You’re Joston Lynar!” Aeryen says, practically jumping out of his skin.
“Damn right I am,” Joston says, grinning down at Aeryen, who I’ve never seen look so excited or impressed.
“Everyone is talking about you!” Aeryen says. “How you landed the raft! And you’re right here!”
“Get in,” Joston says to Aeryen. “We’re going to have dinner together.”
“Wow!” says my son.
I jump back into the s-car just in time for Joston to slam down the hatch on his side and speed away.
What the hell have I gotten myself into?