notice. She drew away some of the energy coursing through his big body. Immediately, her body flushed with sexual heat. She dropped his wrist as if it burned, but Kels did seem a bit steadier on his feet. Now he just seemed confused.
"Kels,” she said softly, “Elion is right. Please go back to your cube. We'll meet up with you later, and we can discuss what we need to do to prepare for the jarouk game. All right?"
He rubbed his face, suddenly looking tired and hungover. “Yeah. Yeah, I can do that."
"Come on,” Elion said. “We'll walk you back."
"Nah.” He put his big, open hand on his first mate's head and ruffled the blond hair affectionately. “'S'all right. I can make it. You make sure Sayal gets home all right, though. Take care of her for me."
"I will. You're sure you remember where you're living?"
"I'll find it, but where'll I find you later?"
"Let's meet at the diner, eight-hour,” Sayal suggested.
Both men were amenable. Kels cupped her cheek and dropped a lingering kiss on her lips. “Keep him outta trouble, will you?"
She smiled. If anyone would get in trouble, it wouldn't be straitlaced Elion. Kels did look adorable, shiny eyed and scruffy haired. Part of her wanted to follow him back to his cube and curl up beside him while he slept. But considering the charge of sexual energy she'd taken, that wasn't all they'd be doing... “Sweet dreams, Captain,” she murmured.
"Mm.” He winked, then turned and jumble-stepped away, more or less in the general direction of his living quarters.
When he had stumbled out of sight around a corner, she said to Elion, “He's an adventure, isn't he?"
Her phrasing made him smile, not the huge, easy grin of Kels's, but a slight lifting of the lips. Where Kels was bold sunshine and big mountains, Elion was cool, deep waters and snow on the meadow. She wished she knew more about the first mate. She'd been about to excuse herself and tell him she could find her own way home, but changed her mind. When would there be another opportunity for the two of them to be alone? Besides, there were things she'd like to learn from him. “Elion,” she said, “would you walk with me for a while?"
"You don't want to go back to your cube?” he asked.
"Not right now. I don't feel like I can sit or stand still.” She shook out her hands. “I've got the jitters. The scan, the Dome, everything. I hate to say it, but I'm feeling a bit uncertain about tomorrow."
A layer of ice melted from his eyes. He tipped his head to peer at her more closely. “You're not ready, are you?"
"I'm not sure. Can you tell me anything about it?"
"Only what I saw today.” His lips pressed together. “I think you're right. We should take a walk and...talk."
Without his asking, she slipped her hand around his elbow, and they strolled to where, she didn't know. He led, and she followed. Slightly shorter and more slender than Kels, he gave off an air of steadiness and calm she truly needed to absorb at the moment. She hadn't been lying about her jitters.
Once they were in a quieter corridor, he said, “Sayal, if you're going to back out, now's the time. Don't wait until you're at the arena gate."
"I have no intention of quitting. I just want to be prepared."
"Other than practice, nothing can prepare you. Have you and Kels fucked?"
She'd never get used to the bluntness of the language. “Not exactly."
"Either you have or you haven't. And I'd imagine if Kels fucked you, you'd remember.” His tone was wry but not unkind.
"Then no. We—how do you say it—messed around a little this afternoon. I think we click well. I do desire him."
"And he'll take care of you in the Dome, believe me. He'll teach you and watch out for you. The women he's been with—they all say he's patient and considerate, and I think you've seen some of that for yourself. Look, if your nerves really get the best of you, just lie back and let him do the driving. He'll get you where you need to go."
"I can't believe an
"Kels,” she said softly, “Elion is right. Please go back to your cube. We'll meet up with you later, and we can discuss what we need to do to prepare for the jarouk game. All right?"
He rubbed his face, suddenly looking tired and hungover. “Yeah. Yeah, I can do that."
"Come on,” Elion said. “We'll walk you back."
"Nah.” He put his big, open hand on his first mate's head and ruffled the blond hair affectionately. “'S'all right. I can make it. You make sure Sayal gets home all right, though. Take care of her for me."
"I will. You're sure you remember where you're living?"
"I'll find it, but where'll I find you later?"
"Let's meet at the diner, eight-hour,” Sayal suggested.
Both men were amenable. Kels cupped her cheek and dropped a lingering kiss on her lips. “Keep him outta trouble, will you?"
She smiled. If anyone would get in trouble, it wouldn't be straitlaced Elion. Kels did look adorable, shiny eyed and scruffy haired. Part of her wanted to follow him back to his cube and curl up beside him while he slept. But considering the charge of sexual energy she'd taken, that wasn't all they'd be doing... “Sweet dreams, Captain,” she murmured.
"Mm.” He winked, then turned and jumble-stepped away, more or less in the general direction of his living quarters.
When he had stumbled out of sight around a corner, she said to Elion, “He's an adventure, isn't he?"
Her phrasing made him smile, not the huge, easy grin of Kels's, but a slight lifting of the lips. Where Kels was bold sunshine and big mountains, Elion was cool, deep waters and snow on the meadow. She wished she knew more about the first mate. She'd been about to excuse herself and tell him she could find her own way home, but changed her mind. When would there be another opportunity for the two of them to be alone? Besides, there were things she'd like to learn from him. “Elion,” she said, “would you walk with me for a while?"
"You don't want to go back to your cube?” he asked.
"Not right now. I don't feel like I can sit or stand still.” She shook out her hands. “I've got the jitters. The scan, the Dome, everything. I hate to say it, but I'm feeling a bit uncertain about tomorrow."
A layer of ice melted from his eyes. He tipped his head to peer at her more closely. “You're not ready, are you?"
"I'm not sure. Can you tell me anything about it?"
"Only what I saw today.” His lips pressed together. “I think you're right. We should take a walk and...talk."
Without his asking, she slipped her hand around his elbow, and they strolled to where, she didn't know. He led, and she followed. Slightly shorter and more slender than Kels, he gave off an air of steadiness and calm she truly needed to absorb at the moment. She hadn't been lying about her jitters.
Once they were in a quieter corridor, he said, “Sayal, if you're going to back out, now's the time. Don't wait until you're at the arena gate."
"I have no intention of quitting. I just want to be prepared."
"Other than practice, nothing can prepare you. Have you and Kels fucked?"
She'd never get used to the bluntness of the language. “Not exactly."
"Either you have or you haven't. And I'd imagine if Kels fucked you, you'd remember.” His tone was wry but not unkind.
"Then no. We—how do you say it—messed around a little this afternoon. I think we click well. I do desire him."
"And he'll take care of you in the Dome, believe me. He'll teach you and watch out for you. The women he's been with—they all say he's patient and considerate, and I think you've seen some of that for yourself. Look, if your nerves really get the best of you, just lie back and let him do the driving. He'll get you where you need to go."
"I can't believe an
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