| |
“What did you guys give me?” my words slur as the room spins.
Fynn pulls me into his arms, dancing me around the room to music that is only playing in his head. “Nothing dumplin’, this is all on you. You should never try to keep up with five guys who weigh more than you.”
I lean back, trying to focus on his face. “No, you did something.” I scowl, trying to think about what I was saying. I am drunk enough to know that I could be in trouble if I didn’t trust Fynn.
He smiles down at me, leaning in to kiss me. “No, nothing. But there are some things I would like to do to you.”
I push away from him, twirling around the room until Roberd catches me as I stumble. “Thanks” I hiccup.
“Baby, if you want to dance all you have do is ask,” he smiles down at me, pulling me close as he slow dances me across the room. I can feel every part of him and where with Fynn it would turn me on, with Roberd it is like a splash of cold water.
“Roberd!” I hiss, pushing against him. “Let me go!”
“Come on Akiyra!” He pulls me closer, his spouter hard against my stomach, his hand moving down my back to grasp my ass. “Let us have some fun too.”
His head dips down as if to kiss me, and I bite down hard on his lip, drawing blood.
“What the hell!” He pushes me away, as the blood drips from his lip.
I jump to my feet, hands clenched, “Don’t you ever touch me, Roberd! Ever. In the morning I want you off this ship!” I glare at him, slightly mollified when his eyes fall.
“I’m sorry, Akiyra!” his voice is barely audible.
“You should be!” I glare at him, chest heaving. Hands on my shoulders have me jumping until I see it is Fynn, then I relax into him. “It’s nothing, Fynn. Nothing.”
I look around to see all the guys staring at me, “I think I have had enough for the night. I’ll see you all in the morning.” Fynn’s hands rest lightly on my shoulders, trailing down my arms as I walk away. I know I need to say something, do something. But suddenly I am tired and off balance.
I never planned to have passengers, let alone to fall for one of them. This isn’t me. Tiri and me, the lone riders of space. But when I look to the future, that now seems so empty. Still mad at Roberd for his presumption, a part of me is oddly upset at the idea of him leaving. Hell, I’m a mess.
A soft knock on my door heralds Fynn. I don’t move off the bed, my back to the door.
“Akiyra?”
I don’t respond, afraid of what I might say.
The bed sinks as his weight joins me on the bed, his hand gently resting on my arm. “Akiyra, honey?”
My shoulders shake with a repressed sob that causes Fynn to scoop me up. I push at his arms, refusing to be comforted, refusing what he offers. But his arms don’t let me go, instead, he holds me tighter, whispering nothings. Then the dam breaks. Sobbing I bury my face in his chest, letting everything go. The loneliness, the pain of my past, even my anger at Roberd and the memories it brings out. Finally, the tears stop, but now I am too embarrassed to look at him. Red face, dripping nose, it wasn’t the pretty crying the damsels do in the vids. This was the ugly crying that you do in hiding. But I wasn’t in hiding, instead I was in the arms of one of the hunkiest men I have ever met.
“Here,” he lets go of me long enough to yank his shirt off, handing it to me. “It’s already got your eye pee all over it, might as well give it nose snot as well.”
Laughing, I mop my face up, “I must look a mess.”
“No you are beautiful as ever.” he kisses each of my eyes, then my nose. “Want to talk about it?”
I shake my head, “No not right now. Maybe later.” I grab his face and pull him in for the hottest kiss I can muster. My lips hovering over his, I whisper, “that might have been one of the kindest things a man has ever done for me. It was quite a turn on Mr.... I don’t know your last name.”
His face flushes as he mumbles, “I don’t have one.”
Shocked, I quickly answer, “We will have to come up with one for you.”
He pulls back and looks at me, then shyly says, “I would be honored if it was Ronzi.”
I am quiet for a minute too long as he starts to babble, “I wasn’t serious Akiyra. It’s too fast for that. I just..”
I place my finger on his lips, “No. I was just thinking of how warm the thought made me feel. To test it out in my mind. I never thought I wanted this, but the idea of a future without you by my side... I would be honored.”
A grin wide enough to eclipse Zoni’s sun splits his face, as his lips descend on mine.