| |
Kien’s mind wandered, pitched and careened between thoughts of Solgre’s deteriating condition and their trio being cut to a duo. Nisha didn’t talk as she raced on the highway, breaking what he was sure was all the local laws of the road. She weaved in and out of traffic expertly and he trusted her with his life.
“We’re going to make it,” Nisha said as she turned the steering wheel hard to the right causing the truck to tilt precariously to one side and their bags and snacks on the backseat to slide and crash against the opposite door. She slammed the palm of her hand against the horn. “Move outta my way!”
Although he trusted her with his life. He didn’t trust the driver she’d just passed who didn’t seem all too happy when they sped by and Nisha’s middle finger was on full display. “I’ve read about road rage. Should I be concerned about that man?”
Nisha shook her head. “He’ll just have to get over it. Nothing is stopping us from getting to Solgre on time.”
Kien made sure to keep his glaring eyes on the male in the other car. He wanted to convey the message that retaliating and doing something harmful to Nisha wouldn’t work in his favor. The other male held his gaze but then abruptly slowed his vehicle allowing Nisha to race past.
After watching the side mirror for a few beats longer to make sure the man wouldn’t pursue, Kien focused again on the road ahead. “Solgre is strong. He knows we’re coming back today. He’ll hold.”
Nisha opened her mouth as if to speak then pursed her lips tightly.
“What?” he asked.
“It’s just that...” She let out a defeating breath. “If it wasn’t for me...us...staying that extra day on Halo One, we might’ve been back yesterday and he would’ve gotten his medicine.”
“Nisha, this isn’t your fault. None of this.”
“But—”
“But nothing. We’re right on schedule. Solgre didn’t want us back yesterday. He was adamant about us taking a seven-day trip, not a six-day one. Besides, this probably falls on me.”
“Wait. If I can’t blame myself, then neither can you.”
Kien shook his head. “I should’ve defied his orders, gone straight to the ship, updated the portable replicator and returned straight away. This could’ve been a two-day trip. He would’ve been mad, cursed and would’ve gone on and on about dissections, but at least he would’ve been recovering.”
“Like I said, you can’t blame yourself. He gave you an order and you yourself told me that you can’t go against it since he’s your captain.”
“He’s our captain and technically he can give us orders, but Solgre doesn’t operate like that. We all have a say in how things are run. I could’ve defied them and just dealth with the consequences from a healed Solgre.”
She went quiet as she stared out the front window. Luckily, there weren’t any cars in her way and she had the left lane of the highway to herself for miles to come.
“When he gave you the order to make this trip with me...”
“I could’ve said no and pressed to leave on my own.”
Nisha was quiet again. He let her ruminate on what he’d said. He didn’t want to hide his feelings any longer. Hiding his feelings has caused him nothing but trouble and pain as far as his dealings with Nisha.
“I didn’t have to come?”
“Not if you didn’t want to.”
“But why did you make it seem like you didn’t have a choice?”
Kien took a deep breath. Not only had he never had feelings this deep for anyone ever before, but he’d also never had to discuss them either. There’d been the, “Do you like me?” or “How do you feel about me?” that the occasional bed partners had asked, but those conversations had been brief, to the point and honest. He wasn’t looking for any commitment.
What he felt about Nisha was different. Even knowing that their love affair was soon to be over, he still wanted to spend what little time they did have learning everything he could about her and making her happy. So far, he’d only caused her hurt.
“Because I—”
His sentence was cutoff by her cellphone ringing. The atmosphere in the truck stilled as he held his breath, scared it was Phate again with even worse news than before.
Nisha answered with a, “Hello?”
“Hello, Miss Nisha,” came a deep voice. The same voice Kien recognized from the previous night. “It’s Douglas.”
With everything that had just happened, he’d forgotten all about Nisha’s planned date for the night. Kien balled his fingers into fists.
Douglas. What an ugly human name.
Nisha’s eyebrow quirked. “Miss Nisha? Your Southern roots are showing, and I think I like that.”
“My mother taught me to respect a beautiful lady,” Douglas responded.
Nisha smiled and giggled lightheartedly.
A smile and a giggle? Kien growled in his throat. Why was him calling her Miss Nisha making her act...happy?
Kien could also call her Miss Nisha. In fact... “Miss Nisha, why don’t you hang up the phone so we can finish our conversation?”
Nisha turned to him briefly, her eyesbrows pinched together. “Why are you calling me that?”
Kien lifted a shoulder. “Because he did, and it made you smile.”
More confusion splashed across her face. Her jaw dropped to respond.
“Am I catching you at a bad time?” Douglas asked.
Nisha turned back to the front and shook her head. “Somewhat. I’m just trying to rush back to Point Breeze.”
Douglas chuckled and the sound grated Kien’s nerves. “I won’t keep you. I just wanted you to know that I made reservations for tonight. But I forgot to find out if I was picking you up from home or if you wanted to meet me at the restaurant since it’s our first date?”
First date.
Those words made his vision cloudy. Kien’s brain seemed to vibrate in his skull. There was also a ringing in his right ear.
“What’s that noise?” Douglas asked. “Sounds like a dog growling.”
Nisha glanced back and forth between Kien and the road. “Let me call you back a little later, Douglas.”
She disconnected the line before he could answer.
“What was that all about?” she demanded.
Kien faced her. “You cannot go on a date with Douglas.”
Both of her eyebrows shot upward. “I. Can’t. Go. On. A. Date?”
“No.”
She rolled her eyes and refocused on the road. “Says who?”
“Me.”
She snorted. “You don’t make those kinds of decisions for me. I’m going to get you back in time to save Solgre and then my part in all of this will be over.”
He tore his eyes away from her. “You’re right.”
She gave him a short nod. “Damn, skippy. We aren’t together and we’re never going to be together. I can date and see whoever I want.”
He gave her a nod back. “You’re right.”
She bristled and shifted in her seat. “Of course, I’m right.”
“You can go out with Douglas tonight and we’ll have our date tomorrow night.”
Nisha did a double take. “Wh-what? Wh-who? What are you talking about? I’m not going out with you.”
“Why not?”
She sputtered again, one hand flailing in the air. “Why not?! Why the hell would I? Especially after the way you’ve treated me. How you’ve talked to me and knowing every minute of our interaction could still be logged to hand over to your nosy ass scientists!”
“I haven’t logged anything about us.”
She frowned at him. “But you said—”
“I know what I said,” he interrupted her. “I told you those things to urine you off.”
Her face twisted. “Urine me off? What the heck?”
“Isn’t that a saying of yours?”
She turned back to the road, quiet in thought. Then, her eyes brightened. “Piss! You mean you were trying to piss me off?” He nodded. “Why would you want to do that?”
“Because if I didn’t create friction between us, I wouldn’t want to leave Earth without you by my side.”
Her jaw dropped. Her fingers tightened on the steering wheel. She stared forward. “You wanted friction between us? Well, you got your wish. So, why do you want to change things now?”
“I’m leaving soon and we’ll most likely never see each other again.”
Nisha lips pursed together, and she blinked back teary eyes.
“And I don’t want our last days together spent hating each other, fighting and apart. I want to spend the time that I have left with you.”
“With me?” she said on a whisper.
“There’s no one I would rather be with. That’s what I was trying to tell you before he called. I’m not here with you because Solgre gave a command. I’m here because I wanted to spend time with you.”
“But you don’t even like me,” she said, her voice almost inaudible as she watched the road. “We’ve been at odds with each other from the very beginning.”
“I’ve been enthralled with you from the very beginning.”
“Kien...I...” She shook her head. “Don’t play your player games on me. You win. I just can’t do this anymore.”
“Good, because I don’t want to do this anymore.”
Her chest deflated and shoulders rolled to the front. She sucked her bottom lip between her teeth as water misted her eyes. “That’s settled then. We can remain cordial for Phate and Tasha’s sake but otherwise avoid each other.”
He leaned closer to her and ran a hand up the back of her neck. Nisha shuddered at his touch. “That’s not what I meant. I meant that I don’t want to pretend or hide how I feel about you anymore. I want you, Nisha. Only you. I’ve wanted you from the moment you strutted into the restaurant and that want has grown every day since. I’m sorry that I tried to fight this attraction and I’m sorry for the pain and confusion that I’ve caused. I should’ve spent these past seven days loving on you and thanking you for helping us out. I should’ve taken this time showing you exactly how I feel about you.”
Her watery eyes shifted between him and the road. “I...I don’t know. I don’t want to be your Earth fling, someone you holler at when you’re in this part of the world, er, galaxy or whatever.”
He rode his hand up to cup the back of her head, entangling his fingers in her curls. “You could never be someone I just ‘holler at’. You would never allow that anyway.”
She chuckled and relaxed her head within his palm. “Damn, skippy.”
“I don’t know what’s going to happen next, but why don’t we figure it out together?”
There was Solgre’s health to figure out and the rescue, but at least with her by his side navigating what was to come would be easier.
When she sighed, he felt the relief in it and his body responded the same. All the playing and all the games could finally come to an end.
“I would like that.”
Looking for love that’s out of this world? These strong, smart, sexy aliens are seeking mates from the Milky Way. Just hop onboard with your local Intergalactic Dating Agency and become an Alien Mail Order Bride! Join our group of authors as we explore the friendly skies and beyond with trilogies of cosmic craving, astral adventure and otherworldly lovers. Warning: abductions may or may not be included!
Grab more hunky alien action here:
Feel free to also join our FaceBook Group! https://www.facebook.com/groups/1656987277900229
About A.M. Griffin
A. M. GRIFFIN IS A mother of three, dog owner (and sometimes dog owned), a daughter, sister, aunt and friend. She a hard worker whose two favorite outlets are reading and writing. She enjoys reading everything from mystery novels to historical romances and of course fantasy romance. She is a believer in the unbelievable, open to all possibilities from mermaids in our oceans and seas, angels in the skies and intelligent life forms in distant galaxies.
I love hearing from my readers. Like one of my books? Drop me and line! amgriffinbooks@gmail.com
Visit http://www.amgriffinbooks.com/ to find more titles by A.M. Griffin.