Total pages in book: 32
Estimated words: 29593 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 148(@200wpm)___ 118(@250wpm)___ 99(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 29593 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 148(@200wpm)___ 118(@250wpm)___ 99(@300wpm)
He shakes his head, that self-loathing written all over his face. “It should have been better.”
“If we’re counting all the things that should have happened along the way, I never should have been taken from Earth.” I shrug. “No sense in dwelling on things that aren’t perfect in our lives. I think of that day and I think of it with great joy. I don’t want you to think of it any differently than I do. It’s my favorite memory, and it has nothing to do with how much or how little we kissed.”
And I kiss his hand gently. I brush my lips over the inside of his palm, watching him as I do.
An expression of intense yearning crosses his face. He reaches out and traces his fingertips over my cheek. “I know I pushed you away before, but—”
“Yes,” I blurt. “Anything you want.”
“Impulsive human,” he chuckles. “You don’t even know what I was going to ask.”
“Okay, fine, what were you going to ask?”
Brux glances at the game board behind us. “I was going to ask if you enjoyed losing to me, because your last move put your piece directly in the path of my king.”
Is he fucking serious? Incredulous, I open my mouth to protest when he cups my face and then he’s kissing me. His lips move over mine clumsily, but then with increasing enthusiasm. I kiss him back, loving the way his tongue hesitantly strokes into my mouth and then grows bolder with each teasing flick. I cling to him, loving this, loving this kiss, loving the way he holds me. I want to live in this moment forever—
He pulls away, a strange expression on his face. “What—what were you eating?”
Uh oh. “Um, mushroom puffs?” I gesture at the bag on the counter. “I don’t know what’s in them. I can’t read the label. You don’t think…”
Brux nods, touching his mouth. Sure enough, his lips are swelling. Is it normal for lips to swell that quickly? His deep blue-gray skin is even darker around his mouth.
“I think we should find a medic,” he says through puffy lips. “Thorry.”
CHAPTER
THIRTEEN
BRUX
I feel like such an idiot.
I sit in the clinic in Port, waiting for my face swelling to go down. The medic on duty gave me a shot of medication but he’s never treated moden-related allergies before and wants me to stay for at least another hour until he’s certain my allergic reaction is improving.
And here I thought our evening was leading to something good. That maybe we’d kiss for a bit and see how we felt about the situation. I’ve been the one insisting we move slowly, but weeks of being around Melody constantly haven’t changed how I feel about her. If anything, I’m more obsessed now than I ever was before. It no longer feels as if I’m taking advantage of her when I hold her hand or sit a little closer at the cantina. It doesn’t feel like I’m pressuring her when I slide my arm over her shoulders. We know each other so much better now.
It’s our friendship that keeps me from ripping off all of the medical monitors stuck to my chest and racing away in humiliation. To think I finally decided to make a move on my human, and I end up making a fool of myself instead. I squint at her from my swollen eyes, watching as she paces in my room. She hasn’t said anything since we got to the medic. She’s been utterly quiet this entire time, but when the medic leaves, she starts pacing.
I decide to break the silence because she’s looking more agitated by the moment. “Is it bad? My face?”
Melody turns and looks at me. “I mean, yeah. Your eyes are almost swollen shut and your lips look like they’re on the verge of exploding. Jesus, Brux. You made it sound like you had a mild allergy. This isn’t mild!”
“It’s nothing—”
“It’s not nothing! I’m freaking terrified right now!” She scowls and then rubs her arms as if she’s cold, despite the balmy temperature. “I don’t like seeing you in pain. Or in danger. Or both.”
“I’m not in pain,” I reassure her. “I just hate that this is how our evening is ending. I wanted…”
She thumps down on the corner of the cot next to me, the plas bedding rustling. Her eyes are wide and focused on me. “You wanted…what? Tell me.”
“I…” The words lodge in my throat, and I want to rub my face, except, well, it’s currently twice the size it should be. “I should probably save it until I look normal again.”
“The fuck you will,” she says, indignant. With another rustle of plas blanket, she leans over me. Her gaze locks onto mine, and the scent of her, bright and clean and with just a hint of metal, fills my senses. “Say it or I’m leaving right now. It might be the last time you ever see me.”