A Kiss For a Cure (4 page)

Of course one of the benefits of having the ability to read her was that he knew what her body wanted, even if she lied to herself. He knew she was attracted to him, and it made her uncomfortable.

He must have said the right thing because she didn’t pull away. She licked her lips, a quick swipe of her tongue across the plump ribbon of her mouth. Her gaze lowered to his mouth. Cupping the back of her neck intensified the feedback. Nervousness intermixed with uncertainty skittered up his arm. Several other things flew by, twining with the other flavors of emotion on his tongue.

“A kiss, right,” she said on an exhale. “Okay, and then when the lab’s free we can scan you.”

Let her believe in her science, his belief was in his own biology and what he knew was right. No machine could process and comprehend that.

“Sure.”

He applied pressure to the back of her head. Her fingers clutched over his chest, seeking clothing he wasn’t wearing. She watched him lean down, her eyes large and round.

Their lips almost touched. “Relax. You’re tense.”

She let out a shaky breath. “I guess I can’t hide my…um…emotions from you, can I?”

“No, but that’s the way of my people. Emotions are precious and all of them are respected.” She didn’t understand, and he knew she wouldn’t. He could work around that. “I want to kiss you, and I know you want to kiss me. Just a little bit, but you do.”

She tried to turn her face away, but his hold on her was firm. He smiled and brushed a light kiss across her cheek. “It’s a form of flattery to my people for someone to want to kiss you.”

“Some of us don’t go around kissing everyone. You might be used to kissing hot strangers, but I’m not.”

“You think I’m attractive?” It was a mystifying idea that hadn’t occurred to him. Lust he could understand, but her finding him physically appealing was another story.

She snorted. “Oh please, don’t tell me you aren’t aware that you’re hot.”

Tilting his head to the side, he filtered through the feedback. She was getting worked up emotionally and the flavors were mixing together. “We have different standards of what is attractive. I’m not considered, hot, as you say.”

“What?”

He nodded, his face almost touching hers. “Androgynous body types are favored by my people.”

“You can’t be serious.”

“You keep forgetting I’m not human. Now, about that kiss?”

He brushed a kiss over her lips and pulled back all too soon. The spike in feedback buzzed through his system. Her hands slid up to his shoulders and gripped. Her mouth parted when he dipped down again and sipped her plump lower lip between his teeth. Swiping the tip of his tongue into her mouth, he urged her to open wider. Her mouth was warm velvet around him.

She moaned and started, no doubt tasting her emotions on his tongue. It was an added bonus for his partner. He smiled against her lips and cupped her firm ass, fitting her perfectly against his frame.

She lifted up on the balls of her feet, pressing their bodies closer together. He dug his fingers into her hair, loosening the binding holding it in place. Her hair was silky against his hands.

The feedback reverberated between them, growing and swelling to create a unified need, a bubble of lust that was more powerful than expected. It stole his breath away.

Jordan sensed it too. He knew the second her brain took over because she withdrew from him, mentally and physically. Dropping back to her feet, she stumbled back half a step, which was all he would allow her to retreat.

“What in the–?”

Breathless, he kept his hands on her arms. He was recharged. The last time a kiss had that potent impact on his system, he’d been at the threshold of puberty.

“That was, wow,” he said, still trying to catch his breath. His dick hardened, he couldn’t help that.

“I tasted…” She lifted a hand to her mouth. “Is it always this way when you kiss someone?”

“No.” He shook his head and grinned at her. He couldn’t help it. Kissing her felt great, her reaction perfect, the way their bodies responded was a work of art. He tugged her arms, trying to get her to come closer, but she dug her heels in and didn’t budge. “It’s never been like that.” He let his hands slide down to hold hers. He wouldn’t push her for more. The rules were changing. She was more than a job or an arrangement.

“I tasted…”

He squeezed her hand. “Emotion is translated into taste. When two people are compatible, we can share the experience together.”

“You mean I can taste my feelings?”

“For lack of a better word, yes.”

She shook her head. “That’s weird, and a little cool, but a lot of weird.” She tugged out of his hold and he let her go. “How are you feeling?” She rubbed her forehead and looked anywhere but at him.

He glanced down at his erect dick. The light pants he’d worn for stasis didn’t hide anything. “I think I need a moment.”

“What?” She glanced up at his face and caught his rueful gaze. Her cheeks flamed a vibrant red. “I’m going to unpack some more.”

* * * *

Jordan worked on shoving empty plastos up against the wall and out of the way. She’d put Cai to work unpacking the kitchen since it would put him on the other side of the room. He hadn’t spoken, which she was grateful for. She was confused and completely at a loss with what to think about him.

Part of her didn’t trust him. He was too attractive, too nice to be real. But she couldn’t shake the desire to help him. She wanted to believe him. And then part of her wanted to tumble into bed with him. Those arms and the way they flexed, how he held her…

“Do you keep fresh food around here somewhere?”

She spun around, as he peered into her empty pantry. “No. It’s just me, and the CU is fine. Usually I’m here to shower and sleep. I barely eat here.”

He straightened and stared at her. “Where do you eat then?”

“The cafeteria.”

He made a disapproving sound and went back to searching through the cabinets.

“There’s a commissary. It’ll be open for a few hours.” She checked the time. “Actually, it’s open right now. We could go pick up some food, and things for you, if you want.”

Cai closed the cabinets and turned to face her, one hand smoothing his hair back into place. “That would be preferable. Do you mind?”

“No, it’s fine.” She hadn’t planned on leaving her quarters, but it would be a chance to see if the furniture she’d ordered had arrived. “Um, didn’t you say you had some clothes?”

Crossing the room, he knelt in front of the stasis chamber. “Yes.” Cai’s fingers found buttons she missed. Two long drawers slid out from underneath. On one side were piles of neatly folded clothing, while the other held soft pouches. He selected a few garments and one of the pouches.

Standing, he gave her a slight smile. “I’ll be a minute.”

“Okay.” She turned and began straightening a display of shark’s teeth. Some were ancient and one was as big as her hand. Sharks survived longer than humans, something about their bodies so perfect that time stood on their side. Someday Jordan hoped she could unlock the mystery of how an ocean existed in the vacuum of space.

“Ready.”

Turning, she paused. He’d changed into a navy pair of pants and a long sleeved tunic that fastened over his chest with ornate closures. He’d pulled his hair back into a short tail that bristled low on his skull. It harkened back to the old Oriental designs from Earth, but there was an organic feel to the clothing that suited Cai.

“Yes, sorry.” She shook herself. “Let me grab a few things.”

From her bedroom, she grabbed her ID and slid it into her pocket.

“Okay, let’s go.” She double tapped the pad by the door.

The corridor was empty, save for her and Cai. His hand brushed hers as they strolled side by side, and again she could feel the friction, the feedback leaping from him to her and back to him. Fascinating.

His hand closed over hers. Her stride faltered and she stared at their clasped hands. He glanced at her with a lifted eyebrow.

“Maximum usage of time,” he said matter-of-factly

The rational part of her understood. The contact while walking was minimal, but every little bit counted. The feminine part of her wanted to press closer. She took a steadying breath and clung to the scientific part. It was all about biology, not chemistry.

Cai’s thumb stroked the back of her hand. Ignoring the contact was easier when he refrained from the slight stimuli. It did interesting things to her nether regions, which were hard to ignore.

“Is that necessary?” She struggled to keep her voice even.

“What?”

“Do you have to, to stroke the back of my hand?” She looked pointedly at their clasped hands.

“Oh.” He shrugged. “I didn’t even realize I was doing it.” He grinned at her and squeezed.

She waited a few strides, and still he held her hand as casually as if they did this every day.

The sound of bells jingled faintly in the distance, echoing down the corridor of utilitarian metal grate and plas panels. From the corner of her eye, she spied Cai run his palm along the panels. The plas design simulated atmosphere, discharging warmth and cooling a space depending on the areas programming and regulating the flow of fresh air. They were also incredibly strong and the best new technology for permanent space stations. The Fuller Center was one of ten to use them in all major areas. It made for much more comfortable living than sheets of metal or plastic siding.

“It’s not very festive,” he remarked as they turned down yet another unadorned hall.

“Most people have gone home. There’s no reason to decorate the whole Center for the few of us who are here. The commissary and cafeteria are decorated, though.”

He glanced at her. “But you aren’t decorating?”

“I don’t own decorations. I’ve always spent the holidays with my family, until now.” She lifted a shoulder. Her early memories of Christmas were happy, and part of her wanted to recreate that, but she didn’t know how.

Cai hummed a tune she didn’t recognize.

“I don’t even know if you celebrate anything this time of year,” she added.

“My home world has adopted Christmas, and many other human traditions.” He smiled at her. “The idea of Santa was amusing, I think, and now our children believe in him.”

She sighed. Ahead the tinsel framed doors of the commissary were thrown open. “Sometimes I wonder if we shouldn’t have kept our holidays to ourselves.”

“But then you’d be depriving my people of Santa,” he said, his face serious.

“You tell your kids a fat human zips around space, handing out freebies?”

“You aren’t a fan of Santa?”

She shook her head. “It’s not that. You’ve met my parents. They have everything. Growing up I never realized people went hungry, kids didn’t get everything they wanted. One day I woke up. Lying to kids just seems wrong.”

He tugged on her hand, stopping her in the middle of the hall. “But the idea of Santa also teaches hope.” Cai’s free hand rose to smooth her hair. “Hope is sometimes all we have. Nurturing it isn’t wrong.”

“Maybe.” She finally pulled her hand free. Cradling it against her, she turned away from him. “It seems as if the fairy tale does more harm than good.”

Cai fell into step next to her, his hand coming to rest on the small of her back. She suppressed the urge to step away from the contact.

Breezing through the doors at the commissary, she grabbed a basket and slipped away from Cai, who became interested in the front display of various holiday items. Heading for the counter, she breathed a sigh of relief when Blain stepped from behind the counter.

“Hey,” Blain said.

“Hey. Do you know if my order came in?”

“Haven’t received anything for two days. Sorry.”

“Damn.” She bit her lip. Her next problem reared its ugly head. Where was Cai going to sleep? “Okay, thanks.”

“Who’s that?” He jerked his head to where Cai entertained himself with a wobbling Santa.

“Friend staying with me for the holidays.” She shrugged. “Too late to get room orders for him, I guess?”

“Yeah, sorry.” He shrugged. “Someone might have a spare room, if you want me to ask around?”

She shook her head. She didn’t want people to find out about Cai. While she respected her fellow scientists, Cai was a different species many would want to poke and prod. Not to mention, his unique abilities would make him susceptible to other attentions, and she’d feed anyone who tried to crawl into bed with him to the sharks. “No, I’ll figure it out. Thanks.”

Heading for the foods, she stopped in the middle of the first aisle and eyed what was available, at a loss for what to buy. She hadn’t learned to cook until she was an adult, and her skills were sorely lacking.

“Paging Dr. Jordan Richardson. Dr. Richardson, code yellow.”

Her head snapped around. A code yellow was rarely a good thing. Spinning, she almost collided with Cai.

“Hey, I have to go. Can you find your way back to the room?” Her free hand clutched the loose material of his shirt, every bad scenario running through her head.

“Yes. What’s wrong?” He gripped her arms tighter.

“My sharks. A code yellow could be anything.” She shoved the basket at him. “I’ve got to go.”

Chapter 4

Cai looked at the basket, then to the spot where Jordan had stood. He wanted to run after her. The emotion radiating off her was stressed, anxious and tinged with fear. He didn’t like it, but he also recognized he didn’t belong in her scientific world.

The clerk shook his head. “If you need help finding your way back, let me know. It’s quiet enough, I could take you.”

He could trace their path by following the resonance of their mutual feedback. “I’ll be fine. But, can you tell me what currency you accept?”

“Standard UI’s or station credits.”

“Perfect.” He smiled and lifted the basket. “I might need something bigger.”

Returning to the decorations, he considered the glittery, shining pieces. He knew from Jordan’s parents that Christmas was an over the top affair. While he couldn’t give her that, he’d start with something cozy.

The cashier brought him a rolling cart, an old novelty here where everything hovered. “I’m Blain.”