Chapter 9 #2
Her throat tightened, and her heart sang as he closed the distance between them. He didn’t stop until his mouth was a whisper away from hers. “Say yes.”
His breath caressed her skin, and his eyes stared into hers as he waited for her answer.
She was more aware of him than she’d ever been of another person. The weight of his arm around her shoulders. The warmth of his touch. A hint of musk and spice that might be his soap or his natural scent.
“Yes,” she whispered. The single word changed everything.
His lips slanted across hers, the contact sending flames dancing across her skin. She leaned into him, her hand closing on the collar of his vest. When her fingers brushed bare skin, he groaned, the sound rolling up from his chest.
Her lips parted, inviting him to take the kiss deeper. His hand moved from her cheek to cradle the back of her head, holding her in place as he claimed her mouth. Needs she’d ignored for far too long ignited into a blaze that consumed her from the inside out.
By the time he raised his head to break their kiss, she’d forgotten where they were. Dazed, she slowly recalled that they were in public. Worse, they were in his workplace.
She sat back in her chair and glanced around them surreptitiously, hoping to the nine hells that no one had seen them. The place wasn’t open yet, but some staff members were still around. Thankfully, a quick check confirmed that none of them were looking their way.
She exhaled in relief and then froze when she saw a single human female behind the bar. She had long gray and white hair plaited into dozens of braids, and she was grinning as she stared back at Tish.
Fraxx.
“Uh, I think we had an audience for that very public display of affection,” she informed Mace.
He turned to look in the direction she pointed and chuckled. “That’s Rain, and I’d say she approves.” He shifted his gaze back to her. “Not that it matters. I’m going to kiss you again, anyway.”
“Rebel,” she teased.
“Guilty,” he replied. Then he lifted her out of her chair and onto his lap. It happened so fast she only had time to make a soft squeak of surprise. Then he kissed her again, and her brain short-circuited.
She cupped his face in her hands, her fingers stroking his face as their tongues tangled.
He growled as her fingers touched his scar. The sound made her insides quiver, and part of her wondered if he’d make that noise while he fucked her. Was it too soon? Maybe. Or maybe it was as inevitable as the heat death of the universe.
She wanted this. It would be complicated. It might get messy. She didn’t care. This was the first good thing to come her way in years. It might be the only shot at happiness she ever had, and she was going to take it.
This time, the kiss didn’t stop until she was breathless and trembling. “I think dinner has arrived.”
She lowered her hands and looked around, confused. “But we haven’t ordered yet.”
“We didn’t. I think Rain did it for us.”
She spotted the small convoy of servo droids trundling across the floor. Two carried trays of food, and another had a pitcher of water and two glasses.
“That’s for us?”
“Do you see anyone else around?”
“Good point.” She frowned. “But if there’s no one else here, who made the food?”
“Bots. The club isn’t fully operational yet.
There’s a bank of food dispensers beyond those doors, and everything is managed by bots and droids.
I think there are plans for a fully staffed kitchen eventually, but for now, the focus is on bringing in customers who want to hear live music in a unique venue. ”
She laughed. “That sounds like something a corporate executive would say. Not that I’ve met any.”
“I think Rain used to be one of them. She talks like it. Doesn’t act like one, though.”
They paused the conversation as the droids arrived and deposited their meal on the table. Tish noticed that, like the outfit Mace wore, the bot was a Vardarian design. She hadn’t seen many of that type, but she had read up on them out of curiosity.
Most of the meal turned out to be finger food. Easy to eat and tasty. After weeks living off of nutri-gruel, protein bars, and meal packs, her stomach was elated at the chance to eat real food twice in two days.
The time flew by. Mace kissed her again as he stood to leave. “I won’t be far away. Or’yn has door duty, so my job is to be seen walking the floor and keeping an eye out for trouble. I doubt there will be any.”
She glanced around. The place was still empty, though she’d seen several employees enter through the main doors. Some of them had disappeared into the back while others were now behind the bar, setting up for the evening crowd. “Where should I sit?”
He tapped the table with a thick finger. “Right here. This is your table for the night. I’ll come back here between circuits, and I’ll keep an eye on you no matter where I am.”
This was a date, but it was also a work night for Mace.
When the Live True came back, she’d be on the other side of this situation.
She’d be around them for a good chunk of every day, but she’d have work to do.
That was going to be difficult because Mace and Xaber would no doubt be around.
As distractions went, they’d be the hardest ones she’d ever had to resist.
She watched Mace walk toward the doors and had to tear her gaze away. Uh-huh. Distraction wasn’t the right word for what he was. Temptation. That was it. A walking, growly, hotter than an overclocked fusion drive, temptation.
She nibbled on a skewer of protein chunks marinated in some kind of spicy nut sauce and considered what would happen when Xaber got back.
How would this work exactly? Would they take her out separately?
Together? Both? She should probably make a list of questions to ask.
If they didn’t have the answers, they could figure it out together.
She didn’t have her datapad, but she did have her comm with her. She drew it out of her pocket. Before she could activate it, the lights dimmed, and a crowd began to flow into the club.
They’d opened the doors.
She put the device back in her pocket. The crowd was mostly human, but she spotted several other races as well. Some went straight for the tables while others made for the bar.
It was all surprisingly civilized with none of the noise and jostling she’d expected.
Soft, instrumental music came over the speakers, and the projections of the sunset changed to a night sky with two moons.
She had no idea where in the galaxy the image came from, but it certainly felt real.
Safely seated with her feet planted on the floor, the vast expanse of space overhead didn’t make her head spin anymore, but she preferred not to look at it too long. Fortunately, she didn’t have to.
Mace walked back into view, and she happily observed as he moved around the club, a silent reminder to everyone to behave.
He completed his first round as the lights on stage came up. Rain stepped into view first. She smiled and waved to the crowd.
“Good evening and welcome to the Quantum Forge. We are proud to introduce a new band tonight. Please put your hands together for Becca and the Scorpions!”
The applause was moderately loud and died away just as the band stepped onto the stage. They were all in shadow except for a human woman with dark hair and a shimmering red dress. She moved to the front of the stage, opened her arms, and smiled out at the audience.
A guitar rang out, each note building on the one that came before. Drumbeats, light at first, gathered strength and speed with each bar. And then, the woman began to sing.
Tish closed her eyes, and for a moment the familiar sounds of the blues music carried her back to another time.
Quiet nights at home with the music in the background as she told them about her day.
She missed them so much. But that life was long gone, and she was taking her first steps toward something new.
It felt right to hear that music again. This was a night to remember old memories and to make new ones.