Chapter 33 #3
Chee and Trove were going out as well. San had arranged a fun evening for them to enjoy together. They were going to go to the edge of the district, to the barrier between the livable space and the vacuum of space and enjoy dinner and dancing in the starlight.
Holotulle was a ring, and the inside part where people lived was always facing the sun.
Therefore, to simulate night, there were night shields that were raised at the appropriate, scheduled times.
The shields had an artificial night sky cast on the bottoms, and solar panels on the backs to soak up all that solar energy that was no longer reaching the ground.
But if you wanted to see real stars, you could go to the edges of the districts, where the sunlight didn't reach and the night shields didn't cover, and enjoy the real starlight. Then, afterwards, there would be music and slow dancing. It would be dim and cool and promised to be a fun time.
“I’ll admit, the old male is good,” Trove said when he returned from the privy to find that new clothes had been delivered for them to wear. His words were admiring, but his tone was suspicious as he looked at the dark blue, expensive suit that, he didn't at all doubt, would fit him well.
Chee, who had been given a dress that shined silver like starlight, chuckled as she looked at the diamond jewelry that had been delivered with it.
“I don’t think Hyde has a concept of money. He spends it like it’s going out of style.”
“Or he’s taking from our payment to pay for this.”
Chee shook her head. “No way. He’s a really nice guy. He is just providing for his guests. He gave me the most when I was here before too. I wasn’t really going out or able to appreciate it then, but he just has so much money, he doesn’t care about wasting it.”
In Trove’s experience, that wasn’t really true. At least, not for the kind of rich that Hyde was.
This whole place spoke of old money. This male wasn’t just wealthy, he had probably been wealthy his entire life, likely even inherited it.
People like that didn't tend to care about money, that was true, but they knew how to control their spending of it.
They knew how not to waste it by throwing it away, spoiling a delivery crew.
They were just a team he hired to complete a job. There was no reason to give them nice rooms or pay for their night on the town or give them clothes. It was incredibly suspicious, and he eyed the suit he’d been given – and the jewelry! – with trepidation.
Chee, however, didn’t share any of his hesitation. She eagerly doffed her clothes to pull on the new dress. Which distracted Trove so thoroughly, he forgot he was even holding the suit, much less what motivation there might be for the one who gave it to them.
Chee didn’t even seem to realize what she was doing. She was so excited about the new dress that she didn’t think about him standing there. And sure, he had seen her naked, and he certainly wasn’t bothered by the chance to see her naked again.
But there was just something different about this.
There was nothing sexual about her nudity now, at least not for her.
She was focused solely on stepping into the silver dress.
The material shifted and shimmered, with just a hint of blue in its sparkle.
She was comfortable enough with Trove to just be undressed around him.
To share that simple intimacy, that easy closeness, was something he wasn’t accustomed to.
He didn’t realize he was staring so closely until Chee, having pulled the dress up and covered her body again, turned her back to him and moved her hair.
“Can you seal it for me?”
Helping her dress. He didn’t think he’d ever put a female’s clothes back on.
His hands were much steadier than his thoughts as he reached for the edges of the dress.
He brought them together and pressed the small button at the top.
Sewn into the fabric, the device sealed the edges together, wrapping her in the silver fabric.
It was on the shorter side, but it was loose at the top, creating a draping effect over her bust that was large and exaggerated enough to work well with the swell of her hips.
And the bright color only made her vibrant hair seem that much more alive. It suited her well.
“Thanks,” she beamed at him before turning to pick up the shoes and jewelry.
Trove looked at his fingers, like he was surprised those hands of his could do something as innocent, as comfortable, as cozy as helping a female dress.
“Trove?” Chee paused, looking at him curiously. “You alright?”
He closed his hand, lowering it and smiling at her. “Yes.”
And it was true. He was.
Better than alright. He absolutely loved helping her pull that dress on. Putting her in clothes, helping her in that casually intimate way, struck him far harder than it had any right to.
Because this was something he shared only with Chee. Something that no one else had but the two of them together.
And there would be more, he was determined.
He wanted to build this relationship with her. He wanted his mate.
And he would have her. Tonight, he told himself. He was going to let her see to his pleasure for the first time.