She caught Goraath watching her from across the square, that intensity in his eyes that made her stomach flip. He said something to the rancher beside him and crossed to her, his hand finding her lower back again.
“Having fun?”
“Yeah.” She leaned into his warmth. “I really am.”
A hand landed on Goraath’s shoulder. She turned to see Kaalden—the colony leader—behind them. Goraath turned as well, and he straightened up.
“Kaalden.”
The two men clasped forearms, grip to grip. It wasn’t a handshake, but something that seemed more… formal between them.
“Goraath.” The colony leader’s eyes flicked to Juni, back to Goraath. Kaalden’s voice was low, serious. “A word?”
Goraath’s jaw tightened, but he nodded. He caught Juni’s eye and held up a finger. One minute.
She smiled and watched them move to the edge of the square, heads bent close. Other colonists gave them space, dipping their heads as they passed.
She frowned. The way people moved around Goraath wasn’t the same as the other ranchers. Daax got friendly nods. The farmers got waves. But Goraath got... deference. Space. Like people were careful not to crowd him.
And now that she thought about it, he didn’t move like the other ranchers either. They ambled and slouched. They moved like men who spent their days walking fields and hauling feed.
Goraath moved like Kaalden. That same economy of motion. That same awareness of everything around him. That same coiled readiness she’d seen in?—
Val. Both of them moved like Val.
Like soldiers.
Who were you? she wondered, watching the hard set of Goraath’s shoulders as he listened to Kaalden. Before you were a rancher, who were you?
He laughed at something Kaalden said. Actually laughed—head back, throat exposed, the sound rough and real. She’d never heard him laugh like that before.
She caught her breath.
She loved him.
Not might. Not could.
Did.
Present tense.
The words sat in her chest, too big and too terrifying to say out loud. She didn’t know if he felt the same. Didn’t know if this was just something physical for him—a man alone too long finally having someone warm in his bed.
But she knew what she felt, and she knew what she wanted.
She had to tell him.
When he came back from talking to Kaalden…
Goraath glanced over, caught her eye. Nodded once and smiled.
Shit. She loved him. How did she tell him that?
She smiled and nodded back, then drifted toward the edge of the square. She needed air. That and a moment to collect herself before she did the scariest thing she’d ever done.
The alley behind the main buildings was darker. Quieter and colder without the braziers and the press of bodies in the square. The festival noise faded to a distant hum. She took a deep breath, trying to clear her head. At least she could think back here.
She needed to think… needed to find the words.
