“Something exciting?”
“Shopping!” she exclaimed with way too much enthusiasm. She made Desur jump a little and almost spill a cup. “Sorry, Desur,” she murmured.
He sounded a grunting laugh and nudged her with an elbow. “It’s okay; we all know how much you like shopping. Remember that time you—”
“Nope,” she said, interrupting him. “We are not doing a round of Funny Amina Shopping Stories today.” She looked at Myrum. “Are you done eating?”
He stood abruptly, knocking his seat over. “Yes. I’m ready to escort you to the merchant area of this ship.”
After righting the seat, he extended a hand. She took it and gave everyone a wave with her free hand. “Send me a message for what you want, and I’ll do my best to find everything.”
They all agreed, and no sooner did she turn around than she heard the small information square in her pocket start pinging.She was going to have a long list of items to find. She couldn’t wait!
Myrum
Escorting Amina while she shopped was an enjoyable experience. She was excited about everything. Even the simplest items seemed to delight her. She took great pains to find the best or most unique of whatever was requested.
Similar to the single central restaurant that carried many different types of food, there was one giant space full of row after row of items. He’d never been in a place where so many diverse commodities were all housed together.
A small cargo bot followed them up and down each aisle, the basket on its back slowly filling up.
Now they were studying a selection of colorful strips of cloth.
“I think this one will go with Desur’s fur,” she said, holding one of them up.
“What is it for?” he asked hesitantly. He’d considered avoiding the question because he didn’t understand how a color could go with fur.
“Matok wrap them around their torsos to cinch their robes,” she said and picked up another one in a soft purple. She found an end and showed him the cloth could be opened.
She slid her hand in it and gathered the fabric up her arm until only her hand was showing. “But Ugarian’s will use them to keep the fur on their arms from getting caught if they’re doing something in a tight place where wearing a regular loose sleeve would get in the way.”
“Should we get a pair for everyone?” Myrum asked.
She looked up at him with a wide grin. “Yes! We totally should. It’s a little more than I planned to spend, but I don’t care.”
He sounded a negative rumble and took the cloth from her to put it in the cargo bot’s basket. “I’m paying for everything.”
“What?” she grabbed his arm to turn him. “Why would you do that?”
He spoke the truth. “Because it would make you happy.”
Her mouth dropped then she shut it with a snap. “I, uh, that’s…” Her voice trailed off. Then she jumped at him. Her arms wrapped around his neck and he reflexively brought his arms up to help support her weight around her back and under her backside.
“You’re such a sweetheart!” she exclaimed, hugging him tight.
A soothing rumble came out of him at the same time he nuzzled her hair with his cheek.
Even with her many layers of clothes between them, her soft body felt good pressed against him. How amazing would it be if there were no barriers between them and he could feel her skin? It was a tantalizing thought.
The lip press in his cabin had been arousing, but getting to spend the night with her again, her smaller, naked body pressed trustingly against his as they slept, would be a joy beyond comprehension.
He started this mission expecting to disappoint everyone, including himself. The ancestors must favor him because they’d intersected his journey with Amina.
It was a gift he hoped to someday deserve.
Chapter 13
Amina
