"You are beautiful."
"You flatter me."
"I speak the truth."
She tipped back and looked at his face. He looked down at her, his white eyes meeting her gaze, and even though he didn't have a pupil or an iris, she knew he was looking right back at her. "You are too kind. And I have dumped my emotional and private feelings on you like you were a therapist."
"What is a therapist?"
"Someone you talk to about your emotional state of being."
"We do not have those."
She smiled. "I am not surprised." She released the hug, and he let her go. She had to get the rest of these layers off. No more emotional outbursts from her today. He let go of her, but it was apparent he hesitated before he walked back over toward the doorway.
She smiled at him. "Thank you. But I must get out of these clothes." She walked over to the bag and started going through it. "So tell me about yourself, Jedriek. Who are you? Do you have parents? Friends? A wife and kids? Tell me who you are."
"I am Jedriek, of the -Ek batch. We are the youngest and the largest Rhimodians who have been activated."
"Activated? Do you mean born?"
"We are grown to consciousness, yes. Roughly the same thing. I am a pilot. I also go with my unit to different space stations to sell our exports and get needed supplies that we cannot produce ourselves. I do like going there."
Eleanor removed one more layer, and she could do most of it by herself, except the clasp just behind her neck. "If you would, please, get that clasp."
He was able to unhook it with a flick of his wrist and crossed back to the doorway, where he was facing her again.
"Thank you. You were saying you liked going to the space stations? Why is that?"
"Many different humanoids there. I enjoy meeting them. I also enjoy the pleasure ladies."
Eleanor had to think. Pleasure ladies? "The prostitutes?"
"Yes, that is another word. I like them a lot."
Eleanor suddenly felt rather strange around him. Did he not know? She stopped. Because he was a different species, a different culture. Not all humanoids saw sex workers the same way the Terrans did.
Strangely enough, it also made her mad to know that he would see paid sex workers.
Instead of what?
Her?
How could she be jealous? It wasn't like they were together. So why did it bother her? It made no sense. Sure, she was attracted to him. Who wouldn't be? But she'd only met him today. What he did in the past was his business, just like what she did in her past was hers.
Get a grip, girl,she told herself.
"Why do you like them?" she asked. She was trying to make conversation. Really. That was it.
Do you really want to hear this?She asked herself.Well, too late now. Already asked.
"They are pretty. They tell me that they like me because I'm so big."
She snorted.
"What?"
"Well, sir, you are big. There's no doubting that." Her gaze ran over him.
