Something. Jana didn’t understand it.
Or at the very least, she didn’t know what it meant.
He sure seemed to care about her almost immediately. Not her usual experience with guys, that’s for sure. They cared, but she’d have to break through a tough shell to find that.
That didn’t seem to be the case with Phares. He seemed to have strong feelings for her immediately, which was weird.
Though she had to admit, the more she was around him, the more she liked him. And damn, if he didn’t seem to get more and more attractive as the day went. The purple skin didn’t bother her, and the bones that stuck out of the one shoulder were intriguing, not scary like she’d first thought.
Though her easing into his company made her wonder if he had a pheromone that was influencing her. She didn’t think she would be so quickly influenced by an alien male.
Didn’t matter. Even if he was a real dude, he seemed to be a good guy, defending her, carrying her stuff. She didn’t get those “warning” vibes off him that she got when she was around questionable people.
Honestly, no matter who it was, she didn’t really get those vibes off anyone. Most of the time, her “danger warning” sensation was pretty good—at the food kitchen, she’d gotten attuned to who was someone to avoid and who was just someone down on their luck.
“Too bad I’m not any good with men,” she muttered to herself.
“Pardon?” Phares asked.
She waved her hand. “Sorry, thinking out loud.”
“What about?”
“I used to work in a food kitchen, and I was just thinking how my instincts about people were usually pretty good.”
“What is a food kitchen? A kitchen is like food prep, is it not?”
She smiled. “It is free meals for those in need. Some are homeless. Others are families that cannot afford to get food.”
“Do they not have families? Or a clan to help them?”
Jana shrugged. “Sometimes they do, sometimes not. Some can have addictions, and that can tear families apart.”
He paused for a moment. “Like too much drink?”
“Yes. Exactly.”
“Interesting,” he said, his tone carrying a lot of emotion. She wondered if he’d been touched by such addiction.
He didn’t say more, and they only walked a little further, before he stopped at one of the doors. “This is my residence here.” He touched a panel next to it, and the door slid open.
He gestured for her to go first, so she stepped inside, and entered a mostly dark room. The only light came from the hallway, but it was mostly blocked by the two of them. She took a few steps forward, letting her eyes adjust to the darkness.
“Lights,” he said as he walked in.
The lights illuminated slowly, revealing the apartment.
She smiled. “Oh, that’s nice. Can I do that too, or is it coded to your voice?”
“Anyone can turn on the lights.” He sat down the bags he carried. “Do you have that on your world?”
“Only in fiction. It’s a technology that’s starting to be developed, but it is not standard yet.”
She nodded and started wandering around a bit. No floating furniture in here, all of it stationary on the floor. It was pretty much a big studio apartment or hotel room. Kitchenette area, living area, a bed in the back, and she could also see what she assumed was a bathroom door.
“Does everyone have a place like this?” Jana asked.
“Is there something wrong with it?” Phares asked.
