“I know that look,” she said.
“You do not know my looks.”
“All males are the same,” she said.
The sales attendant chuckled. “You do have that look.”
“What look?”
“The bored mate look,” the sales attendant said. “But at least you have been quiet about it. You would be shocked at how some can behave with their boredom.”
Tori waved her hand. “Boys are the same, everywhere.”
Olmed snorted. Because he was certain he was not the same as the other males she had known in her life.
He was not fool enough to break his bond with her, if their connection went that deep.
He was still somewhat skeptical that a machine could find the perfect mate for him.
“Let’s get out of here,” Tori said. The store merchant wrapped up Tori’s purchases and they left the store.
Olmed continued looking for the Kantenans, but he guessed they were probably on their way back to the homeworld by now. He didn’t remember many supply missions outside of Kantenan that required more than a day’s worth of space travel.
His people, as strong as they were, also had one flaw—they kept to themselves and did not engage with other species. Lingering on a space station did not happen. They came, they conducted their business and they left.
Simple as that.
They headed through the shopping area, he carried the large case she’d acquired for her items, which the clerk had stored inside. Tori carried her small bag and just walked along with him, occasionally her hand touching his arm or his elbow.
The touches were quick and more security than anything, for they happened when the crowds got heavier, and she didn’t want to lose track of him.
Yet, the touch gave him pause every time she did it.
Appealing, she was.
A distraction he didn’t need right now.
He needed to focus on his task.
He turned a corner and headed back toward the shop he’d initially seen them in. His hope was that the shop owner would share more information about what the Kantenans were selling.
“Hey, look,” Tori said, gesturing to one of the eating establishments along their route. “Is that some of your people? Wow, you’re all huge.”
He turned and looked and realized that she was pointing at some Kantenans sitting at a table.
The ones he’d seen before.
He pushed her hand down and stepped to the side, opposite where they were, and he put his hand on Tori’s back, guiding her away.
She gasped for a moment before following his lead.
“Not your friends?” She asked as he swept her into the store.
“No, but I need to speak with them.”
She raised her eyebrow. “That sounds ominous." She watched out the front window. "I could go over there. Keep an eye on them for you, if you wanted."
He glanced at her. "You stand out too much."
