“We confront my dad, prove I’m a poor match for Breal, and then she’s free to be with her lover,” Erzo said cuttingly, but the edge in his voice wasn’t meant for her.
“Betrothals are so last millennium,” Polly muttered.
Erzo let out a humorless laugh. “Currently, I’m inclined to agree.”
“You always think that?”
“Not anymore. I used to see mating as a transaction. Then the Mining Guild showed me the universe of possibilities in relationships.”
“Is that why you chose the dating agency?” Polly asked softly.
“No, not really,” he replied quickly, a little too quickly.
Polly raised an eyebrow. “You sure about that? Part of you didn’t crave a connection?”
He hesitated. “I’m Charro. We’re not wired for impulsive connections.”
“So, I could be anyone?” Polly asked, unsure what it was she even wanted to hear. It wasn’t like she was staying.
“Not just anyone,” Erzo corrected, angling his head to catch her eyes. “Someone I could reach a mutual understanding with. Someone worth the work it takes to reach that honor.”
Her breath snagged at the directness of his tone, the conviction in it. “Get along with, you mean?”
“It’s always a bonus if you don’t want to throw your partner into a black hole,” Erzo said flatly.
“True. But afterward? What’s your plan?” Polly asked, her chopsticks hovering mid-air.
His tail flickered behind him, a telltale sign of his thoughts. It wasn’t like Polly had any intention of staying here beyond the month. Of starting something serious with anyone who made their home in the cosmos.
The crackle of attraction, the spark blooming between them that was just temporary and unexpected fun, a delightful reprieve from all the bullshit and baggage back on Earth. So why did it matter to her now to know what he might be looking for?
“I have a plan,” Erzo assured her, waving his chopsticks in emphasis. “This is delicious, by the way.”
“Thanks,” Polly said, taking a bite. The flavors came together nicely. She stayed on her feet to keep the conversation eye-level, focusing on his face as she pressed further. “What about me?”
He watched her steadily, dark emerald eyebrows raised. “Well, I’d return to work, and I thought you’d find a niche in the Mining Guild. It’s like a floating city. We’ve got everything—shops, entertainment, tech. We also make regular supply runs off-world.”
“Visiting other worlds?” That caught her interest.
“Absolutely. And maybe you could introduce us to this ‘baseball’ game of yours.” His lips quirked with repressed amusement.
“Teach aliens baseball?” She drew her lower lip through her teeth, considering. “Now, that would be a story to tell back home.”
His gaze focused on her mouth. The energy between them altered in a breath. He shifted his weight toward her a little, one hand settling on her arm. His tail slinked around the island. The light flick of his tail brushed against her leg, a touch as subtle as a whisper. It sparked a physical reaction somewhere just below her navel. His tail lingered for a moment, trailing ever so slightly up her thigh before withdrawing, as if teasing her with its feathery touch. And it wasn’t like she was running high on restraint.
He shot her a grin, wide and disarming. “I imagine you could show and teach me many things, Polly. I’m quite the fast learner, you know.”
She struggled not to squirm under the discerning keenness of his gaze, the way it made her want to blush. “Oh, is that so? Well, Mr. Quick Study, I might take you up on that challenge.”
23
He liked her.
Erzo really liked Polly. He didn’t expect to, but he did. She wasn’t just a body to fill a spot. He’d assumed that, of course, because what else would he anticipate? He had no goals, no intentions other than to fulfill a duty. From there, what would transpire would be up for negotiations.
It still was, of course.
But now he cared. The more he was around her, the more he wanted to treat her to the special things the dating agency had set up for them. Show her the universe. Give her whatever he could.
