“They live on the opposite side of the planet, andmy parents are too busy with my brother and his kids to come visit. And I get it. They always wanted grandchildren.”
“I’m sorry. That’s unfortunate.” He paused, eyeing her carefully. “But surely there are other… things worth returning for.”
Jesus, did he really want her to admit how pathetic she was? The shame she’d felt after Kenny broke up with her still hadn’t fully dissipated, no matter how much she tried to tell herself that it wasn’t her fault. There were chatbot support groups, for fuck’s sake, for those trying to break their addictionandfor people like her who’d been ditched in lieu of a virtual partner.
She’d gone to one meeting but had felt so uncomfortable that she never returned, vowing to wallow in her sadness instead. It wasn’t too difficult to find sex partners, and really, with how busy she was with work and how much she hated the apps, it was for the best.
But how much to tell Apodis? He seemed so sincere, so interested in everything she said. It was nice not having to worry about her console or comm or anything to distract her from enjoying his presence fully.
“My last boyfriend broke up with me for a chatbot. So, no, I don’t have much to go back to.”
Apodis’ face betrayed a series of emotions; shock, confusion, sadness, and finally… anger.
“A chatbot? Only a pathetic male would let someone as intelligent and beautiful as you go,especiallyfor a thing that doesn’t actually exist,” he growled, his tentacles waving wildly behind him like he wanted to fight Kenny the way he’d fought the vine.
It was a relief for someone else to acknowledge how absolutely insane the whole situation was, because for a while, with how blase her friends had been, she had started to wonder ifshewas the crazy one.
“Yeah. I mean, it is what it is. So many guys like those kinds of things…”
Apodis cupped her cheek, heating her face upon contact.
“I don’t. I will always appreciate the real thing over digital falsehoods.”
Gemini swallowed hard, her heart thumping like a drum in her chest. God, was he going to kiss her? Apodis licked his lips, sending a zing of electric arousal through her body, her cunt slick with need.
Instead of what she expected, he pulled her into his chest, pressing the kiss meant for her lips on the top of her head. It was a sweet gesture, and she stifled the tears burning the corners of her eyes, once again not understanding when she’d become such an emotional wreck.
“You know you’re welcome here for as long asyou’d like,” Apodis whispered, so quiet she almost didn’t hear him.
It wasn’t quite an invitation, but it wasn’tnotan invitation.
Gemini settled into his arms, letting her worries float away into the clouds, focusing on how good it felt to be held by this alien male.
CHAPTER 9
GEMINI
“You knowwhat would be really delicious for dinner tonight?” Gemini asked as she lounged on the couch, her newly re-injured ankle resting on a pillow.
“What’s that?” Apodis replied with a smile, gently brushing his fingers over her calf.
She had woken up completely famished, and even after a delicious and hearty breakfast, there was a nagging sensation in her stomach telling her she wantedmore.
The morning had been lovely and lazy, but there was a single thing on her mind.
“Mushrooms!” she said with a giggle at the absurd craving.
“You want… mushrooms?”
“Yes,” she said, her cheeks flushing. “The dish you made before was so good!”
Divine, in fact. So divine, she’d dreamt of it last night, along with some more salacious fantasies she didn’t feel the need to tell Apodis about.
She’d woken in a pool of her own arousal and had hurriedly limped to the bathroom to get herself cleaned up before he noticed. She didn’t know what was coming over her, but she supposed sleeping in bed with an attractive alien every night could do that to a person.
“I don’t have any more, but we can go foraging today,” he said, and she beamed, her chest filling with brightness.
“I’m sorry for putting you out,” she said, suddenly self-conscious of the way he seemed so willing to drop everything based on her every whim. “I can go back to my camp whenever?—”
