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She shoved a hand against his chest and tried to step away. “No. It’s a bad idea.”
Eric’s eyes narrowed. He yanked her toward him, his lips smashing into hers.
Holly struggled against him, but he held on tight as he forced his tongue into her mouth. Stars! It was like being attacked by a hungry octopus. Had Eric always been such a lousy kisser?
Eric gave a startled yelp and jerked backward, losing his hold on Holly as he was slammed against the wall by Avel’s broad shoulder.
Holly’s eyes widened as Avel barged past. He stomped down the docking ramp without looking back. She glared at Eric, tempted to give him a kick as he staggered upright. “Keep your hands off me. I’m not your property.”
Eric rubbed his side, glaring at Avel. “You are if I say you are. You’ll always be my girl until I get bored with you again.”
Holly jabbed a finger into his chest, rage making sweat bloom on her forehead. “You’re disgusting.” She turned on her heel and ran down the docking ramp, her gaze not leaving Avel as he stomped ahead of her.
He must have seen the kiss and thought she was a willing participant. Eric had held onto her so tightly, she’d barely been able to move. No wonder it looked like she was enjoying herself pinned against him.
“Avel, wait!” She wanted to explain that there was nothing going on. Avel didn’t know that Eric was her ex. He was the one who’d beaten her down and made her feel so worthless.
A part of her wished that Avel had attacked Eric. She should have encouraged him when his fury bloomed. But that was selfish and would have put everybody else at risk.
Holly had seen so many conflicting emotions on Avel’s face as Eric had flirted with her. She wasn’t certain what he thought of this mess. She slowed, her breath shaky. Maybe Avel considered himself lucky. There was nothing exclusive about their relationship. They didn’t even have a proper relationship. They had the start of something, and Holly thought it could be something incredible, but neither of them had confirmed that.
The situation they’d found themselves in after the ship had crashed was extreme. Extreme situations make people do and say odd things. Was that all this was? Was their time alone together in a crashed ship an escape from reality and Avel hadn’t meant the things he’d said?
Holly had to find out. She couldn’t let Avel walk away. She broke into a run and grabbed his arm. “Where are you going?”
He glanced at her, and she flinched as she saw the coldness in his eyes. “To do what you suggested. I need to get myself clean, eat, and sleep.”
“I thought you wanted to do that together?”
Avel snorted and looked away. “It seems you’ve found a better option.” His sharp gaze cut back to the ship.
“No! Absolutely not.” Holly shook her head. “I’m not into him.”
“It didn’t look like that when you were kissing him.”
“He was kissing me! I didn’t want that. You must have missed the bit where he grabbed my head and forced himself on me.”
Avel grunted and scrubbed a hand down his face. “I didn’t see that.”
“There you go. I’m not interested in him. He’s ancient history.”
Avel shrugged. “I don’t like the way he treats you.”
Holly let out a relieved sigh. “You’re not the only one. If we hadn’t been surrounded by injured people, I’d have pulled that laser from his belt and showed him how to use it.”
A flicker of a smile traced across Avel’s face. “I might have had a thought or two like that myself.”
She relaxed her hold on his arm. Eric’s words still seared in her head, reminding her that she was never good enough for people to stay with or love. She shoved them to the back of her mind.
“Even though the circumstances weren’t ideal, I liked the time we spent together. I liked being with you.”
Avel glanced down at her before his gaze shifted over her shoulder to the ship. “It was an experience.”
Holly blinked rapidly. That sounded like a brush off. “It felt like more than an experience to me.”
Avel scuffed a foot on the floor. “Holly, you’re cute, but this won’t work.”
She swallowed against the tightness in her throat. “You mean, you and me?”
