I can do this, and I will do this. On my terms.
“Actually, I’ll see to fetching my dinner myself. Thank you, and I… I’m sorry for wasting your time.”
“No. It’s only my job.” He nods to me and walks away.
I can’t say why, but I wait until he’s a decent distance away for me to slip to the stairwell and make my way to the café. What did he call it? Eatery? It’s always so interesting to me when they say one of their terms instead of ours. They speak English, and I think I overheard some talk in Spanish to one girl. They have chips that give them a lot of knowledge, and I think some of the women have opted to have one so they can understand and even speak in their language if they want to.
I didn’t opt for that. I never really considered it either. Maybe… Maybe I should. It might make everything here seem more… real. Make it seem more like it’s my forever home instead of everything and everyone being so alien.
My hand rubs up and down my arm, especially in the spot where Adir grabbed me. Grabbed by the alien guard. He grabbed me all right, but it might be time for me to move on and let him go.
When I make my way to the café, I head all the way to the back, to where the cook is. He’s a tall Nova, a lighter blue than most, and when I open my mouth, he just gives me a huge smile.
“You’re hungry? Good. I serve to cook.”
“I’m sorry,” I murmur.
“Don’t be. When you love your job, it doesn’t feel like work. What do you want to eat? I can get you anything.”
“Ah…”
He tilts his head to the side and shakes his head. “You don’t know the names. No chip, huh? That’s okay. Do you want to be surprised? Or do you want to try to remember—”
“I trust you,” I blurt out.
“Do you now?” He laughs. “You don’t know me.”
“No, but you’ve been making this food the entire time I’ve been here, and I’ve enjoyed almost all of it.”
“Honestly. I appreciate it.”
"And I've never thanked you before." My cheeks grow warm. My hands cover them as if to conceal my embarrassment. "I wait until now, when I need you to cook for me after hours to thank you—"
“Your thanks isn’t necessary. I do appreciate it, but right now, what I would appreciate more is for you to go back in there and wait while I make you something you will love.”
“You guarantee it?”
“Yes. No. If you don’t, you tell me, and I’ll make you something else. How does that sound?”
“I don’t want to impose,” I protest.
“So you mean to say you’ll lie.” He tsks with his tongue. “What’s your name?”
“Callie.”
“Callie, I like just about everyone, but I don’t like those who lie.”
“I won’t… lie.”
He narrows his neon blue eyes at me. "Why does that sound like you are planning on tweaking the lie so it'll seem like it's not a lie so you don't get caught?"
“You’re a bit paranoid.” I giggle.
“Hmm. Go.”
“I will. After you tell me your name.”
The cook grins. “Viko.”
“Viko, thank you.”
“I thought I told you to go.” He shoos me out.
It doesn’t take long for the meal to come out, and Viko sits with me a moment to explain what the dish is called and the individual components of it. Before I can take a bite, he scrambles back to the kitchen, acting as if he’s too nervous to see my reaction to his creation. I get the feeling it’s a new dish, and it’s certainly not something I’ve ever had here before.
One bite and I’m moaning. It’s delicious. So very good.
In no time at all, I’m scrapping my plate, just about finished when someone approaches me. I look up, smiling, ready to tell Viko how much I enjoyed the meal, only it’s not him. It’s a breeder.
He grins at me, but unlike the cook’s smile, this is something else altogether. I groan inwardly.
“You’re almost done. Do you want dessert?”
I blink a few times. “Seriously?”
He grimaces. “Didn’t I say it correctly? I went over a bunch of…”
“A bunch of human pick-up lines?” I ask dryly, proud that I’m able to look him in the eye as I ask this instead of dropping my gaze to my plate.
“Yes. Err, no. Not human pick-up lines. Well, I guess human because I’m human too, and I’m using them. Anyway.” He waves his hand. “Do you want to show me to your bed?”
“No.”
“No?” He blinks a few times.
“No.”
“Can I ask why not?”
I grin. The first time I said no, I could hardly hear the word. The second no came out so much easier and louder too. It’s amazing what a little courage can do.
“You can ask, and I’ll even tell you. Do you know my name?”
“Ah… I will as soon as you tell me.” He grins, but it’s not as full as before.
"And I don't know your name."
“That’s easy to fix. I’m—”
“I don’t want to just fuck to be fucked,” I say flatly. “I want to wait until the Novan and I in question love each other. That’s the whole point, isn’t it? It’s not just fucking. It’s love and respect and all of that. Respecting the woman, her mind, her body, her soul. Every part of her. That’s why she has to orgasm too. It’s the complete package, and until I have that…” I stand and grab my tray. “It’s a no from me. Sorry.”
I breeze past him and carry the tray back to Viko. The cook just beams at me, making me think he’s heard everything. I shrug and mouth, “Thank you.”
It feels so good to get all of that off
