She walked through the silent resort back to their rooms. Gleaming stone floors stretched to wide windows looking out over the breath-taking views. Beautiful, tasteful furniture formed cozy little nooks, empty at this time of night. Despite the carefully maintained temperature, she shivered.
The lights were off when she entered their quarters. George was already asleep in her basket, but Varga was awake, sitting in a chair by the window and staring out over the snowy plain. She went and joined him, climbing into his lap with a contented sigh. She would never get tired of being in his arms.
“You’re very quiet tonight,” he said, running his fingers through her hair.
“I don’t want to do this anymore,” she burst out.
His skin hardened beneath her. “What do you mean?” he asked, his voice strained.
“This job,” she said quickly. “I don’t want to do it anymore.”
He sighed, and his body relaxed. “I thought you enjoyed cooking.”
“I do. I like making food for the people I care about. And coming up with the menu and the recipes was fun. But I don’t want to be in a kitchen every night, worrying about whether people like their food. I’ve been doing that for most of my adult life. I want to go different places, see different things.”
“You are no longer worried about being able to take care of yourself?”
She shook her head. “No. I still have most of the credits I’ve earned from working here, but more importantly, I’ve proven to myself that I can make a living if I have to.”
“In that case, when do you want to leave?”
“What?”
He smiled down at her, his eyes warm. “Sweetheart, I have a ship, remember? We can go wherever you want anytime you’re ready.”
She hadn’t expected him to agree so quickly, especially after she had been so insistent on the job. “But I thought… I thought Baralt was your friend?”
“He is my friend, just as Izzie and Polly and Saka are your friends. But none of those friendships are going to change just because we’re not here all the time. I will confess that I have been feeling restless as well.”
“Do you mean it? Really?” Her eyes filled with tears.
“Of course. I want my little bird to fly free.”
Excitement raced through her veins. “I can’t leave today. Or even tomorrow. But by the end of the week, I think I can have Saka ready to take over.”
“Then we will leave at the end of the week,” he said calmly and bent down to kiss her.
One week later, they were standing in the lounge of his ship, preparing to say goodbye. As thrilled as she was to be leaving, she knew she was going to miss her friends.
“I can’t say I’m going to miss that couch,” Saka said dryly. “It was nowhere near as comfortable as it looks.”
Everyone laughed, but Joan pulled the other female aside soon afterwards. “Are you sure about this? If you don’t want to stay, we can take you along.”
“Then who would run the restaurant?” Saka drawled.
“Screw the restaurant,” Joan said fiercely. “I want you to be happy.”
“I know. I’m just not sure it’s possible. At least not yet.” Saka smiled. It was a little wobbly, but it was far more genuine than any of her practiced smiles. “But I like running the restaurant. I like having a value other than my body. This is the right thing for me.”
“As long as you’re sure.”
“I’m sure.”
Joan hugged her and Saka allowed it, patting her back awkwardly.
“I’ll even check in on Polly,” Saka promised when she stepped back.
“Thank you.”
Polly hadn’t come to say goodbye in person because she still didn’t feel comfortable near the port. After construction on the resort had been completed, she had accompanied Njkall when he returned to the caves. Life in the caves seemed to suit her, but her relationship with Njkall remained unchanged, and Joan wondered if the girl would ever realize that he was waiting for her.
Rummel too promised to check in on Polly, although he was much more sanguine about the girl’s future. “Just give her time,” he said gruffly. “She’s finding her way.”
She sighed and hugged him before he could duck away. Of course he grumbled, but she saw him grin as he went to talk to Varga. Her handsome mate, she thought with a sigh, admiring his tall, strong figure from across the room. As if he felt her gaze, he looked up, and their eyes met. Her clit gave an excited little throb. She couldn’t wait until they were alone…
“I’m going to miss you,” Izzie said with a sigh as she joined Joan, distracting her from her increasingly erotic thoughts.
“I’m going to miss you too. Are you sure you don’t want to come with us?”
Izzie laughed. “No, thanks. I’ve never been a big fan of traveling. Especially not now…”
Her hand dropped to her stomach, and Joan’s eyes widened. “Do you mean…?”
“Yes.” Izzie gave her a contented smile. “Will you come back when the baby is born?”
“Of course. We already planned on coming back to visit frequently, and I can’t think of a better reason.”
Baralt joined them, putting his arm around Izzie and studying her face carefully. “Are you all right? Not too tired?”
She rolled her eyes. “I’m just fine. Stop worrying. But we should leave so these two can be on their way.”
There was a flurry of goodbyes, and then the two of them were alone. The three of them, she amended, looking at George already curled in
