“Tell me more…”
Nia paused, a slight shock going down her spine. Had she spoken out loud?
“More? More about what exactly?”
“Your life, on your planet.”
Her cheeks warmed a little as she chuckled. “Um, I kinda told you the main details already. My life was pretty standard otherwise. I wouldn’t want to bore you.”
“That’s never going to happen. Tell me. I want to know everything about you.”
Her fingers paused in his hair and after a few moments, Ka’Cit tilted his head back so he was looking at her upside down.
His green gaze bore into hers and she couldn’t pull her eyes from his face.
He was unbelievably handsome.
“Nee-ya? Did I say something wrong?”
Nia shook her head. “No.”
So far, he’d been doing everything right, and at that moment, it dawned on her that she really, really liked this big blue alien.
Like…a lot.
“Your face has changed.” He was easing up off her and she had to hold him still. “You do not have to tell me about your past. I, more than anyone you know, understand that the past may hold pains you’d rather not relive.”
“I…it’s not that. I can talk to you about it.”
As she told him about what life was like on Earth, Nia found herself skipping the more painful memories, especially the ones involving those she’d held dear.
It wasn’t sadness she felt, but regret. Regret that she hadn’t had the chance to tell them goodbye.
“My mother died of cancer when I was twelve. That’s one of the reasons why I became a nurse.”
“You wanted to heal others like the people who were trying to heal your momor?”
Nia shook her head, her fingers pausing on the braid she was working on. “No.”
“I do not understand.”
A sigh made her body shudder as she steeled herself against the memory. “My mother…we didn’t have the money. Insurance didn’t cover some of her treatments and there was nowhere to go. I became a nurse because I wanted to help those who didn’t always have the money to get the treatment they needed. I don’t know if I was any good at it,” she breathed a laugh through her nose, “but I tried.”
“I’m sure you were perfect.”
A soft smile spread across her face at his words.
“Tell me about you. Your family or…life on Hudo III back in the day.”
His shoulders stiffened and the small circles he’d been drawing underneath her knee with his fingers stopped.
“I…” he began. “I don’t have a family.”
Nia stopped moving and a part of her wished she hadn’t asked the question. “I’m sorry. Did they…are they no longer alive?”
“They are alive and well.”
Nia blinked at him. “So…you don’t talk to them anymore. You had a falling out?”
“I didn’t fall out. I was kicked out.”
Her eyes widened at that and her mouth opened to give him a reply then closed.
She didn’t know what to say.
“I…I’m sorry.”
Ka’Cit turned to look at her and his gaze was unreadable once more, that wall that she was noticing he erected behind his eyes was in place.
“Don’t worry about me, ta’ii. They had good reason to. My momor spared me.”
Nia’s brows furrowed a little as she fought to understand. How could sparing him involve kicking him out?
“After I left, I got a ride on a cargo ship here, to Hudo III. I’d heard of a lot of Merssi living here so I thought it would be an easy place to start over.”
She didn’t know what to say.
“How old were you?”
He tilted his head a little and it seemed as if he was calculating it in his head. “Around eight revolutions?”
Nia’s jaw slackened.
They’d kicked him out when he was eight years old?
What kind of family would do that to a child?
He stood then and moved toward where he’d discarded his clothes.
“I should get you something to eat.”
Nia watched him move, her mind swirling with questions she didn’t feel comfortable asking.
It was clear that whatever happened between him and his family had created a scar that was still raw.
The past may hold pains you’d rather not relive…
He’d said that just a few moments before and it was evident now that he was speaking from experience.
Maybe he’d open up to her about it.
Maybe he wouldn’t.
She’d give him time.
For at least they had that.
Time.
31
Ka’Cit was gone for a few minutes and Nia found herself sitting cross-legged on the bed, not sure what to do with herself.
There wasn’t much to do in the room and she wasn’t about to venture out of it—at least, not on her own. Not after what had happened in the lounge.
So she found herself…idle.
It was an odd feeling.
She’d never had much time to be idle, not even on Earth. She’d never allowed herself to.
There was always something to do.
Her gaze moved over the room.
Apart from the little square in the wall where the food had appeared, there was nothing else that was interesting enough for her to investigate.
She was about to go take a closer look at the food chute when a sound at the door startled her.
It was a low thump that had her stiffening.
She didn’t remember Ka’Cit making any sounds when he’d entered, or even left the room before.
He was usually so silent.
The low thump sounded again, directly on the door this time and the hairs on the back of her arms stood on end.
She was moving by the time the door opened inward, rolling to grab the blaster she’d left by the side of the bed and pointing it directly at the entrance.
Her shoulders sagged immediately when she saw who it was.
Ka’Cit blinked at her over a large tray filled with food, his gaze landing on the weapon before the corners of his mouth twitched a little.
“Are you going to shoot me?”
“Depends on whether you come bearing gifts.”
His eyes twinkled a little. “I didn’t.” He glanced down at the food in his arms. “This is all for me. You said you weren’t hungry.”
When Nia’s mouth fell open.
She wasn’t sure if he was serious or not till she heard him stifle a chuckle. Narrowing her
