He laughed through the tears welling up and reached out to cup Jun’s face with trembling hands. “Of course. Of course I’ll stay. I would love nothing better than to be with you. You have me, Jun, wherever you may go. Whatever you must do.”
Jun slid his fistful of tokens into Theo’s pocket and gathered him in his arms. All traces of nervousness had vanished, his embrace strong and face raw with desire. “And you have me.”
Taking a firm hold of Jun’s shoulders, Theo stretched up tall, lifted by hope and love and the answering emotions on Jun’s face.
Would he—? Now, surely? Oh, please—
Jun’s lips fell on his like a benediction.
The kiss was barely deserving of the name, composed of sharp teeth and hot breath and very little in the way of softness.
It was bliss.
Theo had always loved kissing, but there had been nothing like this before.
This was no slow, sweet gentleman’s kiss; this was like being boiled alive from the inside and loving every second of it.
Jun’s lips were plush and gentle, brooking no argument as he used them to coax Theo’s mouth open, to let his clever tongue press inside.
He caressed the contours of Theo’s lips, then traced the edge of his teeth with a rumble in his chest that made Theo weak at the knees.
Theo gave a small, pleading sound, and Jun lifted him from the ground, then strode toward the bed.
They didn’t break apart even as he set him down on the mattress. Jun crawled after him, and they panted into each other’s mouths rather than pausing for breath. Entirely wrapped up in each other, in the moment.
Kissing Jun was amazing.
It was so good that Theo was perfectly willing to ignore the sudden blare of a ship-wide alarm. He whined in protest when Jun sat up with a heartfelt curse.
The coms buzzed on, and Boom shouted over the sirens.
“Captain, get your ass up here! Barnes is demanding to speak with you, and we would all super appreciate it if he didn’t blow the ship to smithereens.”
Jun adjusted himself in his pants with a grimace before he stood and offered a hand to Theo.
He helped him up with care, his gentle attention at odds with the blaring sirens and flashing lights all around them. The lights glinted off his sardonic eyes as he arched a brow at Theo. “This is what it means to be with me. Are you sure you’re ready for it?”
Theo dropped a swift kiss on Jun’s swollen lips and bounded past him to the door. He grinned over his shoulder as he stepped out into the corridor beneath a halo of strobing red light.
“Adventure calls, Captain. Try to keep up.”
Glossary
AUGMENTS–physical augmentations popular in the RS (Restricted Sector) including but not confined to: bionic appendages, sensory enhancements, functional tattoos that connect to the stream.
BRITANNIA–Core planet, Ari and Theo’s home world.
CHIP–physical currency used both within and beyond the Verge.
CORE–the inner circle of planets protected by the Verge. Includes Britannia, Ari and Theo’s home world.
DEEP DARK–slang for ungoverned open space outside of the barrier of the Verge.
DISCONNECTS–those living in the RS without augments, a small minority.
DOLLS–slaves, usually of a sexual nature, originating from Core planets and traded like collectibles within the RS.
DREI X–small planet in the Wastes of the RS.
ENFORCERS–Core military and law enforcement.
GORYEO–Core planet, Jun’s birthplace.
IDENT–short for identity. An electronic payment system based on body codes such as fingerprint or retinal scan, commonly used in the Core.
MIST–recreational drug in the RS.
OUTLIER–anyone born outside of the Verge, residing in the Restricted Sector.
PATCH–language spoken in the Restricted Sector.
RAIDERS–lawless space pirates, usually found in the deep dark, sometimes part of larger Crews, or crime syndicates back in the RS. Often involved in supplying the mines with indentured servants, or running the Doll or Mist trade.
REGENERATION FLUID–aka regen. Accelerates healing, commonly used in the Core and RS, scarce resource along the Verge colonies and the deep dark.
RESTRICTED SECTOR–aka the RS. Populated planets and colonies located beyond the barrier of the Verge. They have been cut off from the Core for centuries.
SINGER–informant, Verge colonial slang.
SONIC–alternative method of cleaning without using water.
STATION–space stations, common in the RS.
STREAM–RS version of the internet, not available within the Verge.
VERGE–a physical energy barrier enclosing the Core planets and surrounding colonies. Also refers to the colonies themselves which line the inner curve of the barrier. The closer to the barrier, the fewer the resources and the lower the social standing.
VERGE COLONIES–settlements along the asteroid belt lining the interior wall of the Verge, circling the inner Core. Limited resources, similar to frontier life.
VERGE RAT–pejorative term for Verge colonists born outside of the Core.
WASTES–an area of the RS that has been ravaged by marauding Raiders and Crews.
About A. C. Thomas
A.C. Thomas left the glamorous world of teaching preschool for the even more glamorous world of staying home with her toddler. Between the diaper changes and tea parties, she escapes into fantastical worlds, reading every romance available and even writing a few herself.
She devours books of every flavor—science fiction, historical, fantasy—but always with a touch of romance because she believes there is nothing more fantastical than the transformative power of love.
A.C. Thomas
@acthomas_books
Website
www.acthomasbooks.com
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Other NineStar books by this author
The Verge Series
Restricted
Burying the Hatchet
Coming Soon from A.C. Thomas
Shattered
The Verge, Book Three
The action continues in Shattered, the exciting third book in The Verge series. Follow Ari, Orin, Theo, and Jun as they work together, through adversity and adventure, while saving a couple of worlds in the process. Coming to you in 2022!
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