That, and it always made him smile back at the mining station.
I’m rewarded with a slow grin as he looks over at me, and my heart flips at the sight. The grin doesn’t last long, though. His expression grows thoughtful as he studies me. “Helen…”
Oh no. Here it comes. He’s changed his mind again. He’s going to kick me out of bed. I feign a yawn, loud enough to interrupt him and then flop down on the mattress next to him, curling up at his side. “Night!”
“Helen, we need to talk.”
“No, we don’t. Goodnight!”
He sighs, even as his arm lightly goes over my shoulders. “Knock knock.”
Darn it. “Who’s there?”
“It’s me, Helen. We need to talk about you and me.”
Grrr. I sit up, frowning down at him. I feel like getting my rolling pin and smashing in his nose again for how frustrating he is. “You’re changing your mind again?”
Mathiras shakes his head. “Actually, no, that’s what I wanted to talk to you about.”
“Oh?” I tilt my head down at him, curious. “You’re not changing your mind about me?”
His gaze meets mine, and he stares at me for so long that I want to squirm. His expression is pure intensity, and when he looks down at my mouth, my heart gives another traitorous flutter. “I think you are the most beautiful, most entrancing creature I have ever met, Helen.”
I whimper. “Say it again.”
“You’re stunning, Helen,” he murmurs, and his hand strokes up and down my sleeved arm. “I’m obsessed with you, and even though I should probably stay away, I can’t. But I know that you’re very innocent, and that’s what keeps making me pause. I don’t want to take advantage of your innocence. I want you to have the opportunity to explore your feelings. To be comfortable with what you’re asking from me. So I guess this is me telling you that I’m interested, but I’d also like it if you and I move slow.”
This has to be a dream. I must be dreaming. For Mathiras to say such things to me…it’s magic. “I like you, too.”
He shakes his head, gazing up at me. “I know, but I want to make sure that those feelings are legitimate before we move forward with anything…intense. So I want us to go slow. It doesn’t mean we won’t explore this attraction between us, all right? It just means you have to trust me when I say we should take things easy and move at a natural, leisurely pace.”
Biting my lip, I nod. “I think that sounds wonderful.”
Mathiras smiles at me, his eyes shining, and then he takes my hand and lifts it to his lips. He kisses my knuckles. “Then goodnight, Helen.”
As if I’ll ever be able to go to sleep after that?! My body is humming with excitement, my head full of stars, and yet I somehow manage to lie down next to him, settle against his chest, and dream of what our babies are going to look like.
CHAPTER 26
MATHIRAS
That went well, I think.
I’m still pleased the next day as I navigate the Little Sister toward Haal Ui Station. Helen’s agreed to move slow, and I can figure out a natural pace for our relationship without feeling like a lecher that’s just using her. I’m so keffing relieved. We’ll find a common ground, one that will allow her to explore her needs and wants, and one that won’t make me feel like a monster if I touch her. It’s for the best, since Adiron has already proved he’s a terrible chaperone, more interested in causing chaos than actually chaperoning.
Haal Ui Station is busy, and we slide into the docking queue, waiting for a spot to open up. I’m not thrilled about how congested the station is, but the fuel prices are right, and we can hide in a crowd. I set the Sister on auto-pilot while we wait, and send out a few messages to my contacts, seeing if anyone takes the bait. Every corsair has business contacts on the shady side. Not people we trust, but people we can work with if the price is right. One is a retriever, who’s hired to “find” difficult items for clients. Another is a black market arms dealer, but if he has weapons, he might have connections to seamier trades. Another is a mesakkah bounty hunter. I don’t think any of them are reliable or trustworthy, so we’ll have to be careful how we approach things. If I expect them to rob me, it means I go in with my guard up.
Maybe I should send Adiron in so I can keep an eye on Helen.
I imagine my over-enthusiastic, rock-headed brother meeting the grumpy praxiian “retriever” and wince at the thought of Adiron’s jokes landing completely flat. Yeah. That’s a bad idea. It has to be me. Okay then. Adi will stay here with Helen. I’ll go on station, meet anyone that agrees to rendezvous with me, get what information I can, and return to the newly fueled Sister. We can be on our way to our next destination in a matter of hours. Piece of cake, as Zoey would say.