I want him. How alone are we right now? We’ve got so much to do, though-
He presses his lips to mine, rushing into me with enough force to tip me backwards. His hands are there, though, cradling my head as I go down. Good sense and impending doom mean I should protest. Instead, I wrap my arms around his neck. Heat floods through my body as he kisses me into the ground. He lowers himself closer, settling his huge body over mine, between my legs, and when he presses his erection against my thigh, I moan against his lips.
“Uh...” I know that voice. That’s Tess! I shove Ryle back and zip up my suit in time to see her emerging from the grass. Two of the Rurim appear behind her, followed by the heavily armed Judd behind them. Oh, god, I must look like a mess, and what must she think? Catching me making out with an alien. Not a good look.
“I didn’t - I wasn’t -”
“Oh, please,” Tess smirks. “It’ll take more than this to shock me anymore. Mind if I take a look at your ship?” she asks Ryle. “These two said you’re in charge.” I notice the bag of cables and tablets she’s got with her. Can she fix Ryle’s ship? Maybe she’s just trying to learn their tech. Over my head and out of my lane, though.
“You look, you not see. Computers won’t talk.”
“Right, but what if we override your computer with my computer? I don’t know if I’m explaining this right. Can I try?”
“You try,” he nods, then beings to rise. “You show.”
“Wait!” All eyes turn to me. This might be too important to ignore or delay, though. And maybe more eyes on it will have other thoughts. Maybe I’m wrong. Oh man, do I hope I’m wrong. “My thing first. Please?” I fetch my tablet from where I dropped it. “I came out here to show Ryle, but more opinions will help.”
“Okay,” Tess says doubtfully, but she sinks to her knees next to me. The others form a circle. I bring up the calendar wheel on my screen.
“I think we’re here.” I point to a segment of the wheel. “If these tic marks are time, and the suns were here and here at the noon hour of the day-”
“This is over my head,” Tess says. I notice the two other Rurim look above her. Ryle and I share a glance and chuckle. “Short version, please?”
“Right. So, if I’m correct, and if this is today-” I flip over to the weather wheel. “Then we’re here on this chart. And if we’re actually here on this chart, that storm that caused the mudslide was here, fifteen days ago.” Tess nods. “And this is coming.” I point to the scary storm-like symbols.
“Oh.” She sits back. “How sure are you?”
I grimace. “Medium sure?”
“How many days away is this?”
“Sixteen.”
She sighs. “It might be enough time for me to write a program to parse it. If I even can. I don’t know.” Her shoulders slump. “Sometimes I feel like I have no idea what I’m doing here.”
“I feel that,” I mumble, and even Judd mutters, “Same.”
“I mean. You have to bring this to Faith and Arjun.”
“Of course.”
“And they aren’t going to listen.”
“Right.”
“So.” She slaps her thighs. “Double check your conclusions and do it anyway. That rainstorm was terrifying, and that little symbol looks like an even bigger one. I’d rather be prepared. I’m checking out this alien spaceship.” She closes her eyes for a moment as she lets her statement sink in. “I can be your backup when you go see Faith later tonight. If you want.”
“Maybe,” I say. “Let me check my work again and see.”
“Sounds like a plan.” She rises and heads for the ship, and the rest follow - all but Ryle. Once they’re gathered around the ship, he turns his attention back to me.
“Big rain coming?” he asks.
“A hurricane. I think so. Very big.”
He draws me to him and crushes me against his chest. “I will protect you,” he says. He would. I know it. The hard, warm wall of his chest feels like it could shield me from any storm. His powerful arms wrapped so gently around me could protect me from any threats. Foolish thoughts. But I’ve fallen hard for him. I rise onto my toes and plant a soft kiss on his neck. “Work to do,” I say.
“Much work,” he agrees, reluctantly loosening his hold. He leaves me with one last lingering kiss, his lips branding mine, leaving my knees shaking and my heart racing. Not to mention my panties dampening. What would have happened if Tess hadn’t interrupted? If she’d arrived just a few minutes later...
I shake my head. Like Ryle said, much work. He joins the group on the ship, and I return my attention to the charts.
I don’t think I’m wrong, though. “Medium sure” is my low self-esteem talking. I’m more like “Mostly sure.” But one more round of study won’t hurt.