Ignite by Tana Stone

Chapter Thirty

Zoey

“You sure you’re okay, hon?” Reina asked, her pale face pensive as we rode the inclinator.

“What?”

Nina patted my arm. “You seem a little distracted. Are you up for inspecting the fantasy suites?”

I twitched at the mention of fantasy suites, my face warming at the unwanted memories that flooded my brain. Since Kalex had taken me to the Zendoran suite, I’d been able to think of little else, although I’d also taken great pains to avoid seeing the captain. I’d said things I definitely wished I hadn’t, and I was still processing what he’d said to me.

“I can always tell Serge we’ll do it later,” Reina said, worrying her lower lip and clearly not relishing the thought of putting off the Gatazoid.

“None of us want to deal with a Serge who’s been stood up,” I told her. “It’s the Bermuda level we’re checking, right?”

She bobbed her head up and down, letting out an audible sigh of relief that I wasn’t going to leave her to make apologies to the excitable alien wedding planner. “That’s right. Serge isn’t convinced the pink sand is the right shade of pink.”

I cut my eyes to Nina. “This is why he called all of us to meet him there? To pick a shade of pink?”

“You’ve seen his wardrobe, right?” Nina muttered to me behind her hand. “If we don’t put in our two cents, the Bermuda sand might end up so garishly neon that no one can look directly at it.”

“Fascinating that Earth has so many different colors of sand.” Reina tapped one willowy finger on her chin.

“Mmhmm.” I leaned back and looked at the top of the inclinator car as the pink lights filled the white dome with color. “Fascinating.”

Nina elbowed me. “Okay, girl. What gives? You’ve been acting weird all day.”

I looked down at her, shaking my head and hoping to shake off the distraction that had engulfed me. “It’s nothing. Just worried about the station.”

She didn’t look convinced, but a buzz in my pocket saved me from having to explain further. I pulled it out and my heart lurched in my chest. Kalex was requesting my presence—in his quarters.

When the inclinator stopped and the doors swished open, I stayed on while Nina and Reina got out. I held up my device. “Sorry I have to bale. The captain needs me to meet with him.”

Reina fluttered a hand at her throat. “You can’t stay?”

I shook my head, not mentioning that I had little doubt what the summons was about. Going to his private quarters did make me hesitate, though. So far, we’d been able to keep things casual, but had what we’d both said in the fantasy suite changed things?

My pulse quivered. The alien water might have made me confess my deepest desires, but that didn’t mean I was ready to admit them in the harsh light of day—or that I was ready for more with Kalex. As amazing as the sex was, nothing had changed for either of us. I was going back to Earth, and he was returning to Inferno Force, so there was no reason to take things to the next level or pretend this was a real relationship. Despite everything, it was still just sex. It had to be. I couldn’t deal with anything more.

“What is Kalex upset about this time?” Nina asked, knowing full well the tumultuous history the captain and I shared.

“Who knows?” I tried to laugh it off, but the worry must have shown in my face.

“You’re sure it isn’t something more serious?” Her own face was pinched as she looked at me. “You’d tell me if a Kronock attack was imminent, wouldn’t you?”

I released a breath. “Of course, I would. I promise this is nothing like that.”

She studied my face then her shoulders relaxed, and she smiled. “Sorry. I know you would. I think the stress of all this work and the blackout and the Kronock is getting to me.”

“I know the feeling.” Between hiding my trysts with the captain, avoiding Serge, and worrying about an alien invasion, my nerves were walking a knife’s edge. “It’s been a crazy couple of days.”

Nina waved a hand at me. “Go meet the captain. Just don’t take any of his shit, okay?”

“Promise,” I told her.

“What should I tell Serge?” Reina asked, peering over her shoulder.

Serge walked quickly down the teakwood walkway toward us, his boots clomping loudly. Beyond him, I saw a bright blue sky and pastel bungalows perched over a crystalline sea—fronted by a strip of fuchsia sand. Nina had been spot-on about that.

“Sorry, Serge!” I called, waving over Reina’s and Nina’s heads. “Gotta run. Meeting with the captain.”

His pace quickened as his mouth fell open, but the doors slid mercifully closed before he reached me, even though I could hear him squawking as the inclinator descended.

I leaned against the smooth curved walls as it dropped me all the way to the crew quarters level. Even though Kalex was captain, his suite was on the same level as everyone else’s. Not that I’d been to it before. I’d never had any need.

My heart pounded in my chest when I arrived on the right level. The corridor was quiet and deserted. Not a surprise since it wasn’t the night cycle yet, and everyone was pulling long hours to get the station ready. Which made it even stranger that I was being summoned to the captain’s quarters. Unless he’d purposefully chosen a time where no one would notice me coming and going.

I walked quickly, my shoes tapping on the hard floor, and I paused when I reached the dark-gray door I knew was his. I glanced at the electronic name plate to the side for confirmation, my mouth going dry when I read the words “Captain Kalex” in block print.

I hesitated. What was I doing? It had started as a whim and a way to burn off some tension as well as help myself get over Theo. Kalex had seemed like a perfect fuck buddy because there was no way I’d ever fall for him. But things didn’t feel so simple anymore, and instead of getting him out of my system, the Drexian had managed to get under my skin.

Maybe this should be the last time, I thought, even as my hands trembled in anticipation of seeing him again. I pressed one shaky palm to the door panel, drawing in a steadying breath as the door glided open.

I wasn’t sure what I’d been expecting from the captain’s private quarters, but this wasn’t it. The lighting was so low I had to squint to make out the glow of the candles flickering on a low table next to a bottle of wine and a pair of crystal wine glasses. Instrumental music played softly in the background, the warbling of the horns sultry.

My gaze went to Kalex standing beside the table. He wasn’t in his uniform, but instead wore loose pants that hung low on his hips and a snug black T-shirt. He didn’t look like he wanted to throw me up against the wall and fuck me senseless. This looked like a date.

“What the hell is this?” I asked as panic clawed at my throat.

“A romantic gesture,” he said, his words almost a question as his brow furrowed. I saw confusion flit across his eyes then hurt.

Then I ran.