Total pages in book: 118
Estimated words: 110492 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 552(@200wpm)___ 442(@250wpm)___ 368(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 110492 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 552(@200wpm)___ 442(@250wpm)___ 368(@300wpm)
This time his mouth tasted sweet—like the pastry they had finished off together—and he kissed her with even more passion. Torri moaned as his tongue pressed between her lips, tasting her as she tasted him as well. One big hand cupped her right breast and she panted softly as he thumbed her nipple.
But it was difficult to feel his hand through the two sweaters and the bra she was wearing. Impatiently, she took his hand in her own and moved it down, slipping it under the hem of her bottom sweater.
Vic seemed to understand what she wanted because he eagerly slipped his hand up to cup her breast again, this time without the bulky sweaters in the way.
“More!” Torri murmured urgently against his lips. She had forgotten they were in public, in the middle of the alien marketplace, and that people might be watching them. All she could think about was how much she wanted his hands on her—how much she wanted him.
Vic seemed to understand what she needed. He reached under the lacy cup of her bra and cupped her bare breast. As he continued to kiss her, he rolled her tight nipple between his fingers, making Torri moan into his mouth and writhe against him. Oh God, that felt good! She loved the feel of his big hands on her. Despite the fact that it was so cold outside, they were still warm and so gentle.
Chuck had never known quite how to touch her—he was always slightly too rough. In contrast, the big Kindred seemed to know just how to touch her to make her body react. Torri was completely lost in the pleasure of him stroking and kissing her when the shawl saleswoman informed them that they had paid for the shawl.
“Hmm?” Torri murmured and the saleswoman repeated that the shawl was paid for. She handed it over with a smile and patted her meter, which was much fuller than it had been.
“Quality romance,” she remarked, just as the pastry seller had said. “True love, that is! A pleasure doing business with the both of you.”
“Er, thank you,” Torri said, wrapping the soft, warm shawl around her shoulders. It was so big she could have easily used it as a blanket and she couldn’t believe she’d just paid for a souvenir by letting Vic kiss her and fondle her breasts in public. But that was just the odd way the Gemmites operated and when in Rome…
“This looks lovely on you,” Vic remarked, stroking the shawl as he settled one long arm around her shoulders. “And I enjoyed helping you pay for it,” he murmured in Torri’s ear.
Torri felt her cheeks getting red with a blush.
“I, er, enjoyed it too,” she admitted.
He sighed.
“Well, I wish we could spend more time at the marketplace but I think most of the stalls and booths are shutting down. Besides, it’s time to get back to La’Gross’s garage so we can see what his price for fixing the ship is.”
“Is it going to be a lot?” Torri asked anxiously. “Can I help you pay for it?”
Vic frowned.
“No, it’s not your responsibility. Don’t worry—I can manage. I have before.”
Torri wanted to protest, but he had a very determined look on his face.
But if goods and services cost different amounts of emotion-energy or yorns, how much would it cost to get a spaceship repaired? She knew that car repairs—no matter how minor—cost a lot more on Earth than say, a box of Krispy Kreme donuts or a nice new blouse. So how was Vic planning to pay for getting his ship’s communications system fixed?
Torri didn’t know, but she was afraid she was going to find out…
Forty
“Well, I’m sorry to tell you, Kindred, but it’s not a case of repair—the whole system’s burned out—it’ll have to be a full replacement,” LaGross said, sounding genuinely regretful.
“Very well.” Vic nodded stoically. “Do you have the parts to replace it?”
“Lucky for you, I do. I do good business with the Kindred, and I have the part you need.”
“How much do you want for it?” Vic asked, raising his eyebrows. “And how much for the repairs?”
“Let’s see…with parts and labor, I’d say…oh, five hundred yorns,” La’Gross said. “I won’t insult you by asking for less than that.”
“Five hundred?” Torri exclaimed. She looked at Vic anxiously. “How in the world are you going to pay so much?”
“The same way I did last time,” Vic remarked. He looked up at the Gemmite mechanic, who nodded.
“Very well then—let’s go to the payment room.”
He led them past several half-fixed ships, down along a corridor, and into a round room about the size of an efficiency apartment. Hanging on one wall of the room was an enormous energy meter, much larger than the ones the pastry seller or the shawl merchant had used. It was already set at zero but there were tic lines and alien marks along its length, showing where the red line of energy would flow when someone started having emotions. At the very top of the meter were marks that—when Torri stared hard at them—resolved into the number 500, thanks, no doubt to the translation bacteria she’d taken.