Stars Dancing [Dreams-To-Lovers Romance]

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RORY

Streaks of orange lit the sky, and I closed my eyes, inhaling the scents of lavender and chamomile. I'd given up on trying to get back to sleep, but I didn't want to wake Slydar, so I'd slid out of bed and made a cuppa. The tea was too hot to sip, but the aroma was comforting as I watched the light of early morning cast colors across the sky.

One of the nicest things about our apartment in Nineton was that the floors were heated, so even though the winter outside was unbearably cold, I could walk around indoors barefoot just like I'd always done back home.

And home was what I was thinking of again. It's not that I missed the desert or that I wanted to see my parents, it's just that months of being indoors almost all the time made me start to feel restless.

And days like today were not for going outdoors. Sure, the sky was clear enough to watch a gorgeous sunrise, but the wind was howling, and that was what had awakened me. Wind so powerful you wouldn't want to go out in it when it was twenty degrees out. It wasn't that acrid burnt-coffee-smelling breeze we got when Muller came peeking around, it was something far more wild, and it had the suspicious fragrance of my favorite fruit from Shurwinn: costamelon.

I took a sip of comforting tea, enjoying the light taste of honey, but wishing for something a little more when I remembered the chocolate mousse Susette had given me. Yum, perfect breakfast treat. Savoring the creamy, rich bite, I felt someone surprising but familiar on the mental plane. My Uncle Euri. Not surprising considering the vicious wind outside.

Rory? Honey? That's quite a wind you've got over there today.

Hey Uncle Euri. I sighed, and something in me that had been tightly wound relaxed at his presence. What're you up to? Riding the wind? I think I got a whiff of Ryst's costamelons.

Yeah, there's something in the wind today, that's for sure. Humph. I can tell something's wrong, Rory. You okay? Do you need anything? Is everything alright with Slydar?

It's not him; well, I'm not sure what it is, Uncle Euri. I'm— I'm just off. I keep waking up early in the mornings, restless. It's barely even the beginning of winter, and I'm already feeling like I'm climbing the walls.

Nodding. Yeah, we've only been in Uno City for a week, and it's about to drive me crazy. You wanna go home? We could go visit Dwin. I haven't been home in ages, and Shah always loves to go back to the casita—

No! Wait, Uncle Euri! I met a troubadour from Trauton 4! You know Rhianne?

Nod.

Well, she met this gorgeous girl Susette, and she's from Trauton just like Aunt Shah. Did that greeting and everything. She's sweet as can be, so I don't wanna go running off right when they're just getting started.

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Well, what if they come too, Rory? Or hey— ha! Shah doesn't wanna butt in right now because she's in the middle of a new recipe, but she's saying we should all go to Trauton and stay in the old house her grandparents had. We need to check on the place anyways. Wanna go? Head out in the Good Time?

And everything about me felt right inside. Like that was the best thing I'd heard in ages.

Okay, Uncle Euri. Give me a chance to talk to everyone. When do you wanna leave?

Anytime. No rush. Just let us know, and we'll meet you at the Transfer Station.

Thanks a million, Uncle Euri. I feel better already.

You got it, Rory. Can't wait to see you. Love to Slydar.

Sunshine, Uncle!

Since it was full daylight, I videoed Rhianne, and of course she picked right up, but she wasn't working out, oh no, she was looking rumpled.

"Ha!" I said into the video screen. "You're with Susette, I take it? Not working out today?"

"Morning, Rory," sang Susette's sweet voice, off screen.

"Well, that's convenient because, actually, I wanted to see if the two of you'd like to go to Trauton with us on my Auntie's starliner. She's from Trauton and keeps up with her Nanna's old house, and it'd—"

Rhianne cut me off, "We don't even need to think about it, Rory! We'll take off work and go whenever, wherever. A private starliner sounds like the perfect vaca—"

"I get to go home!" Susette's disheveled blonde hair appeared next to Rhianne. "Really, we can go home? Rhi! You can meet my family and my friends! Oh, wait, Rory, but that's your family. Their ship. Their house. We can't barge in—"

"Shush! Susette, they want you to come. The more, the merrier, and you know how troubadours are. You're practically family, even if you're not dancing anymore."

"Yeeeee! Oh, Rhi, this is so awesome! We gotta pack! Wait— when's the trip? What're we even doing?"

I giggled at her. "Well, let's plan for tomorrow, okay. Get packed, and in the morning, we'll head up to the Transfer Station together. Sound good?"

"Absolutely!" they nodded, and I closed the video just as molasses slid down my neck and wrapped around my heart and soul.

Come back to bed. It's early.

It wasn't a complaint, and it wasn't a command; it was a promise, so I grabbed the chocolate mousse intending to celebrate our upcoming vacation in the best way possible. I slid back under the covers, and my chocolate drop of a man licked the mousse off my lips first.

You didn't think he stopped there, did ya? Nuh uh, it's never just chocolate kisses with Slydar, no it was chocolate lips, hips, nips and further down.

I knew these navy sheet were a good idea, he whispered against my mind. As if I cared what color the damn sheets were when his magic mouth was coaxing me into madness.

He smiled and smugness rolled off the bastard in waves. I'd had enough of that. Well, not really, but I needed to prove a point, didn't I? Couldn't have him acting like I was putty in his hands whenever he wanted.

I grabbed a handful of mousse and pretended like it was hair pomade. That's right, I smeared the best chocolate in the galaxy all over the dreads of the best chocolate man in the Known Cosmos, and he died laughing before he dragged me into the shower with him.

You wanna play, Rory? I wrote the game, baby.

Then it was hopeless. How was I gonna resist him all wet and hard and pushing my back against the wall, hands roaming everywhere I needed them? Sure, I gave in and wrapped my legs around his hips, managing not to beg for once.

Slydar Joon, you smug asshole, I can't stop loving you, and I don't want to.

Say it again, Rory.

Why?

"Cuz I never get tired of it, and I wanna know I'm all you want.

Take me where I wanna go, Sly. Now.

You got it, babe.

We broke, him panting against my hair, me twisting his dreads, fingers covered in chocolate, body wrapped around chocolate, wanting nothing but him forever, and him knowing it.

I love you, Rory.

I know. I love you back.

I know.

Ready for a trip, Sly? The Cosmos is out there waiting, and Euri and Shah want us to join them.

Sounds good to me. Guess all that wind brought us a change of scenery. Who're we thanking for that, Rory?

Auntie Ryst this time. I think.

Nodding. Then let's get packed. Adventures await, babe.