Total pages in book: 126
Estimated words: 124077 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 620(@200wpm)___ 496(@250wpm)___ 414(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 124077 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 620(@200wpm)___ 496(@250wpm)___ 414(@300wpm)
Terra clasped her hands to her heart.
“Oh, Lisa would love those.”
The vendor, an older human woman standing beside a Monstrum male with the facial features of a large black panther, smiled.
“And how old is Lisa?”
“Seven,” Terra told her.
“Then she’ll definitely love one. These are mood blooms, and they grow right here in the Mother Ship.”
Terra was immediately intrigued.
“Mood blooms?”
The woman picked up one of the bracelets.
“Oh, yes–the flowers change according to the wearer’s emotions. Pink for happiness, blue for calm, purple when she’s feeling affectionate, yellow when she’s excited.”
“What happens when she’s angry?” Taurex wanted to know.
“Bright red,” the woman said, nodding solemnly.
Terra laughed.
“I might be seeing a lot of red.”
“She sounds spirited,” the Panther Monstrum purred, smiling.
“Oh, she is.” Terra smiled fondly. “She’s a little mini-me.”
She chose a bracelet small enough for Lisa’s wrist, but before she could reach for her purse, Taurex had already paid for it.
“Hey!” she exclaimed. “You didn’t have to do that.”
He smiled.
“Can’t the ‘Bull-man’ buy a bracelet for your daughter?”
His words were joking, but they touched something in Terra.
Jackson barely remembered Lisa’s birthday unless Terra reminded him, and she often had to put his name on Christmas presents she had bought herself in order to make the kids think he had remembered to get them anything. Every bit of money her ex made went directly to himself–he didn’t give a damn about his kids’ happiness or comfort.
Taurex had met her daughter once and he wanted to buy her something because he thought she would like it.
“Well…” Terra said, swallowing around the sudden lump in her throat. “Okay. Thank you.”
He smiled.
“You are welcome but let’s keep shopping–you have more souvenirs to buy, I’m sure.”
At the next stall they found something for Cody—a small silver seed the size of Terra’s thumbnail that expanded into a floating geometric puzzle when squeezed. The pieces rearranged themselves every time it was solved, forming increasingly complicated shapes.
“He’ll go crazy for this,” Terra said.
Taurex nodded.
“He asked many questions when we met. I thought he might enjoy something that challenges his mind.”
And again, before Terra could pay, he did.
She gave him a look.
“You’re spoiling my kids.”
“I bought each of them one object,” Taurex protested.
Terra put a hand on her hip.
“That's how it starts.”
Taurex frowned.
“How what starts?”
“Spoiling.”
He considered this for a moment and then nodded.
“I believe I am willing to risk it.”
Terra laughed, but that same warmth filled her chest again. They kept shopping and soon she found something for her mother.
It was a small potted plant with curling silver leaves and dozens of tiny lavender flowers that glowed softly around the edges.
“Oh, Mom would love that,” Terra breathed. “But she has the world’s blackest thumb. She kills every plant she gets.”
The vendor, who looked like a fox with pointed ears and green eyes, shook his head.
“This one is nearly impossible to kill. It absorbs moisture from the air and purifies the atmosphere around it. It requires only occasional light.”
“That actually might be good for her,” Terra murmured, thinking of her mother’s heart condition and the stuffy little bungalow. “How much?”
Again Taurex paid before she could stop him.
“Taurex!” she exclaimed.
He looked innocent.
“What?”
“I have money. You told me they take ‘Earth dollars’ here.”
“I know.” He nodded.
“Then let me buy something.”
“You bought the skarra pod experience,” he pointed out.
“That was not a purchase,” Terra said.
“It cost me a blue cooling fruit,” he reminded her. “So it was a purchase–in a way”
Terra laughed despite herself.
“Which you paid for. I give up–you’re impossible.”
He smiled.
“So I have been told.”
They continued walking, now carrying several living baskets between them as well as the children’s gifts and Lucy’s glowing plant. Terra was beginning to feel as though she had stepped into some elaborate fantasy version of a Saturday date—wandering through a beautiful market, tasting strange foods, teasing each other and buying gifts for her family.
Except this wasn’t a date–was it?
She glanced sideways at Taurex.
He was carrying nearly everything despite her repeated attempts to take some of the living vine baskets from him. The big Monstrum looked perfectly comfortable, his horns catching the glow of the flowers overhead and his dark blue shirt stretched across his broad shoulders. Every so often another Monstrum greeted him and Taurex responded politely, but his attention always came back to Terra.
It certainly felt like a date, but neither of them had called it one. And he was still technically her boss.
Don’t complicate things, she warned herself. Just enjoy this time with him. There’s no need to put a label on it.
Then they passed a stall that made her stop dead and forget her speculation.
Long flowering vines hung from the branches overhead, woven with jewels and tiny glowing blossoms. Several horned Monstrum males were standing nearby while their mates selected vines and draped them decoratively around their horns.
Terra’s eyes widened.
“Oh my God–look at that!” she exclaimed.
Taurex followed her gaze, and his expression immediately darkened.