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Apples.At least that’s what she called them.

She eagerly tromped over to the shrub and started collecting them, even the ones that had fallen already, putting the bounty in her shoulder bag. There were enough to snack on when Payim needed a break.

I doubt that swamp orange will hold him very long.

It would take a lot of food to keep a big guy like him going. It was a challenge she welcomed. Happily, she started humming as she debated what to make for Payim when they got back to the cave.

A stew with the eggs.She nodded approvingly.

Everything about Payim being here invigorated her. Hearing his voice, especially his laugh, being near him, cooking for him. All of it made her smile. When she remembered he’d be taking her with him once rescued, her grin widened.

We weren’t abandoned.She nodded in appreciation as she started digging up some potato roots.We’re all going to be safe. I just know it.She had faith in Payim.

The giant alien man she first thought was a demon, was anything but. He was more like an angel.

Or a god.

She bit her lip as the stunning man took center stage in her mind. He was built like a god with the way he towered over her, his body so hard she was convinced he’d been sculpted from stone. Except he was warm and she felt his steady heartbeat when he held her against him. She could’ve kissed him, but her lips didn’t even reach his chest. Her stomach did a little somersault as she recalled she had in essence kissed him. When she spoke, her lips had brushed against his abs. If she bent her knees just a little, she could’ve trailed kisses along his waistband.

Hopefully, we’re not rescued too quickly.

Her mouth dropped as the selfish thought registered.

¡Chica mala, muy mala!!She smacked her hand.Don’t do that. He’s kind and decent but that doesn’t mean he wants you jumping him like a pack of dogs on a three-legged cat.

Except, the more she got to know Payim, the more she found herself utterly smitten with the foreign man.

Payim quo Desero

“How goes it?” Elena hollered in through the opening.

He scowled at the pile of junk hanging from the wall, then turned to her.

“Oh, that good, huh?” She grimaced.

Apparently, his lack of luck was evident. He scrubbed a hand over his face and shook his head in frustration.

“Here, eat one of these.” She tossed him a piece of fruit she must’ve just found. “You don’t need to peel this one.”

He took a bite then paused and looked at the mushy pink innards. There was something off about this fruit but it was food and he didn’t dare complain.

“I don’t think anything here is going to work,” he grumbled as he finished the odd piece of fruit.

“Is the comm system something we could bring back to the cave?” Elena asked.

“No.” He shook his head.

“Could you make a Miran Sona power source work?”

“Maybe.” He considered her suggestion carefully, recalling what he’d seen in the cave. “I don’t want to risk dismantling your water recycler, though.”

“No. That probably isn’t wise. I do have salvaged parts from damaged stasis pods. We kept them in case any of my people’s pods needed repair, especially if they had functioning power cells.”

“That might actually work. The Osivoire tech is adaptive, so it should be able to tap into the cell.” He smiled at Elena, appreciating her ingenuity.

“We better get back to the cave then.”

“Do you think we can return here with a power cell today?” he asked, abandoning his futile task.