Page 18 of Sway’s Peace (Delivery Service #2)

But he still came down to linger over the dock masters whenever the mood struck him.

Loom over their shoulders. Ostensibly, making sure they did their job right, but realistically, just being controlling.

To be fair, he did it to all the dock masters, but Grace could swear he did it to her the most.

And he was definitely coming their way. All four ham fists tightened, a harsh scowl making the rough lines of his face even more unattractive. He was stomping, each of his big feet making a loud, ground shaking thump as he stalked their way.

Not at all wanting to deal with the multitude of questions she knew were coming – Where are you going? Who are you meeting? When are you getting back? – she sent Reetak a grin as she hustled out from around her desk, hurrying to the door.

“Grace!” Covor boomed.

Pretending she didn’t hear him, she waited until the door slid shut behind her before taking off at a sprint. Her shoes clicked against the ground as she laughed, hair flying back.

By the time the door to their office was opening again, she was already in the lift.

The clear doors were sliding shut, trapping her in the circular room.

She beamed, waving at Covor like she was saying an ordinary goodbye at the end of the day, then the lift dropped, and she lost sight of him.

Grace was breathless and excited as she fixed her hair in the reflection of the glass.

Covor was annoying with how controlling he could get.

She really couldn’t even tell the exact cause of it.

Sometimes, it felt like he didn’t trust her to do her job correctly.

Like he thought she was incompetent and required extra supervision.

She sometimes got the feeling that she was only there because she was human, as eye candy for customers.

Other times, it seemed like he was just kind of controlling as a person, and it had nothing to do with her in particular.

He was kind of a butt. Not so much that he made her job too horrible to continue, or enough that she could claim harassment, but he could be insufferable when he was in a mood.

It was just easier to not deal with him.

Instead, she focused on her date.

The levels streaked past, too fast for her to follow, as she was taken down to the main floor.

It was the public front of Uver Prime on the station, and it had the main lobby where ship crews would come and go from their assigned docks.

It was a bright, airy, open space, similar to that of her office, and quite different from the rougher, spartan style of the docks themselves.

She walked through happily, aiming for the next lift that would take her down to the level with the restaurant she had chosen.

The restaurant wasn’t super fancy or anything.

Calling it a restaurant was a bit generous too.

She’d liken it more to a food truck park – a garden ringed by food stalls.

The entire area was a naturalistic environment meant to provide a sense of freedom and nature for the visitors.

Such places were common on stations, and practically a necessity for mental health.

String lights were hung between trees with pretty, yellow, heart shaped leaves and maroon colored bark.

There were lots of seating options, none of which matched, and from somewhere airy, upbeat music was playing.

Yellow, glittering grass lined simple, dirt paths.

The dim lighting made it seem like the outdoors at sunset.

However, the twinkling lights overhead simulating stars was part of the ceiling the trees were brushing against.

The people that came here were simple, middle-class folks.

It was a popular stop for the repair crews and their families.

The vibes were happy and upbeat, but not rowdy.

One could dance and not be out of place, but you could also lounge in the shade of a tree and not be overwhelmed.

Casual and comfortable, with the potential to be intimate.

Grace really liked this place. She sometimes came with Reetak or some of the others from work, but she just as often came alone.

She’d tried every restaurant here, and knew which ones were suitable for her human tastes.

She also knew that two of them were vegetarian based, and one was, she would consider, vegan.

The farasie people weren’t just pacifists, they were obligate vegetarians.

Eating meat made them sick, so they physically couldn’t live off of it.

She didn’t know if they could consume milk or other animal products, but she knew they couldn’t eat eggs.

They could consume insects, but she was given to understand that most wouldn’t.

So, the food park with vegetarian options was necessary, and the vegan style was there as a just in case. Depending on what he could eat, he had choices.

As Grace walked through the archway that came off the main hall of the station, she was already reaching for her combot in the pocket of her dress.

The transition point between the modern chrome look of the hall and the more naturalistic one of the food park was abrupt, but not unpleasant.

She planned on messaging Sway to tell him that she was here.

But she needn’t bother, because he was already there, waiting for her.

She caught sight of him immediately when she walked in.

He was seated at a picnic style table backwards, leaning on his elbows, looking at the leaves of the trees overhead.

He was still wearing the same style clothes as he had yesterday, but she could tell that he’d put in some effort to make himself look nice.

His boots had been shined, his clothes were clean and neat, and he’d clearly preened his feathers.

Their bright blue seemed especially shiny in the low light.

Though his crest was down, she could see the long feathers where they were laid down against the back of his neck, and the colors had clearly been cleaned and oiled.

Reclined as he was, she could appreciate his body in a way she hadn’t been able to before.

He was surprisingly muscular. Not at all like Covor.

He was more lean than buff, but the way he was seated had pulled his pants and shirt tighter, allowing her to appreciate the tight lines of his body.

The broad plains of his chest, the rippling of his abs, the swell of his arms. But most especially, it was obvious in the strength of his thighs.

His pants were pulled tight around his legs, highlighting the size of his muscles in a way that made her mouth water.

She bit her lip as she imagined pulling up her skirt so she could climb aboard. They looked like they’d make a great seat.

He really was handsome. Not in a flashy or powerful way. It was as casual and easy as his surroundings. Something bright and beautiful but understated in a way she knew others wouldn’t be able to fully appreciate.

Then his head turned, and his eyes caught on hers. Grace’s heart began racing as an involuntary smile pulled at her lips.