Starcrossed by Brenda Hiatt Read Free Book Online Page A

I’ve probably been playing too much Starcraft lately. Until we actually know something, there’s no point assuming there’s more going on than they’ve told us.”
    He transferred my gear bag to his left hand so he could hold mine with his right. Though his touch gave me the same thrill as always, it also let his emotions come though more strongly and I was sure now that he was keeping something from me.  
    “So you don’t think they’re conspiring with Allister to ship me off to Montana or Ireland or something?” Those were the two main Martian settlements on Earth—and that was the possibility that worried me most.
    Rigel gave my hand a squeeze. “I don’t think so, no. If they are, we definitely won’t let them get away with it.”
    “Promise?” I stopped walking to make him look at me. He did.
    “Promise,” he said, holding my gaze until I was sure he was telling me the truth. “Haven’t I sworn I won’t let anything happen to you, M?”
    I relaxed enough to start walking again, but said, “There’s more you’re not telling me. Can’t you at least share one theory? What did you start to say this morning?”
    “You’re a little too perceptive sometimes, you know that? Okay, probably the most likely thing I can think of is that Allister’s hoping you’ll spend more time with Molly . . . and Sean . . . and less with me. That they’ll have an easier time getting you on board with the whole Sovereign thing than he’s had. Get you invested in it.”  
    “And that worries you.” It was a statement, since I could feel it from him.
    He just shrugged, and I let it drop. For now. I’d get more out of him eventually. But as long as nobody was trying to take me away from Rigel, I could face whatever political machinations they might be planning.  
    “So, want to try meeting at the arboretum tonight, since last night didn’t work out?” I asked after we’d walked a little way in silence.  
    Rigel grimaced and I could feel a new frustration emanating from him. “I don’t think I can. My grandfather arrives tonight so they’ll expect me to stick around.”
    “Oh, that’s right. But . . . I thought you were looking forward to seeing him?”
    He shrugged. “I am. But I’d much rather spend time with you. It feels like we never get any time alone lately.”  
    It did feel that way. I mostly blamed Aunt Theresa and all her stupid rules, but Rigel’s folks didn’t seem quite as eager to have us spend time together as they used to, either. Or maybe I was just being paranoid.
    “Once Allister leaves it’ll be better,” I said, willing it to be true.  
    “Yeah.” But he sounded less than positive about it.
    The past month had been hands-down the happiest of my life. By, like, several orders of magnitude. Which meant I was both terrified it couldn’t last, and determined to fight tooth and nail if anyone tried to take it away from me.  
    That line of thinking—not to mention the energy boost from Rigel’s goodbye kiss at the door of the do jang—put me in an interesting mood for taekwondo class. I’d been steadily improving ever since Rigel and I had first touched in late August, but today it was like I was supercharged.  
    Master Parker came over to me after class ended. “Marsha, your sparring today was spectacular. I’d really like you to consider entering the regional tournament coming up in February. I think you’d do the school proud.”
    “Thank you, sir. I’ll, um, ask my aunt.”  
    “Do that. If she isn’t keen on the idea, let me know and I can speak to her.”
    I nodded without committing. Though I was flattered, I wasn’t sure competing in an actual tournament, with lots of people watching, was a great idea. I was feeling visible enough these days.
    I changed out of my do bok and headed home, wishing now that Rigel and I had walked faster earlier so we could have had time for more than one kiss. Not that we’d progressed beyond kissing—we were both a little