A flush rose in my cheeks at exactly what thoughts he might’ve caught. True telepathy must be even more sensitive than subvocal comms because I had been thinking quietly—or so I’d thought.

Before I could ask him about it, the distant sound of a door opening caused me to freeze. A beam of light bounced around the space, but the main lights, if there were any, remained off.

“Security guard,” Torran said over the telepathic link.

The guard muttered something in Valovan. I didn’t understand the words, but the mocking tone came across just fine. Someone wasn’t happy that they’d been sent to peer around in the dark.

With nothing better to do until the guard left, I focused on my shields. I could feel Torran’s power around me, like a cool bubble, but like last time, I couldn’t sense anything else.

The flashlight beam moved closer, and I froze again. I really did not want to be caught breaking and entering on Valovia.

Torran shifted in front of me and the sound seemed incredibly loud. I raised my face to hiss at him, only to find that he’d opened the visor on his helmet. He lifted his hand and pressed the release on mine, so that we were face-to-face.

“Stop fighting me,” he whispered, his voice barely audible. It was too dark to see the colors shifting in his eyes, but I caught a glint of dark and light.

I shook my head. “I’m not,” I murmured.

“You didn’t hear my last question and you nearly broke through my shield.”

“I’m not doing it on purpose,” I clarified.

The flashlight beam bounced off the ceiling of the pod next to us. We were about to be caught. I began contingency planning. Could we make it to the lev cycle before the guard called for backup? I could take a single Valoff, assuming they weren’t telekinetic. But what if they were?

I was so focused on planning that the shock of Torran’s lips against my cheek took a second to register. The moment stilled into crystal clarity. Torran’s lips were firm and his breath gently warmed my cheek. He pressed softly against my skin, barely touching.

“Torran?”

Torran pulled back until he could meet my eyes. “Tavi, may I kiss you? Properly?”

My chin dipped in agreement before I could overthink it.

Torran leaned in slowly, giving me time to change my mind, but instead, I met him halfway. His lips covered mine, warm and delicious. I licked his bottom lip and the resulting jolt of desire slammed through me. Torran groaned softly, deep in his chest, and then he moved, sliding his tongue against mine. I arched into him, pressing as close as I could get with the armor in the way.

It wasn’t enough.