Starfish

Nine

Nina's tongue felt thick and she struggled with words. "Thank you."

"And of course, should you need me for any reason, I will come as well."

Nina had to remember how to breathe. Athe in her apartment she could handle, even enjoy the company, but him? She imagined him sitting on her couch, poking around in her kitchen, wandering into her bedroom... "I-I don't think that will be necessary."

He shrugged. "If you think so. Now, do you think you are ready to go home? I have already cleared it with Nia and Doctor O'Connell."

She nodded even with her fluttering stomach. "Yes, definitely." Get me out of here! She turned and slid one leg off the side of the bench. Doctor Ardus lurched from the chair, a huge hand opening before her. "What are you doing?"

Nina froze. He'd moved so fast and so close that his hand was nearly on her knee. Now he stared at her with wide blue eyes and an expression that would have been funny if Nina hadn't been so unsettled by the feelings in her stomach. "Um, I... I'm leaving?"

"You are not supposed to walk yet."

"I can walk!" Nina protested.

"I am sure you can, but Doctor O'Connell said you should not walk long distances."

"It's just to my apartment," she inched away from that massive hand. "It's not that far."

"Still, you should not push yourself too hard yet." Doctor Ardus pulled back some, but not nearly enough. Even sitting he was taller than her by at least a foot, and he'd pulled the chair close enough that Nina could feel how much bigger he was than herself, like swimming next to a basking shark. Too close! "How am I supposed to get home if I can't walk?"

"Nia is bringing a transport chair."

"You're going to push me home in a wheelchair?" Nina's face burned. Sea gods, no.

"Unless you can think of a better way."

Nina shook her head violently. "No, no, it's just..." She stopped, and he watched her expectantly. His eyes... "It's just...I'm bored here." She looked at the book she'd been reading and tried to calm down and not think about how his eyes made her feel. "I want to get home as soon as possible."

Doctor Ardus took his hand away, setting it on his own knee. He didn't take his eyes off her, however. "I understand that, but you should not be in such a hurry. You will be home in less than an hour, I assure you that." This time when he smiled, Nina felt more relief than fluttery anxiety. She smiled back, feeling more in control of her steadily thudding pulse.

"Thanks."

Ardus nodded. "Certainly. So, are you enjoying the reading? I know you would prefer fieldwork, but considering the circumstances..." The corner of his mouth curled slightly.

"Yes, yes, historical context, I know." Nina fought the urge to roll her eyes. "And I am enjoying it, now that I know we'll be starting sooner. Actually, I started with one of your papers on the area." She watched his eyes widen. "I...um, I wanted to see what you thought about it. You seem to know the place really well." She picked up the book and opened it to the map index, to make him look anywhere besides at her. "I didn't realize it was so close, though." She showed him the map and pointed to the spot, about sixty miles north and west of the university. "It looks like a short trip."

Ardus nodded over the page. "It is, in fact. It should not take more than an hour or two."

"So what are we looking at, traveling in the early morning and spending the day there and coming back?"

He shook his head, wires and beads clinking. "Oh no, we will be spending three days there."

"Three days?" Nina snapped the book closed.