Her Alien Protector: A Sci-fi Romance

Part 8

I press a berry to my lips. Should I be doing this?

"Congratulations," announces the wall.

On the wall is a scoreboard.

Ava: 2

Rigel: 0

Seriously, I ate all those berries and I only got two points? I pop another berry into my mouth and see... oh, a decimal place.

After eating the trail of berries, I wait near Rigel who sits on the desk chair, his feathers rustling. He stares at one of the walls without the scoreboard where flying stingrays with glowing colors streak across the sky of some distant planet.

Oh, please. Rigel might act as if these images have mesmerized him, but I am certain it's a trick.

"Now for the real challenge. Be the first to get the berry. First start location: Rigel's knee. Ava gets the first shot," encourages the Kayla-sounding voice.

More rustling comes from Rigel, and he places a berry on his knee. Our eyes meet. He raises an eyebrow at me like he's daring me: do it.

Why did Rigel need to do that eyebrow thing? It goads me. I cannot back down now.

I can pretend just like Rigel does. I turn my back, acting as if I am walking away from this silly game, but just when I hear another rustle... I run, leap, and knock the fruit from his knee. The berry skitters along the floor.

I give chase. When the berry stops rolling, I wonder... Should I act so pet-like?

I take the entire berry into my mouth.

"Ava wins the point."

I look at the scoreboard.

Ava: 3

Rigel: 0

Winning is delicious.

"Next challenge location: Rigel's chest. Ava gets the shot," the wall says.

The tips of Rigel's wings quiver and the fat berry goes onto his chest.

I pace, studying Rigel. He leans back, his hands resting on his knees. Is it my imagination or is he smirking at me?

Suddenly, I see it: a path. If I run and use the bit of Rigel-free chair between his legs as a launching point, I can knock the berry away.

I run, leap, and when I bat the fruit, it bounces along the floor. I dive after it. The moment the delicious berry goes into my mouth, the wall cheers.

The scoreboard flashes:

Ava: 4

Rigel: 0

"For the super hard round. The location is Rigel's chin. The winner of this round will get 4 points."

This time Rigel clenches the fruit's stem between his teeth. His wings puff out around him, his hands go on his knees, and he faces me.

I laugh, facing him.

Rigel grins, and the berry dangling from the stem between his teeth jumps.

I roll my eyes.

I run and leap, swatting my hand at the berry, but Rigel jerks it away. It is too late to stop, and I continue flying forward and land on his belly. Rigel jiggles the berry, taunting me.

Rigel never wears clothing over his chest, so seeing his chest is not new. When I lay on his stomach like this, though, I can't help appreciating him. He has the most well-built pectoralis muscles I've ever seen in my life... not that I've seen that many.