Free Princess SOS by Sara Page Page B

steps into the room and stops right inside the door. The room fills with tension as our eyes meet and we stare at each other.
    I don’t know what to expect. Is he going to be as soft and comforting as he tried to be last night? Or is he going to be the scary monster that rolled my pod into the forest?
    I hold my breath and try to keep myself from being consumed by panic. Freaking out might make things worse. I look up from his eyes and focus on his eyebrows. That’s better.
    The alien says something slow and soft.
    I sigh, “I don’t understand.”
    I watch his brow furrow.
    He walks towards me. It takes every ounce of control I have to keep from recoiling as he walks right into my personal bubble. He reaches out and I can’t help but flinch, I still expect him to hurt me. He grabs my hand instead. He lifts my hand and brushes his lips across my knuckles, just like last night. I feel that jolt, the one that shocks my core.
    I just have to ask, “Are you like electrified or something?”
    I’ve had my hand kissed before, but it never felt like this. And the way my toes just want to curl, I know that jolt wasn’t simple static.
    His lips curve into a smirk as if he’s amused by my question and he shakes his head.
    I narrow my eyes at him as if I don’t believe him, and he brushes his lips across my knuckles again.
    “Stop that!” I gasp and try to pull back my hand.
    He doesn’t give it back. Instead, he uses it as leverage to pull me to my feet. My chest tightens, I can’t breathe. He pulls me closer and I’m afraid, so afraid. But I’m not afraid he’s going to hurt me or even kill me. I’m afraid he’s going to kiss me.
    And I’m afraid I’m going to like it.
    His face grows bigger and bigger. His eyes are half-lidded. He’s going in for the kiss, I just know it. I turn my face away at the last moment and feel his warm sigh against my hair.
    He pulls back so quick, I have to wonder if I was reading too much into his intentions. By the hand, he pulls me forward and leads me out to the hall. He walks fast, so fast, I find myself jogging to keep up.
    He was trying to kiss me, wasn’t he? Or did I totally just read that wrong and offend him?
    We turn a corner, rush down a hallway, then turn another corner.
    Where are we going? Is he going to throw me out?
    Would I be upset if he did?
    “Please slow down!” I huff out as he pulls me around yet another corner. It feels like we could have made a complete square by now.
    The alien’s pace immediately slows. His legs are so long, however, that I still have to take two steps for his each one.
    “Thank you,” I say breathlessly.
    He squeezes my hand. Another thrilling jolt shoots up my arm.
    He leads me down another hall, around another corner, and finally into a room. With all the benches and tables, I assume it’s a mess hall. The room looks like it could easily seat a hundred people if they’re sized like me. If they’re sized like him, it’s looking more like fifty.
    In the back corner, near an open door that I assume leads to a kitchen area, is a table already set with plates and food. My tummy rumbles loudly and my cheeks warm with embarrassment. I didn’t even realize I was hungry until now but as the smell wafts towards me, my mouth waters and my stomach aches.
    The alien leads me towards the table. I have eyes only for the food when he lets go of my hand. I sit down on the bench, pull up the plate and start digging in. As I pick up the skewered meat, the very same juicy delicious meat he left for me at my pod, I’m vaguely aware that he takes the bench across from me.
    I tear into the meat and its juices drip all over my fingers. I’m so ravenous, I barely even chew it. It’s tear, swallow, repeat. Once all the meat is devoured and I’m done gnawing on the stick, I go about cleaning my fingers by licking them. I just can’t get enough. That’s when I feel the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end.
    I peek up and the purple guy is