Corso stammered out a "No, thank you," as the blonde across from him at the cantina table tried to put her hands on him. He had little experience with this sort of situation, and didn't want to hurt her feelings. He'd been sitting there only a few minutes, waiting on Miriah to change and meet him here. He'd never spent much time in the cantina when he'd lived on Ord Mantell, he was always too busy working or trying to sleep, surviving, to do much bar hopping. The blonde tried again, but he shifted away just in time. "I'm waiting for my wife, see? " She pouted but stood just as Miriah walked up. Corso had just a second to register the "uhoh" that sounded in his head before his wife slid into his lap and kissed him soundly. When he could breathe again, the blonde was gone, and his arms were full , neither of which was a bad thing.
"Corso, "she sighed, "you have to realize by now that you're an incredibly attractive man. Sitting here in the corner alone was an invitation she couldn't resist. I'm just glad she left and I didn't have to shoot her." She smiled at that, but he wasn't entirely sure she wouldn't have put a blaster bolt in the other woman. She'd told him when they first started getting serious she didn't share, as if he'd even looked at anyone else after he met her. He still remembered all the nights he had only his thoughts of her, her laugh and her scent, the sexy way she walked with her blaster on her hip. He kissed her, and she slid over into the chair beside him.
"You didn't have to leave," he told her, "you were fine right where you were." She grinned at him, then surprised him. "I'm starving, can we order food here or do we need to find another place?"
"Sounds good, we can order here," he told her. "Are we staying the night, or flying home?" She thought for a minute, "Let's stay here tonight on the ship, it's got power. I'm not entirely comfortable leaving her alone here too long." While she'd upgraded the Stardancer's security measures considerably since she was stolen here two years ago, Miriah still felt a little uneasy. C2 was on board too, but she felt she should be on her ship.
They ate in a companionable silence, then strolled back to the hangar, both of them remembering their early time together. They sat at the steps, looking at the sunset. Miriah shivered in the cool air, and he put his arms around her. "Makes me a little sad that we never slowed down enough to enjoy this two years ago," she told him.
He snorted at her," I'd have never been able to touch you then, I could barely breathe when you were in the same space as me." She smiled at that, remembering how flustered he'd get when she grinned at him. "Besides, this is nice." She leaned against him, content to be quiet.
"Let's go inside, beautiful," he told her, "you're still shivering, and I'm ready to stretch out." That's how she knew how tired he was, he'd never say so but when she looked at him, his eyes gave him away. They boarded and got ready for bed, and when they were settled, they slept, neither of them haunted by nightmares.
#
Corso woke to see Miriah dressing for the day. He just watched her, and grinned as she turned and caught him staring. "Morning, sleepyhead," she said with a quick laugh, " Ready to get back to the ranch?" She took a few steps to sit on the edge of the bed, and he just couldn't resist pulling her down on top of him. She looked into his eyes, which today seemed rested and content, noting the lightness she saw in him.
"Right now, I don't want to let you go, don't want to move from this spot." She giggled, tugging on his hair. He just squeezed her closer, realizing he felt at peace. "I love you," he told her softly. She smiled at him, her silver eyes sparkling. "I love you, too," she told him. He held her there, smelling peaches and feeling her warmth against him.
They made it back to the ranch that afternoon, where Risha waited impatiently. "Where did you guys go in such a hurry?" she asked Miriah, who explained to the engineer what had happened.
"Awww, you guys redid your vows? And I had to miss it? I had some great commentary to add," Risha teased. "The first time was so unexpected I didn't have time to prepare."
"Since when did you need prep time to be sarcastic?" Miriah scoffed. "Besides, you know you like him now, you can't deny you've grown fond of Corso." Risha rolled her eyes, "Ok, you got me there. But still, it would have been fun to include your family, since you guys didn't the first time."
Hmm that's a thought, Miriah mused. Maybe on our anniversary or something. "Maybe one day," she told Risha. They headed up to the house, where the rest of the crew were having a drink. It had become a tradition before going back to work to meet up, have a few drinks, talk about their week off. Bowdaar had gone on a cruise, he'd loved it and wanted to go again soon. Guss had stayed on the beach on the other side of the planet, and had just gotten back in this sector. Risha had stayed at the ranch a few days, then had gone with a "friend" of hers to Nar Shadaa.
"So, what did you guys do, Captain?" Guss asked.
"Oh, not much, we spent time with the family, just relaxed…"
"And," Risha put in, "went to Ord Mantell for a romantic vow renewal." Corso blushed, but responded to her teasing.
"It was very romantic, there in the tall grass of my parent's homestead," he looked over at Miriah, who's gaze was locked onto his, "I'll never forget it." The hoots and awww's of the crew almost drowned out her reply, but he caught her words.
"I will never forget it, either."