“Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry. I just got excited. I shouldn’t have grabbed you like that. What was that sound?” “It was nothing.” Verakko straightened, clearing his throat. Lily stared at the spot on his chest where the sound had come from, then back to his face. She held back a wide smile at what she found. Verakko, the sour, proud, strong alien, appeared…ruffled.
