“Why would you not want to be with me, if you admit that you are my heart’s fire, and you also find me to be zombie beautiful?” He was starting to sound exasperated.
“Drop-dead gorgeous is different from zombie beautiful. The zombie thing doesn’t even make any sense – they’re all gross and rot-y. And, among other things, I can’t be with you because I saw you beat up that lion shifter who was half your size, and I don’t like bullies.”
He nodded in agreement. “Good! Neither do I. I saw him beating his mate and cubs as I walked by his stall. I told him to stop, and he swore that he would, but then I saw her yesterday with fresh bruises. She begged me for help. So I went by his stall today and told him that his mate and cubs were leaving him, and if he pursued them, I would tear his limbs off one by one and then strangle him with his own tail.”
Sounded reasonable. “Oh. Well then…”
“So, what other objections do you have?”
“My friends and family don’t know where I am and they will miss me,” she said.
“Well, of course you will send them a subspace message explaining that you are now with me. You can even invite them to the Harla. That is our mating ceremony. They’re not Klee Fa Normars, I hope? Please say they’re not.” At her quizzical look, he added, “Their tribe insists on watching the consummation. I am not quite that open-minded.”
“No!” she spluttered. “I just… I don’t know you at all! Humans get to know their spouse first, then they get married. We could… Maybe after you take me back to Agora, you could take me out to dinner. We could go on a date.”
Had she just asked a man out on a date? Good lord, she was getting awfully forward these days.
He shook his head. “We cannot remain on Agora. There are…political problems. We only went there to pick up urgently needed medical supplies.
“I’m sorry,” she said, feeling a surprisingly sharp stab of regret lance through her.
His face fell. “You truly want me to return you to Agora?”
She felt as glum as he looked. It wasn’t what she wanted at all. Shewantedto fling herself into his arms and melt against his body. She wanted to know what it would feel like to have his lips moving against hers, to get drunk on the taste of him as he murmured sweet nothings against her mouth. She wanted to know what it would be like to be with him, to surrender to him. But it didn’t matter what she wanted.
“Unfortunately, yes,” she said. I can’t just run off like this.”
He heaved a sigh. “We need to deliver those emergency medical supplies and help administer the medicine. Our trip will take us approximately ten solar-circles, including the time we need to remain on my planet for the medical treatment. Will you agree to travel with us for that length of time? After that, I will return you, if you still insist.” A solar-circle was the generally accepted Galactic Federation term for a day.
She nodded her assent. She could hardly deny the delivery of emergency medicine.
“And will you agree to let me court you during that time?”
She should say no. Of course she should turn him down. Why let him court her when there was no chance of this working out?
Then again, he was incredibly sexy and charming, even if he was a stuck-up, arrogant jerk, and not only that, he was adragon. And when was the last time anyone had wanted to court her? Never, that was when. She was lucky if a guy so much as asked her to Netflix and chill – and then they got huffy when she turned them down, as if it were some kind of favor they were willing to do for her.
And shewantedhim. Even if she knew she couldn’t have him, that it would never work, couldn’t she let herself pretend, just for a few days?
“Yes,” she said.
Instantly, his mood brightened. His huge smile lit up the room. Those little crinkles appeared at the corners of his stunningly green eyes again.
“But it’s not going to work!” she called after him as he turned to leave.
“Of course it will. I am Kodran Sky-Reign, the most excellent and handsome and charming of all the Draell, and you are my heart’s fire. Ten solar circles will be more than enough time to convince you to agree to a lifetime of pleasure.”
“Don’t make me regret saying yes,” she warned him, but the door was already shutting behind him.
