Page 21 of Proslo

He left, returning quickly with two sweet teas. I was touched at him remembering what I’d said the day before.

“Thanks. I’ve put two on each plate and figured we could just split the rest between us if we’re still hungry.”

He nodded. “I’d hoped you would like tacos. I understand from the humans I know that tacos are supposedly life.”

“Yep, especially if it’s a Tuesday,” I quipped. And then I found myself having to explain the whole Taco Tuesday thing.

“I see. So it started off as a restaurant promotion and became a whole general thing about the eating of tacos,” he said, adding sour cream and guacamole onto his second one before taking a bite.

“Yup,” I replied cheerfully, “And , um, I put that sporka into the freezer. I knew we wouldn’t have time to cook it in the crockpot for today and we fly down tomorrow.” To be honest, I wasn’t even sure why I even owned a crockpot. I was not the domestic goddess sort and this was a large, family sized crockpot, far too big for a single person. Though I guess Proslo made two and when we got a foster kid or two, it would come in handy for days we didn’t want to eat replicated food. Which, for the record, I was not against eating. Nope. Less prep and clean up, which suited me down to a t.

“That’s perfect, thank you. Did you decide what we will wear?”

“I decided to see what they sold in the fancy hotel shop,” I told him. “I figure since it’s a rich people kind of resort, they’ll be bound to have something nice enough. I mean, it’s a beach wedding that’s an elopement. We could go in bathing suits and it’d be fine.”

He arched an eyebrow at me.

“Okay, yes. I want us in something a bit nicer than just swimsuits, but you feel me.”

His gaze grew predatory and I felt my face heat as I realized what I’d just said. “Oh. You’d like to do that, wouldn’t you?” I purred. “Feel me, I mean.” I threw caution to the wind. Forget a candlelit dinner. He looked pretty onboard now. I’d taken my shoes off earlier, which made what I was about to do next so much easier.

His pupils dilated and he set down his taco, nostrils flaring, as he felt me nudge his balls with my toes.

“Betty,” he rumbled in warning.

I took a sip of my tea, fluttering my eyelashes at him. “Yes?”

“Unless you wish me to pick you up and take you to our room to consummate our-”

“Yes, please,” I purred, abandoning the rest of my meal. Hopefully Pumpkin would leave the food alone so it would be there later. If not, there was always the replicator. I was sure it could make us some more if asked.

His hands balled into fists as he tried to control his motions.

“You need to be certain,” he rasped. “I have been trying to give you time to get to know me better, in the way of your people.”

“Uh huh. And that’s really sweet. But I’m a put out on the third date kind of gal and not ashamed of it. Besides, we’re already Mylos married.”

“Th-third date?”

“Mmhmm. First one was watching TV last night. Second one was breakfast. Now, this is our third. You brought me flowers and everything.” I stood up, pushing my chair back. I sashayed towards the door to our room, glancing back over my shoulder to crook my finger at him. “You coming, big guy, or what?”

He scrambled up so fast, the chair hit the floor, startling us both as well as Pumpkin, who got up from the cat tree and streaked away towards one of the back bedrooms.

“Oh, I’m going to come alright,” he promised. “But not until after you do.”

14

PROSLO

I’d known from her profile that my Bride was a strong woman. Her last male had dared to lay hands on her and Pumpkin, kicking the poor cat and slapping her. He’d broken the vid viewer - no, they called it a television - that she’d had and damaged her coffee table. Yet both she and the feline had emerged victorious against him, and she had made sure he faced justice. She was brave - determined to not live in fear after what he had done, going to the scholarship center to secure the future she wanted, even while knowing she might be matched and have to alter her plans. Now she was here, with me, and both she and Pumpin kept showing me how much they trusted me. It was a gift, one I was going to ensure I never lost.

Right this second, that trust had her acting like a goddess, calling me after her to seal a pact with our bodies, an act that would finish entwining our souls together until the very stars became nothing but dust drifting through the vastness of space.

I followed her, my mouth feeling suddenly too crowded as my fangs elongated in anticipation of placing the mating bite upon her fair skin.

She gave a throaty laugh before reaching for the hem of her shirt, grasping it tightly in order to pull it right over her head. I growled and she flicked open the button of her pants, quickly shoving them off before climbing up onto the bed. Turning around, she gave me a wink.

“Whatcha waiting for, hmm?”