Page 107 of Tempting Fate

It was my chest’s turn to misbehave, this time with a warm tightness leaving me so deceptively calm, I could just lean into this...

My comm pinged.

Thank fuck. “I’m going to get some fresh air.” We could enjoy each other’s bodies, but the added intimacy of kissing… No, if I crossed that line, there’d be no coming back.

As I left the room, his melodic words trailed after me. “One day, I wish to dance with you, Imani.”

I stepped into a late summer breeze, taking deep breaths.

Garrison

You don’t have to talk to me about it, but let me know if you’re okay?

Why wouldn’t I be? What had we said last? I checked our previous conversation.

Well, shit. The message was nearly a week old, and I’d missed it.

Garrison

I’m going to guess you’re getting on very well with our mutual friend? Has anyone explained mate bonds to you yet? If not, ask someone. Or call me.

Mate bonds. It was like a bucket of cold water on the warm cocoon of this situationship. But that didn’t compare to what he had with Shohari. What had he called it? They’d gotten alien married. Which meant it was something they’d decided on together, albeit quickly. Because marriage was a decision. Except—

I hit reply so fast my finger went through the holodisplay, sending capillaries of light fracturing around the microphone symbol. “Are you telling me it just happened?” I squawked. “You didn’t decide together? What do I need to ask? Shit, Garrison, you better give me the lowdown.”

My comm flashed with an incoming call, and with a frantic swipe, Garrison’s amused face hovered above my device. “Did I hit a nerve?”

“I just don’t want to be caught out,” I grumbled. “How does it work?”

He rubbed a hand over his hair. “I’m not entirely sure. Neither is Sho.”

“How can she not know? It’s her species’ thing! Did it happen when you had sex or something?” Were we playing with fire?

His rich laughter filled the afternoon air. “You know it didn’t.” Yeah, they’d been at it like rabbits for most of the trip here. “But it’s interesting that’s the detail you honed in on. The group chat is eager for gossip, you know.”

“Don’t you fucking dare.”

Garrison’s laugh trailed off. “You know I wouldn’t. Have you spoken to him about it?”

I shook my head.

“Are you going to?”

“There’s no point. I’m not having another relationship.” This was just for kalidi. It didn’t count as a relationship if there was a defined end point.

“A wise friend once said to me, ‘People dance around things and don’t say what they mean.’” He gave me that calm, kind Garrison stare. “But you wouldn’t do that, would you?”

“Oh, you—”

He affected a higher register, mimicking my voice. “‘Just talk to her, Garrison.’”

I’m surrounded by brats. “This is different, it’s—”

“Is it?”

Yes. Why was everything so darn complicated? “So what do you know about the bond?”

“Shohari said it’s about falling in love. That’s all I got.”