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After the worst of his hunger had been appeased, Zenix paused to simply stare at the beautiful female sitting across the table. It felt like she was too damn far away from him, though her feet were wrapped around one of his under the table. It was as if she couldn’t bear the distance between them any more than he could.
“I still can’t believe you’re really here,” he blurted out.
She cocked her head to the side and studied him. “Why? We’re mates now. Did you expect me to return to the guest villa instead of coming home with you?”
“That’s not what I meant. I just…this is all very new to me. I never thought I would actually have a mate, let alone have her be one of the most famous females in the known universe. I’m not exactly sure how to proceed. I mean, you are Ayla-fucking-D’Nye.”
“And that means what?” she inquired with a baffled laugh. “It would be the same between us if I was just someone working in a café. I’m not some wild, exotic bird that comes with special care and handling instructions.”
“But you do have wings,” he said, trying for a little touch of humor as he raised his beer in salute. “I get what you are saying, but no, it’s not the same. While you might not personally need special care and handling, your unique situation does.”
“I guess that’s a fair assessment. This is all new to me, too, but we’ll figure everything out together.” Instead of beer, Ayla had opted for a glass of D’Aire wine. Lifting the glass, she took a sip before saying, “You know, the fame thing isn’t real. Most of it is just a façade put on for the public. In reality, I’m just me…a pretty simple D’Aire female who likes to make music and sing. I’m just fortunate that people like to listen. That doesn’t make me any different than anyone else you know.”
“Simple?” He snorted in derision. “Says the female with a million hit records.”
“Surely, I don’t have that many,” she teased, squeezing his foot between hers under the table.
“It sure seems like it,” he countered. “Over the years, your songs have literally made up a soundtrack to my life.”
Zenix was aware she was a few decades older than he was, but it didn’t bother him. The D’Aire lived much longer than humans did, and now that they were fully bonded, his lifespan would be extended to match hers.
“Oh?” She raised a brow and sent him a seductive smile. “Are you saying you are a fan?”
Grinning back at her, he nodded. “Of course, I am. I even play a few of my favorite songs on repeat to help me calm down after I have one of my premonition dreams.”
Her fork froze halfway to her mouth, and her eyes widened in surprise. “You’re a precog? That’s frosty.”
“My abilities aren’t very strong, but they’ve helped keep me alive.”
She set her fork down again. “How does it work? Your premonitions come to you in dreams?”
“Eat more, and I will explain.” He scowled down at the food in front of her. “I don’t understand how you can survive eating so little when you are constantly running around and performing.”
“I ate,” she protested. “It just doesn’t look like much since these bowls of pasta are large enough to feed an entire pack of Krytos.”
When he continued to glare at her, she rolled her eyes and gave in. She made a show of twirling some of the creamy pasta around her fork, then shoved it into her mouth. Her eyes were bright with amusement as she chewed with her cheeks puffed out, making her look freaking adorable.
He’d originally ordered the chicken Alfredo for himself, while she had chosen a spicy red sauce with meatballs served with bowtie pasta. He thought it was cute as fuck how she had been alternating their bowls every few minutes so that they were sharing both like a real couple. Normally, something like that would have annoyed him, but with her, it simply felt right.
Fuck, did he have it bad.
It had only been a few hours since he’d met her, and he’d already turned into one of those obsessive mated freaks he’d accused his friends of being. But he couldn’t help it. He loved everything about her, from the way she looked to the way she moved. He also loved the way she used her hands to emphasize her words while she spoke. She was expressive in everything she did, which was the complete opposite of himself.
But together, they were a perfect pair.
As they continued to eat, he explained about his premonition nightmares. He’d told her some of the funnier stories that had happened during his training days back at the Academy. He also told her some of the countless ways his dreams had saved his life over the years working undercover. He’d kept his stories light on the details, but it was still enough to upset her.
“Stop!” she pleaded, patting her hands over her ears. “I knew you used to work undercover when you worked for the Alliance, but thinking about you in danger now is making me feel sick to my stomach.”
Cursing himself for upsetting her, he said, “I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking.”
She got up and made her way around the table. Before he could ask her what she was doing, she slid herself onto his lap and settled herself there. Since he’d missed the physical connection with her, he didn’t even try to protest. As if she needed to assure herself that he was alive and safe, she wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned in to brush her lips against his. His own arms tightened around her waist, holding her securely.
“No, don’t be sorry,” she whispered. “I want you to share everything with me, but I reacted poorly to the thought of you in danger. I’m not used to caring about someone this much. I’ve never been in love before, and I think I just need a little time to get used to it. Be patient with me, please.”
His heart melted inside his chest at her plea. Stars, he fucking loved her, too. It all seemed too fast and completely illogical, but it was true.
“Of course, sweetheart.”
