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“You naughty human,” he pointed his fork at me but the teasing glint in his eyes gave him away. “What did I tell you about doing that in public?”
Chapter 10
Zorak
I walked Vanessa back to her office that night, my mind a confused swirl of emotions after our dessert tryst. We had finished on a friendly, even sexy, note. At least I had thought that. But as we made our way back into the building, I could feel nothing but tension coming from her.
What did I do wrong? I wondered, my furrowed brow indicating my concern.
“I hope our conversation didn’t upset you,” I ventured tentatively, breaking the strained silence. My voice, usually vibrant, now held a touch of uncertainty. Vanessa, her gaze fixed straight ahead, managed a tight smile.
“It’s not that,” she replied, her tone carefully neutral. “I enjoyed dessert. But it’s important to maintain a professional atmosphere in the office, you know? We’ve been doing excellent work together, and I don’t want anything to jeopardize that.”
I nodded, my expression growing serious. “I understand. I value our collaboration too. I didn’t mean to overstep any boundaries.” My voice carried a tinge of disappointment, my eyes searching hers for a hint of reassurance.
A flicker of guilt crossed Vanessa’s features. She reached out to touch my arm gently. “It’s not about you, really. I appreciate your understanding,” she said, her voice softening.
I managed a small smile, though I felt the sadness. “I’ll make sure to keep things strictly professional,” I said, my words carrying a hint of regret.
Giving her hand a quick squeeze at the door, I forced myself to turn away from her, sensing at the core of my being that she was struggling with growing feelings for me.
It was then that I realized that Vanessa would need time to come into her own and discover what she truly felt for me. I could sense the war within her, the conflict between responsibility and desire, the push and pull of loyalty versus love.
She needed time, she needed space, but most importantly, she needed to feel safe to explore these growing feelings without fear of judgment or retribution. While it pained me to take a step back from our deepening relationship, I knew doing so was essential if I wanted Vanessa to reach the point where we could truly be together.
I whispered a silent affirmation that one day she would finally trust herself enough to open up and allow us both to explore what fate had chosen for us: a love that transcended our understanding of physical boundaries. Until then, I could only wait patiently in the shadows, biding my time until Vanessa made her choice.
Sleep eluded me that night, and the bright sun that shone the curtains in my bedroom found me already awake. I stretched my limbs and swung my legs over the bed, careful not to get tangled in the ceiling fan overhead as I sat my long, lanky frame upright. Today I was going to do my best to clear my head, focus on the mission at hand, and perhaps visit a friend at the embassy to shed some light on my predicament with Vanessa.
Outside, my whole being turned instinctively in the direction of her office, but I forced myself to turn the opposite way and head toward the Orkarian Embassy in hopes of finding my friend, Dorjan. Dorjan was well-versed in various human mating rituals, and I felt I could trust him to give me solid advice on winning Vanessa back and making her see the truth of our relationship.
Every step toward the embassy lightened my step and my heart. Yes, I was doing the right thing by asking Dorjan for help with this, and with the newfound knowledge I was about to acquire, I would woo Vanessa and secure our mated bond in such a way that it could never be challenged again.
I greeted the doorman, then ascended the stairs to Dorjan’s office, where he was deeply immersed in paperwork. His pen scribbled furiously as he muttered to himself, signing papers and filing documents that would confuse the most intelligent ambassador. Dorjan’s position at the embassy seemed complicated, and I was glad that a loyal friend like him would have an important role in Orkarian/human relations.
“Zorak, my friend! So good to see you!” Dorjan stood and moved around his desk, slapping me thrice on the back as was customary for Orkarian comrades. I returned the gesture, then sat in a chair that Dorjan gestured to as he said, “What brings you here today, and what can I do for you?”
“I need your advice, Dorjan,” I said, my voice serious as I unfolded the details of my relationship with Vanessa, and the strong connection we now shared as part of our mating bond. I revealed my current understanding of Vanessa needing time and space to figure out her feelings, and how distressed I was at the thought of being apart from her.
Dorjan listened thoughtfully, twirling a pen around and around in his fingers as he took in all the information I was giving him. “You definitely have a perplexing situation, my friend. Remember our rom-com marathon, when we watched all those helpful documentaries detailing the subtle nuances of human mating rituals? I think you should reflect back on some of those examples as you invite Vanessa formally for a coffee sometime in the next few days.”
My mind became a lightning-fast catalog of all the scenes we had taken in, and one in particular took center stage, with its backdrop of a café, making it a perfect example of how to show her my intentions in the coming days. I jumped up, snapping my fingers and clapping my hands furiously.
“Dorjan, you’re a genius,” I said appreciatively, my heart swelling with excitement. “Thank you. I’ll not regret this. I’ll be sure to let you know how it turns out.”
“Anytime, my friend,” Dorjan called out as he rounded his desk once more. “Glad to be of service. Now, back to the grind!”
I left the embassy whistling, now in a cheerful mood as I anticipated my next meeting with Vanesa. I made a beeline back to my apartment and used the phone to dial her, taking great care to maintain formality as I extended an invitation for coffee later on.
Vanessa’s voice rang out on the other end of the phone. “Hello?”
“Ms. Vanessa, it’s Zorak. Would you do me the honor of accompanying me to coffee later this afternoon? Perhaps at Starlight Brews?”
“Zorak… Why are you being so weird?” Vanessa asked, her voice filled with what sounded like suspicion.
“I want to respect your boundaries while simultaneously communicating my intentions,” I answered with as much formality as I could muster in the wake of my fiery emotional response to her voice.
“Well, that’s not necessary,” Vanessa replied, sounding slightly amused. “Yes, I’ll meet you for coffee at Starlight Brews. What time would you like to meet?”
