“Please do,” she prompted sarcastically.
“When I first found out that I was matched, I did not reactvery well. I only entered the pool to be an example for my men. My life wasorganized. I had my work with the Council I needed to focus on, anything elsewas a distraction in my opinion. I felt that I could better serve my warriorbrothers from my Council seat, not by becoming one of the first husbands. I wasperfectly content with my life but understood my duty to my brothers when myprofile was pulled. We were all surprised in truth at the initial speed of thematches.” He watched her closely, seemingly trying to make her understand.Pausing to swallow hard, he sat down on the couch.
“The time frame was suspicious to a majority of us. Ourprofiles were extremely detailed and although our matching system was built byour best engineers it did not seem plausible for it to find us life mateswithin such a short time frame. I questioned it at that time, before I ever leftthe ship to go to Earth. It had nothing to do with you personally. When Iscanned over your sheet, it did prompt me to further question ourcompatibility. With you having no political experience, I was unsure how youwould adjust to life with someone of my standing. When I viewed your picture Isaw a soft and smiling woman. A woman who had an honest face that showed heremotions. A woman who, on paper, did not seem like someone I wanted in mylife.”
“You’re absolutely right, Wheaton, we have nothing in common.This is a waste of time.” Slapping her hands on her legs to stand up, she thensaid, “Can you find out when they’ll return me home please? I need to be ableto tell Pixie when to pick me up. Fuck! I need more than Pixie to pick me up,I’ll need to find a place to live.”
“Will you shut up for one second and give me a moment tofinish?”
Stunned that he not only yelled at her but used the words“shut up”, Poppy plopped back down onto the couch.
“Did you not hear anything I just said? I said that I questionedthe speed of the match…I’m sure you did as well,” he said, pointing a finger ather. Poppy did remember saying something about how fast it was to Valerie…Crap, he was right.
Nodding slightly for him to go on, she crossed her arms overher chest and waited for him to continue.
“Poppy, I may not have wanted you in my life atfirst…but I now realize how much I need you in my life. In the shortamount of time that you have been here, you have made me smile, laugh and feelmore than I ever have. It is scary and not what I expected or even wanted but Icannot let that go now that I have had a taste of it. Your face does show youremotions. It is a face that I look forward to staring at every moment that Ihave free. The preconceived idea of what I had in my head regarding a politicalbride was forgotten not long after you arrived. Please do not make me go backto the silence I had before you came and started yelling ‘fuck’ at me. I do notbelieve I could survive that.” The last words were said on a whispered breathso quietly she barely caught it. His breath seemed to catch in his throat as hewaited for Poppy to do or say something.
“Wheaton, from what Thorne said on that message I’m not evensure it’s my choice. He made it sound like all the brides are going back. Whatif they make me go? No matter what we do, it may not be our choice.” Poppy slidher arms around his body. The anger that she had felt when she heard themessage had been forgotten during his speech.
She wasn’t sure what her options were for staying but shedid believe what he said. Maye he’d had questions when they first met, but nowhe wanted her to stay as much as she wanted to. Her head hurt when she thoughtabout this mess. Hoping to draw some comfort from him, she held on tight todraw in in some calming breaths.
Hugging her back tightly, he kissed the top of her head andbreathed in her scent.
“Let me talk to Thorne. I am on the Council. They cannottake you away from me…at least not without a fight.” Hugging her back just astightly, he paused and then continued, “I need to listen to that messageagain.”
At that moment, the door chimed, indicating a visitor. Theyboth stared at each other grimly.
“Well hell, they didn’t waste any time at all.”
“Sit down and I will get it. Remember what I said. You arenot going anywhere,” Wheaton said in a voice that screamed finality.
Opening the door with his wrist, Wheaton stood back with hisarms crossed like a barrier to the world. Poppy was surprised to see not onlyThorne but also Dathrow and Valerie standing in the opening. Valerie seemedjust as emotionally drained as Poppy felt.
“Val!” Poppy walked over to Valerie, mindful of the stillbroken glass on the floor, to give the frazzled-looking woman a hug. Shortlyafter her arrival on the ship, Poppy had started speaking to Valerie by videoconference often and they had become close friends in a short amount of time.
“Oh my god, Poppy! I’m so sorry for this mess.” Val was onthe brink of crying as well as she hugged her back.
“You’re doing about as good as I am right now, aren’t you?”Poppy said with a teary smile. Stepping back, she linked hands with Wheaton.
“This is one hell of a mess,” Val heaved out with a sigh.“From the handholding I’m assuming you’re not happy with the news?” Shegestured to their linked hands.
“Hell no! We think the match is perfect andhad already decided I was staying before we heard the voice message thismorning. What’s going to happen?”
“Maybe we can sit for a moment and discuss the situation?”Dathrow suggested in a somber
