I ignored him, staring at the floor and huddling down into myself, trying to avoid any attention at all—just as I had during the entirety of the Bride Games up until now. Even during the pageant and interviews, I had mumbled my responses, hoping to make myself as boring as possible.
But then the cherry-red giant made a beeline toward me. He placed one finger under my chin and gently raised my face so he could look me in the eye.
“You’re beautiful,” he whispered. Then he leaned down, those luscious lips of his aiming for mine.
And the next thing I knew, we were all over each other. He picked me up and I wrapped my legs around his waist. His tongue plundered my mouth, leaving me gasping, his kiss making my head spin.
I inhaled the scent of him, something dark and heavy with a swirl of sweetness to it, like chocolate or coffee. Everyplace his body touched mine—which was everywhere—sparks of sheer lust shot through me, spinning me into a world where only the two of us existed.
If not for the shouts and cheers of the other brides in line, I probably would have let him fuck me right there.
Instead, I reluctantly pulled away from the kiss, and he set me on my feet.
When he said, “Come with me,” and held out his hand, I followed him.
One of the vidglobes had caught it all, and it had been broadcast live—complete with commentary from Vos Klavoii, as I’d learned later.
Now, the memory of his kisses sent a shiver down my spine, and Eldron glanced down at me, taking my hand in his and bringing it up to his mouth long enough to drop another spine-tingling kiss on it.
I smiled up at him, unwilling to let him know how anxious I was.
Bad enough that my name had been drawn in the Bride Lottery.
Now, even though they were supposedly over, I was back in the Games. And not the usual ones, either—a whole new set of challenges, just for me.
Guess it’ll make for good television back home.
I sent up a silent prayer to any god who might be listening that I could resist my attraction to Eldron long enough to get back to Earth, to the people I love.
Back to the people I needed to save.
And that I would be able to keep him from learning my most desperate secret.
The odds aren’t looking good, though.
Afterward, Plofnid and Drindl rushed out while everyone else was congratulating the newlyweds, returning with station employees bearing a table, chairs, and a meal for everyone to share, including an astounding number of bottles containing a pale, fizzy Earther alcohol.
Eldron waited until everyone was eating and turned to Zont. “I had a conversation this afternoon with Command Central,” I said. “And we have a proposal for you.”
Zont tilted his head in interest. “Yes?”
“We are considering opening up a permanent station on Earth for a Khanavai diplomatic corps. We think you might be a good fit to act as our military liaison.”
“Me? Really?”
Eldron gave him a wink. “We would also like to have a Special Ops presence there.”
Amelia leaned around her mate to speak to the commander. “Would this be a long-term posting?”
“Why yes, yes it would.” Eldron smiled, pleased at his ability to offer the couple this gift.
He really is a kind man.
Zont glanced at his new bride, checking with her before he replied. “I would be happy to take the position, sir.”
“That was nice of you,” I whispered, slipping my fingers into his large, red hand.
How could I possibly leave him? He was a good man.
For Josiah.
I met Eldron too late. There was no room for him in my life.
I’m leaving.
Then I saw my chance.
With a distracted air, Eldron took off his wristcom and set it on the chair next to me as he stood to dance with Amelia.
Making sure no one was watching, I picked it up and dropped it into the evening purse I’d chosen to carry.
As soon as my giant, red alien stepped off the dance floor, I took his hands. “Could you escort me back to my quarters? I’m afraid I had a little too much champagne. I’m tired. We could meet again for breakfast tomorrow.”
It wasn’t fair to let him walk me back to my room, kiss me goodnight, and make plans for the next morning, all the while planning to be gone within an hour.
But I did.
Chapter Eighteen
Eldron
Outside her door, I wrapped Mia in my arms. “We start our Bride Games tomorrow,” I reminded her. In anyone else, I might have taken the tiny twitch of her body to be anxiety about my embrace. But somehow, I knew that Mia was nervous about the next day. “I’m sorry I was not able to get Vos to agree to simply allow us a wedding like Amelia and Zont.”
She rested her cheek against my chest, her skin brushing lightly against mine. “That’s okay.”
Anxiety thrummed through her body, as if it vibrated from her soul into mine.
“Would you like to talk about what’s bothering you?”
She shook her head. “Just nerves.”
I didn’t believe her, but I couldn’t think of any way to get her to open up to me. There was something going on with her, something overwhelming, but she didn’t know how to tell me about it.
She didn’t trust me.
That’s all right, I reassured myself. By the time we are mated, she will trust me with everything.
I leaned down to kiss her, and she responded as if it were the last time we would ever be together. Her mouth pressed against mine, and she wrapped her arms around my neck tightly, clinging to me as her tongue probed my mouth—the first time she had ever taken the lead in any of our kisses.
Through her shirt, her nipples pebbled into hard buds, like points of pure desire pressing against the skin bared by my
