Total pages in book: 142
Estimated words: 134725 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 674(@200wpm)___ 539(@250wpm)___ 449(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 134725 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 674(@200wpm)___ 539(@250wpm)___ 449(@300wpm)
“He must want you to get started on some stories,” Zane mused with a shrug, smiling at me.
“How sweet.” I bit my lip.
“I’ve ordered you a tablet and communications device to be crafted with both your and our languages on it. It hasn’t yet been completed. It should be ready soon. I’ve also got a few tweaks to make to the system today, it’ll take just a few minutes and we’ll have your options on our system here.”
I tilted my head.
“So, you can use any of our household technology yourself. I’ll show you the basics, though. Most of the commands are icon-based. Easy to operate.”
“That’s great.”
“We need to talk,” he said, face going serious. “Let’s do that over a morning meal, shall we?” He gestured to pick me up and I lifted my arms. He smiled sweetly as he lifted me.
***
I was again reminded that the food on this planet was fantastic. He served me a quiche-like food that was fluffy like meringue and filled with all sorts of spices I’d never had. And there was fruit salad with chunky pieces of fruit the likes I’d never tasted or even seen. There was an assortment of rolled meat that tasted quite a lot like bacon, yet thicker. Even this coffee was incredibly fresh and aromatic. And the fluffiest chocolate croissants I’d ever had. I didn’t know if everything really just tasted better or if it was me feeling a sense of adventure and the reactions coming from a combination of the food, the surroundings, and the excitement. There was also the company.
We ate in his bedroom at the dining table that his robot set up. Soft music played that sounded like the music that played yesterday at the matchmaking event. Classical-sounding new-age like music mixed with the sounds of a meadow. A few bites into the delicious meal Zane put his fork down.
“I had to lie, Tanya.” His expression was forlorn.
I had my own fork (dishes and utensils, so far, were the same as at home, though fancier) about an inch from my mouth. I set my fork down.
He gave me a tight smile, looking like he was weighing his words. “Because your gemstone changed color, my software notified the Project D team that our relationship was consummated, and your things were sent here along with a document that states that we’re now married. And more than that, I was asked by both Tithe Nova and my father-in-law and I led them to believe we had consummated our relationship before the intruders broke in yesterday.”
I hard-blinked.
“Obviously, we’re not married,” he gestured between us. “But I didn’t know if they’d cart you away with the body of your attacker if they believed you belonged to him.” Zane’s jaw clenched.
My lips parted in shock.
“Of course this complicates matters,” he added.
Yeah. I’d say.
“But, how about if today we go to my lab, I run some tests, and then we go from there?”
“Okay,” I replied, hesitantly. I took a sip of my coffee and wiped my mouth with a linen napkin.
He regarded me curiously. I felt a little bit embarrassed at the intensity coming off him.
“Ollie won’t be back until tomorrow. We’ll have this evening to get more acquainted. If that’s okay with you.”
I felt my face go hot. I nodded a little.
He growled, got up, and paced the room. He walked to the furthest point and back to the table, pivoted and then did the same thing again, then stopped, squeezing the back of his neck with his hand.
“Is there something else?” I asked, confused about his reaction.
He tilted his head curiously at me. “I’m not expecting it to be a foregone conclusion, Tanya. I realize how jarring all this must have been so far.”
I blinked. “Pardon?”
“I don’t want you to feel rushed. We can see how it goes. I’m just ---” He let that hang and stared at me looking like he couldn’t figure out how to say whatever he wanted to say.
Well, clearly rushing was a necessity though. I didn’t have the luxury of taking things slow. Maybe he didn’t think he wanted me that way. My thoughts were interrupted by his melodic deep voice.
“If things don’t progress for us, we can talk about options. I take responsibility for the lie. My father-in-law is ambassador for the capital region. Well, my former father-in-law, I should say. I suppose I should start referring to him as Ollie’s grandfather.” Zane’s expression changed and he suddenly looked a million miles away.
Oh no. Guilt swept through me. Here I was, worried about getting him to have sex with me so that I wouldn’t die on this planet in a couple days when this was a man who had to be caught up in the aftermath of loss. He had to be struggling with the loss of his wife and little girl. Yes, he’d run for me like he wanted me, but maybe now in the light of a fresh new day after being rejuvenated by the moon, and after having to kill to protect me, maybe reason had returned, and he was re-thinking things. It seemed kind of crazy to me that their planet considered having sex to be the same as signing a marriage license. Especially with our three-day window to get our vaccinations.