Page 55 of Swipe Right for Stardust

Lysandra’s smile widened. “Well, I have some news for you. Rachel and Tarnox actually crossed the finish line first.”

For a split second, disappointment flared. We’d come so far, faced so much. But then I saw the emotion in Zarnak’s eyes, and realized something profound.

I laughed, the sound bubbling up from deep inside me. “You know what? I don’t even care anymore.”

Zarnak’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. “You don’t?”

I grinned up at him. “Nope. We may not have won the race, but I think I won something much more important.”

Understanding dawned on his face, his expression softening in a way that made my heart melt.

“I couldn’t agree more,” he murmured, his hand coming up to cup my cheek.

The crowd around us faded away. The cameras, the other contestants, even Lysandra – they all ceased to exist. There was only Zarnak and me, standing on the precipice of something extraordinary.

I rose up on my tiptoes, closing the last bit of distance between us. Zarnak met me halfway, his lips capturing mine in a kiss that sent sparks shooting through my entire body.

The cheers of the crowd swelled, but I barely heard them. Zarnak’s kiss was gentle yet passionate, conveying everything we’d been unable to say throughout our journey. My arms wound around his neck, pulling him closer as I poured every ounce of emotion I’d been holding back into the kiss.

As the kiss broke, I licked my lips, still seeking a taste of him. “Well, that’s one way to end a first date.”

Zarnak chuckled, the sound rumbling through his chest. “I’d say it was quite successful, wouldn’t you?”

“Definitely,” I agreed, unable to stop smiling. “Though I think we might need a few more to make sure.”

“I look forward to it,” he said, his eyes twinkling with promise.

As we turned back to face the crowd, I caught snippets of conversation from the other contestants and spectators.

“...can’t believe they kissed like that on camera...”

“...rooting for them from the start...”

“...wonder if they’ll do a spin-off show...”

I laughed, shaking my head at the absurdity of it all. Here I was, a regular girl from Earth, standing on an alien planet after completing an interstellar dating show, having just kissed the most incredible man I’d ever met. It was like something out of a dream.

Lysandra approached us again, her expression amused. “Well, I think it’s safe to say you two have stolen the show. How about an interview for our viewers back home?”

I tilted my head at Zarnak, raising an eyebrow in question. He nodded, giving my hand a reassuring squeeze.

“Sure,” I said, turning back to Lysandra. “Why not? It’s not like we can embarrass ourselves any more than we already have.”

Zarnak chuckled. “Speak for yourself. I think we handled that quite gracefully.”

As Lysandra led us towards the interview area, I thought about how much had changed. I’d come on this show looking for adventure, maybe a chance at love. What I’d found was beyond anything I could have imagined.

ZARNAK

The gleaming metal walls of the Celestial Station closed in around me as we stepped off the teleportation pad. After days on Nexus Prime, the artificial environment felt alien and constraining. I longed for the open skies and raw beauty of the planet we’d left behind.

Vanessa’s hand slipped into mine as we walked down the corridor. Her touch grounded me, a reminder of everything we’d experienced together. The bond we’d forged felt unbreakable.

“Welcome back, contestants!” Lysandra’s voice rang out as we entered the grand atrium. “You’ve all performed admirably. Now, it’s time to get cleaned up before the big finale.”

My chest tightened as staff members began ushering us toward separate corridors.

“This way, Dr. Kolvari,” a perky assistant said, gesturing to the left.

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