Page 8 of The Alien's Runaway Bride

Vexor had lived for centuries, experiencing wonders across the galaxy. But nothing had prepared him for this—the simple, earth-shattering act of kissing Raelee Arison.

He was dimly aware of the agent’s footsteps passing by or the continued chatter in the diner around them. All of that felt distant, unimportant. All that mattered was Raelee in his arms and the soft sigh that escaped her as she melted into the kiss.

For a moment—a beautiful, suspended moment—Vexor forgot about his mission, about the impending marriage, about the fate of two worlds resting on his shoulders. He was just a man, kissing a woman who set his soul on fire.

But reality intruded all too soon. Raelee broke the kiss, her breath coming in short gasps as she peered over his shoulder. Vexor fought to regain his composure, his mind reeling from both the intensity of the kiss and the danger they were still in.

“I think they’ve moved past,” Raelee whispered, her voice husky in a way that sent shivers down Vexor’s spine. “We should go.”

Vexor nodded, not trusting himself to speak just yet. That kiss had changed everything. It wasn’t just attraction anymore—it was something deeper, more profound. Something that both thrilled and terrified him.

“That was... quite a distraction technique,” Vexor managed to say, aiming for lightness but hearing the roughness in his own voice.

Raelee glanced at him, a mix of emotions playing across her face. “Yeah, well... desperate times, right?” But there was a question in her eyes, an uncertainty that tugged at Vexor’s heart.

“For the record,” Vexor said softly, his free hand coming up to brush a strand of hair from her face, “that wasn’t just a distraction for me.”

Raelee’s eyes widened, a flush creeping up her cheeks. She opened her mouth to respond, but the sound of raised voices from the diner’s bar cut her off.

“Tell me about it later?” she said instead, a small smile on her face despite the tension of the moment.

Vexor nodded, reluctantly releasing her hand. “Count on it.”

He offered his hand to Raelee. She took it without hesitation, and the simple touch was enough to send another jolt through him.

As they made their way to the side exit, Vexor’s mind raced. The cool night air hit them as they slipped out, a stark contrast to the warmth of the diner. Vexor’s mind was a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions. But one thing was crystal clear: whatever happened next, that kiss had changed everything.

“My car’s this way,” Raelee whispered, already striding across the dimly lit parking lot. “Unless you’ve got a chopper hidden somewhere?”

“Fresh out of choppers today,” Vexor replied dryly, earning a snort of laughter from Raelee. “I’m coming with you,” he added, leaving no room for argument.

To his surprise, she simply nodded. “O-kay. I have a feeling we might need your muscles before the night’s over.”

They reached her car just as shouts erupted from the diner. Vexor tossed his overnight bag in the backseat and slid intothe passenger side, his tall frame making the sports car feel suddenly cramped.

The engine roared to life under Raelee’s expert touch, a sound that sent a thrill through Vexor. This was no ordinary Earth vehicle—this was a transport built for speed and precision, much like the woman behind the wheel.

“Buckle up, buttercup,” Raelee said with a grin that was equal parts exhilaration and challenge. “Things are about to get interesting.”

They peeled out of the parking lot in a spray of gravel, the sudden acceleration pushing Vexor back into his seat. The chase was on.

Raelee’s hands were steady on the wheel, her eyes focused on the road ahead as she navigated the winding streets with an ease that spoke of years of experience. Vexor found himself more captivated by her than the danger at their heels.

“So,” Raelee said, her voice surprisingly calm as she took a sharp turn that had Vexor gripping his seat, “do you often make a habit of running from the law with strange women? Or am I just special?”

A laugh bubbled up in Vexor’s chest, surprising even himself. “Oh, you’re special all right,” he said, the words carrying more weight than he intended. “Though I have to admit, this is a first for me. Usually I’m the one doing the chasing.”

“Cryptic and mysterious,” Raelee replied with a sidelong glance. “I like it. Keeps things exciting.”

The pursuing cars were gaining, their sirens cutting through the night. Raelee’s expression hardened, and she muttered something that sounded suspiciously like “Amateur hour.”

What happened next left even Vexor, a seasoned warrior who had seen the marvels of advanced alien technology, in awe. Raelee executed a series of maneuvers that seemed to defy the laws of physics. She threaded through traffic like a needlethrough silk, used off-ramps and on-ramps in ways they were never intended, and at one point, Vexor could have sworn all four wheels left the ground.

“Hang on,” she warned, a mischievous glint in her eye. “This might get a little bumpy.”

“A little?” Vexor echoed just as Raelee yanked the wheel hard.

The world spun around them, tires screeching in protest. For a heart-stopping moment, Vexor thought they were done for. His hand instinctively reached out, not for the dashboard, but for Raelee—a protective gesture that surprised him as much as it did her.

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