Page 58 of Holiday with the Aliens

But Tav knew what she meant, and he wasn’t going to let her get away with her deflection. “I love you, too, my mate. So what do you say we go get rested before the party, and then make this a night that Honora Station will never forget.”

Molly grinned. “And then we fly away in your ship and spread joy and parties throughout the galaxy.”

“Really?” The naked hope in his face was enough to make Molly’s heart stutter, as if he’d been so uncertain of what her decision would be.

“Really.” She kissed his nose. “I don’t want to be away from the man I love. Now come on. Let’s go celebrate.”

At the end of it all, the party wasn’t perfect. One of the musicians’ instruments broke halfway through his performance, and they ran out of some of the food long before the night ended. But the gifts were a hit with the children and the snow was a favorite of everyone else. Molly wanted to spend the whole party in Tav’s arms, but her job wasn’t done yet, and she was too busy directing people around to make time to enjoy herself with her mate.

It was a little disappointing, but they’d have plenty of time ahead of them to live and laugh and make more memories. One night was hardly that much of a sacrifice.

But that night was coming to a close and Molly could finally sit back and enjoy everything she’d done. She took a drink from a passing android waiter and surveyed the party around her. It was good, really good, and she was responsible for it. Smiling faces were all around her and her heart warmed, knowing that she’d brought this little slice of joy to each and every person in the room.

And that joy blossomed into something even bigger when she spotted a golden man coming towards her with a short, purple woman at his side. When Tav met her, he scooped her up into his arms as if it had been months instead of hours since they saw each other last. She didn’t know how long it would take for this excitement to fade, or if it ever would, but as long as Tav was with her, it didn’t matter.

“This is who I’ve been telling you about,” he said, addressing the woman beside him. “Molly is my denya and she’ll bejoining us once she’s wrapped up here. Molly, this is Juuno, my engineer. She keeps our ship in the sky.”

Our ship. Oh, she liked the sound of that.

“And I’m your friend,” Juuno added, elbowing Tav playfully in the side.

“And she’s my friend,” Tav repeated obediently.

Yeah, Molly could become friends with that woman. “I’m glad you’ve kept my mate in line.” She grinned at Juuno, who just rolled her eyes.

“I’ll leave the two of you alone for now. But,” she pointed at Tav, poking her finger into his bicep, “we do need to talk about supplies tomorrow, so no disappearing all day. Iwillfind you, and I don’t want to see your sexfest. Got it?”

Molly blushed and wanted to hide her face, but neither she nor Tav denied what was going to happen the moment they got alone.

“I promise I’ll find you tomorrow. Afternoon.”

Juuno scoffed, but she left them alone.

Molly wrapped her arms around Tav as the band switched from an upbeat tune to something slower. She swayed with him, their hips moving in sync. “Sexfest, huh?”

Tav grinned and gave her a quick kiss. “Well, what else would we do?”

She laughed and snuggled in closer. “Did you hear that station security rounded up that guy from yesterday? I guess he’s been running a theft ring on the station formonths!”

“And station security just ignored it?”

“I told you they suck.” Molly knew that if she and Tav hadn’t managed to catch the guys red handed it would have continued on until they made an even bigger mistake. No doubt about it.

“You are truly something else, my denya.” Tav held her close and let her nestle into him.

“I’m yours,” Molly replied. Nothing else mattered as much as that. She’d come to Honora Station to make a name for herself, to prove that she could pull off a project like this and bring happiness to a whole lot of people. And in doing so, she’d somehow been lucky enough to find happiness for herself. She had her mate for life and the whole of the galaxy spread out before her, with every opportunity out there within reach with Tav by her side. “And I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Tav leaned down and kissed her, the taste of him new and familiar all at the same time. Molly opened for him and pulled him close. And in her heart she knew that the party hadn’t been perfect, but her night sure had been. Every night spent with her mate could be nothing else.

Snowed in with the Alien Beast

Kate Rudolph

After her space ship crash lands on an alien planet, Stella finds shelter in a nearby cave that is much more than it appears. But when a hidden door closes, she’s trapped inside… and she isn’t alone. Monsters lurk in the shadows and another survivor, mysterious and beastly, takes her under his protection. He promises to keep her body safe, but her heart is another matter.

Arest knows nothing but blood and death. Yet, when he sees Stella, his only thought is to keep her from harm. Enemies lurk in every corner, and as they travel deeper into the bowels of the mountain, it becomes clear that they are both in danger from something worse than the simple creatures that attack from the shadows.

The closer that Stella and Arest get to the heart of the mountain maze, the deadlier the threats grow. And with every step, their passion deepens, igniting in both of them an emotion neither thought possible. But Arest’s hazy past is an ever-presentthreat, and even if they make it off the mountain there may be no way to stay together and stay safe from powerful enemies.

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