Page 16 of Princess for the Space Cowboy

I feel my lips quirking up at the corners, savoring how her own smile curves against her cheek in return.

“Yes, we do.” I dip my head and breathe in her scent.

I’m not sure how much later it is, but it’s been a while. After I’ve teased her to climax, after we’ve lounged in bed, and after I took her again in the shower. She looks over at me while she’s toweling off.

“It doesn’t look like you have to worry about water supply here,” she comments.

“Oh no. That’s never an issue here. I haven’t stayed long enough on Earth to worry, but I understand it’s rationed there.”

She nods. “It has been my whole life. From what I understand, it became dry in certain areas first. In the United States, it was out West. The rivers began to dry up, and the drought slowly spread east. East is where the green zone is now. I’ve never been there, though.”

“Here, we have something sort of like a rainforest, but not quite as rainy. On the other side of the mountains, it’s a little dryer., But even there, we never worry about water supply.”

“Water can only run for three minutes or less on Earth,” Jane says. “They put timers on all of the lines. They started doing that when people ignored the voluntary limits.”

“I think you’ll like it here. The environment is very similar to Earth before it got dry and fiery there.”

“How often will I go back for the matchmaking?” she asks me.

“After this week, you will coordinate with our team that goes to Earth every other month. You will establish a plan. I presume every other month, but maybe not. Depends on how you set it up.”

Jane’s eyes twinkle as she tugs on some clothing. She has a swirly skirt and a tank top that stretches over her curves.

I don’t even want to get dressed, but my body needs food, so I reluctantly pull on a shirt and breeches. Most of our clothing is similar to Earth but more practical. Although our environment here is better, and we have more luxuries, we’ve learned what not to do from other neighboring planets. We don’t want to end up like them, with the environment nearly destroyed and manufacturing limited as a result.

“Come,” I say after we’re dressed, holding out a hand. “I’ll give you a tour. This will be your home.”

Her soft hand is warm in mine as I lead her out of her shower area. “Well, the bedroom and shower are lovely,” she offers with a grin.

I pause and glance around the space. We have a large bedroom with a square bed with silky white fabric draped around the corners. The windows that face the inner courtyard are open, and a soft breeze gusts through. Brightly colored rugs decorate the floor on either side of the bed. The bathroom has the same glossy wooden flooring with a large open shower, a skylight above, and a soaking tub beside it. Many of our amenities are similar to Earth, primarily because we have intermingled with humans for centuries.

I lead her out of the bedroom along the hall that faces the inner courtyard. “This side is just our bedroom,” I offer.

I turn to go around the back to one of the other sides of the square home, which houses our two offices. “Mine,” I offer. “And yours.”

“Oh!” she squeaks. “I have an office?”

“Oh yes. You’ll be busy. While my family leads, we work very hard. You’ll see.”

We round the other corner, which is the main living space for us. The large sunken living room has a big couch and a small fireplace on the wall facing the home's outer area. The inside walls are lined with windows facing the inner courtyard. We turn into the last area, which is the kitchen.

“If you like to cook, we have a nice kitchen,” I say as I swing my arm in an arc.

“Have you been living here all along?” she asks. She looks around, her eyes wide.

“No, the space has been waiting for me to be married. I can show you where I lived before after this week is over.”

The kitchen is practical and beautiful with a large stone counter. It shimmers under the skylights above. The sink faces out over the courtyard, as do a row of stools and a dining table.

Jane spins around, clasping her hands in front of her chest as she smiles up at me. My heart thumps hard in my chest.

“I love this!” she exclaims.

She pauses, her brow furrowing as she looks up at me again. “Are we trapped in here?”

I chuckle. “Oh no, we can leave, but—” I smile down at her. “I think we might not want to. Food will be delivered, and we can order whatever we want.”

“Will my phone from Earth even work here?”

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