Page 18 of Bride for the Space Cowboy

There’s something pure and also carnal about the look in his eyes. He looks as entirely sated as I feel. I feel liquid, utterly relaxed in a way I never have before. His eyes hold mine, and it feels like a shimmer in the air around us.

“What now?” I ask.

His fingers trace idly down my back, and I love the subtle sensations that spin through me with every touch from him.“We’re staying here for the week. I understand they call it a honeymoon on Earth. Here, we call it pleasure.”

His lips curl in a slow smile, and even though I’ve just found more pleasure than I ever could’ve imagined, my belly does a little shimmy and a dance.

“A whole week?”

It’s not that I don’t understand the concept of a honeymoon. On Earth, only the wealthy can even contemplate a honeymoon. I had dreaded time alone with my ex.

Romance is scarce on Earth. It’s grim there. Although my ex claimed I would enjoy life with him because I would get to live in the green zone, I hadn’t looked forward to it, not even a little. I can’t imagine what I will do for an entire week. I have worked twelve hours a day since I was fifteen. At least I had a job.

“Only the wealthy have honeymoons on Earth,” I finally say, kicking those old memories to the curb.

Kayden’s gaze sobers as he studies me. “This is your home now. Everyone can have a week to themselves if they want it.”

I take a breath. An ever-present tension that I have carried inside me for most of my life—the stress and fear that marked my life on Earth—starts to ease. I swallow, and my eyes sting a little bit with tears.

Kayden lifts his head slightly, giving me a gentle, lingering kiss. When he draws away, he trails his knuckles along my cheekbone. “The bruising is almost gone,” he says.

I nod wordlessly. “Tell me more about what happened,” he says.

His tone is gentle, but a thread of steel is woven inside it. I know that if we were on Earth, he would protect me. Maybe it shouldn’t matter, but it does. Warmth surrounds my heart.

“I don’t know how much you know about life on Earth beyond the fact that we destroyed the environment over a century ago.”

“We know that. Intergalactic travel has existed since before the inhabitants of Earth destroyed their own environment. Things were getting bad when they really pushed to move out. Since they’ve had little to trade or offer with other planets, it hasn’t been easy.”

“Of course not. Around that time, things got much worse for women. I don’t know what it was like before that for women. It isn’t discussed in our history books, but it’s whispered about. Around the same time, a contingent of humans refused to believe the climate was getting worse because of our actions. They also clamped down on women’s rights. The only thing that gives me comfort is knowing that most women disagree with it. I don’t know what it’s like in the green zone, where the wealthy live. Rumor has it they have enough food and resources for themselves. The factory I worked in provided things for them. For as long as I’ve been alive, I’ve heard that they’re working on rejuvenating our environment.” I shrug with one shoulder. “Anyway, so life isn’t good for women. We have to have permission from men for anything, such as where we live and so on. My ex’s family was wealthy, and he decided he wanted me. At first, I thought it would be a good idea. There aren’t many good options for women. The opportunity to live in the green zone was enough to make me go for it even though I didn’t like him. But then, he started getting violent and controlling. I realized I would rather never live in the green zone than be with someone like him.” I gesture toward the fading bruise on my cheek. “The morning I saw the ad for mates here, he came to my apartment. He threw me against the wall and punched me. I kicked him in the balls and left.”

Kayden’s lips twitch at the corners although anger swirls in his gaze. “Good for you. I would’ve done a lot worse than that.”

“I wouldn’t want anyone to kill him,” I interject.

“Oh, I wouldn’t have done that. We don’t believe in murder. I would’ve made his life fucking miserable.”

“I don’t live on Earth anymore, and I’m never going back,” I say firmly.

“You never have to go back, and I will keep you safe here.” His words are spoken like a vow. “We treat our women well here.”

“What about what happened to Jane?” I can’t help but ask.

“I’m sure you’ve heard the rumors about the town on the other side of our planet. A small contingent of men there, well, they think like the men on Earth, the very people on Earth who ended up destroying their own environment. They refuse to acknowledge that mating with others has strengthened us because it keeps us healthier. The small group has manipulated elections to hold power in that one town. The people don’t support them because they hoard resources, even though there are plenty. They want to intervene in the royal line of succession,” he explains.

“That’s what Jane said,” I chime in. “But why did they kidnap her?”

“We believe they hoped to keep her until she had her baby and use the heir for leverage. They miscalculated. Now, we know how dangerous they are. We’ve had battles and skirmishes with them over the centuries.”

“Do they treat their women badly there?”

Kayden considers my question. “Women hold power in our society, so they know they have to be careful about that. They try to control who the women mate with. They don’t want them to mate with humans from Earth or those from other planets. The women do what they want anyway because they know they are protected by everyone else. Kidnapping Jane angered everyone because she was a woman and pregnant. Our royal family is beloved. They have taken care of us for century upon century.”

“Do you worry about your safety?”

Kayden is quiet for a few beats before he shrugs. “I don’t want you to be afraid. I protect the royal family as my family always has. I don’t worry that harm will come, but providing such protection comes with certain risks. Risks I carry gladly.”

He must see the alarm in my eyes because he lifts a hand, palming my cheek and tracing his thumb across my bottom lip. “You needn’t be afraid. My family has protected the royal family for centuries.”

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