Page 7 of Space for More

Wait, ahuman?

I blink to clear my senses but yes, that is undoubtedly a human. They look back at me, equally startled, a flush rising on their rounded ears and their thick eyebrows raising as they take a step back.

Fascinating. They’re oddly pleasing to look at, and their fresh,sun-kissed scent makes certain parts of me far more alert than they have any right to be. What is wrong with me?

My pulse quickens for an entirely different reason than nerves as I scan over their face, then down to their body. I try to pretend that it’s scientific curiosity that has me ogling the human before me, but I know the truth. I’ve been dying to see one up close since a professional encounter with one I had about a year ago. She contacted me looking for advice, I helped her, and then we just…kept talking. The thoughts that I developed from our long comm chains ended up being far less professional than the initial subject matter. So much so that I had to cut things off before I let myself develop more than a simple attraction. I swore that I’d never open myself to that kind of heartache again, and something about her made it far too tempting to break that rule.

“Ahh, sorry about that! Didn’t realize the door opened inward. Please forgive me…” the human’s small eyes dart down to look at my name badge. Their pupils dilate for a second. “Forgive me, Dr. Nafar,” they continue with a small grimace.

I look down at their badge, but it’s twisted so I can’t read their name. My eyes catch on their ample breasts for a moment too long and I tear them back to the human’s face with a self-chastising frown. “No apologies necessary. It was rude of me to lock the door.”

“Oh no, it’s alright!” they squeak back at me with a violent head shake, their bouncy black curls bobbing with the motion. Are all humans so unrestrained in their expressions? It seems inconvenient. Though I can see the appeal…their pretty face and soft body are quite attractive.

“Eden, did you fall in the hygiene unit?” a husky, alluring voice calls out teasingly from the doorway. My skin prickles and a shiver runs down my spine. There’s something so familiar about that voice, but I can’tquite place it.

“No! Just almost knocked someone over. I’ll be out in a moment,” the human shouts back.

“Oooo, a cute someone? Do you need me to give you some privacy?”

“What?! No!” The human practically flinches after they speak and they give me a worried look. “Sorry, I don’t mean to be rude! You’re very handsome. I’m just not in here to…”

My amused snort comes out unbidden. I can’t recall the last time someone called me handsome. “Again, no apologies necessary, doctor…?”

“Mori!” They flip their badge around allowing me to readDr. Eden Mori, she/herwritten on it in Universal. “Though most people call me Eden.” She gives me a beaming smile that leaves me feeling dazzled for a beat too long and I miss her extended hand.

Wait,Eden? I didn’t register it when her friend called her name but… no. There’s no possible way this is the same Eden Mori I exchanged medical advice with. The same Eden Mori I grew far too attached to. It must be a common name among humans. Otherwise, she’d remember my name, too. Unless she doesn’t because those messages weren’t memorable to her. Goddess, what a depressing thought.

She sobers her expression and pulls her hand back. “Whoops, sorry! I forgot that only humans shake hands,” she mutters with a sheepish push of her curls behind her ear, before letting her arm drop to her side.

I reach out to grab her hand with my two right ones, startling her. “I don’t mind following human customs for some things, Dr. Mori.” My palms tingles with a thrilling warmth as our skin touches. She feels so good. It’s almost like touching her is awakening a part of me I’ve kept asleep most of my life.Please remember me,I silently beg through the connection of our touch.

She pulls her hand back after a moment, and it takes all my social training to not show any sadness in my expression when she doesn’t say anything. Goddess, of course she doesn’t remember me. I’m pathetic.

“Excuse me, I should go.” I nod and head toward the exit before I can make more of a fool of myself.

“Did you say handsome?” the stimulating voice from before asks from the hall, clearer and more entrancing the closer I get. “Maybe I’ll take a shot at—oh, fuck me.”

Oh, fuck meis right. The shocking sight of the most beautiful nexxit I’ve ever seen hits me like a punch to the gut. Now I know why her voice sounded so familiar.

“Mezli?” I manage to choke out her name, even though it feels like all the air’s been sucked out of the room. Mymateis standing here in the door to the hygiene room, wearing a dress that looks like it’s been painted onto her deep pink skin. Her slim, elegant neck is bare and the intoxicating smell ofjasrinblooms and her own heady scent wafts from her.

I realize in horror that the traitorous appendages in my pants are emerging from my slit, hard and desperate from the combined scents of thesexalas. Even though I very muchdon’twant Mezli. How could I want the woman who has so little respect for matehood that she couldn’t keep herself from fucking around the night before she met me? The woman thatran awayto avoid being mated.

Mezli drags her dark gaze up and down me pointedly, mouth twisting into a grin when I surreptitiously shift my satchel in front of my groin. “Well, look who it is. Who would have guessed the mightyLordNafar would be here, of all places? Let me guess, you’re here looking for cutting-edge skin rejuvenation technology to keep your mother from looking her age. Only the best for members of the second house of Nexxa Itat.”

My brain flounders helplessly, attempting to reconcile the biting words of thexalabefore me with the dim one I met four years ago. This can’t be the same person. Thatxalavacantly stared at me across the dining table and couldn’t string more than a few words together. Did I accidentally fall asleep in my hotel room? Because only my sleeping mind would be cruel enough to present me with a version of my mate that is so…intriguing.

But no, she’s real and she’s standing right before me, waiting for an answer while I stare at her, dumbfounded. I quickly set my expression to a haughty coolness. “Nothing of the sort. Mother has no need for such things. No doubt she’s already sold her soul to some foul demon to not appear older than her children.”

My wry retort wrests a peal of laughter from Mezli’s sinful lips. “Probably the same one my mothers bargained with to hide away the shame of their daughter running off to join the peasants on Spire.”

So she’s been on Spire this whole time? If I’d known…I wouldn’t have done anything. I’m not in the habit of chasing afterxalasthat clearly don’t want me.

I shrug, attempting to look bored by the conversation. “I think they were circulating a rumor that you’d joined a techless cloister on Nexxa Strai, but that was a few years ago. I haven’t kept in touch with them, or really paid much attention.”

“You didn’t think about me?” she asks with an exaggerated pout, crossing her lower arms under her chest to push the swell of her perky breasts higher. No doubt trying to entice me, though I have no idea why. I wish that it didn’t work so well. “I thought about you…” she adds, her voice low, like she’s telling me a secret.

I tear my eyes away to stop myself from ogling her assets. Goddess, preserve me, I almost believe her. I’m so hard, my cocks are threatening to ripthrough my trousers.

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