Page 3 of Forever

My hearts pounded harder. “Zorloxians mate for life.” I sighed because it’s just a myth now.

“Until the king ruined it. Oh, Do’Thortn, I’m so sorry. So your people can’t have children unless they mate, or like find a mate? And you have no females here to mate with. How sad.”

Should I tell her? “My kind has started finding mates outside of Zorlox.” I couldn’t look her in the eyes. But I felt her eyes burning into me. I feared I’d lurch forward and take her into my arms for a kiss.

“That’s, that’s just amazing.” Her head shakes. “Has it happened to you?” Her eyes bored into me.

I looked at her, staring back, the truth on the tip of my tongue. “In fact, not until the moment I met you,”

CHAPTER 3

Moxy

My heart leapt when he said the words. I didn’t expect such a reaction from me. My mouth opens but I didn’t know what to say exactly. Throw caution to the wind and explore this new option that clearly I feel too? Stay a prude and be diplomatic? But my heart said yes. My mind said no. So, my mouth said nothing. It opened, and I tried.

“Okay, yeah. That was wrong of me. Moxy, please forget I said anything. Let’s just get back to the business at hand. I shrugged and giggled, hiding my disappointment.

“Yes. We need to head back to Earth and allow me to give the official Prince Do’thortn around my home planet.”

He clapped his hands and rubbed, avoiding my eyes and smiled. “Yes, I’ll have the ship readied.”

Part of me regretted I didn’t say more when Do’Thortn told me about his hearts. Clearly there’s an attraction even on my part. A human and an alien was very foreign. On Earth, there’s nota lot of that going on. And technically, Jefferson and I weren’t divorced just yet. This couldn’t happen.

On the ship, Do’Thortn helps pilot the ship while I settle at my sleeping berth. The trip takes two weeks thanks to FTL technology. I stay busy finishing documents for my trip to Koliam and reading on the ever-changing galactic laws. And I tried to push Do’Thortn from my mind. Not an easy feat when I saw him every day.

The first thing I did once back on Earth was move my things out of the master bedroom. Since we had Kenna to care for, we decided to live in the same home but in separate bedrooms. He worked late every evening, excited about some new project on the galactic front and our new alliance with Zorlox. His words, not mine.

“I’ll leave Do’Thortn to you.”

Yep. And that’s how it took root in my mind and heart.

Fresh faced and ready to see Earth, I picked up Do’Thortn from his hotel in the town center. He wore some sort of spicy fragrance, or maybe it’s his natural scent. Whatever it was, it drove me wild. Instantly, my body warmed as we walked close down the hall and out the door. I wanted to grab him and kiss him and show him a true Earth welcome.

“What’s on the agenda today, Ms. Foster?”

I did a double take. “Ms. Foster. Aren’t we being all formal. Just call me Moxy. We’re friends.” I grab his hand as we take to the sidewalk heading into downtown.

He smiled and looked down at our hands. I withdrew mine quickly, and blushed. “Up here is the capital building, where our governing offices reside and hold sessions.”

His light glowing eyes penetrates through mine, the longing palatable between us.

“Do’Thortn.”

“Moxy.”

We bubbled with laughter at saying our names at the same time. Talk about synchronicity. The mayor stepped up and interrupted our moment.

“So nice of you for coming all this way to make an alliance with Earth. What do you think of our fair planet?” Mayor Ted Pennington asked.

Do’Thortn looked right at me. “I find Earth a beautiful place full of fascinating creatures.”

“I take it Zorlox is as happy for the alliance as we are?” The good mayor rocked on his feet.

“As far as I’m concerned, yes. And since I’m the illustrious royalty on official business representing Zorlox, I speak it for my home planet too.”

We were in hours of meetings, going over potential scenarios of what would require help from either side. I barely listened to the proceedings, I couldn’t keep my eyes from Do’Thortn, nor he to me. Being professional, I didn’t want our attraction to be obvious. Being in the political spotlight required a certain level of proper etiquette. Jefferson and I barely separated and we haven’t really told anyone yet. Giving the impression of being thepower couple gave us an advantage. Until we realized we were lying to ourselves by staying in a dull marriage.

“Dinner? Are you hungry for some good Earth food?”

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