She smiled. “I’m going to take that as a weirdly worded compliment.”
I pulled her close to me, grateful that the corridor was empty and all the drama remained near the chaotic wedding venue. After witnessing something so shocking, I needed to hold Morgan and remind myself that there were still those who valued the Earth-Drexian alliance and still humans who valued our friendship.
She wrapped her arms around me, burying her head in my chest and squeezing. Then she peered up so she could meet my gaze. “You know that Bowman and his cronies don’t speak for most humans, right? It’s only those on the fringe who are terrified of change and outsiders who think like this. Most humans understand Drexians have only tried to help Earth and only want a powerful alliance that benefits everyone.”
I nodded at this, but the general’s hateful rhetoric still rang in my ears. As a Drexian, I’d come from a species who’d known substantial loss and who’d also learned early on that there was strength in alliances. It was why we’d recolonized and integrated species who’d been driven from their planets and why we’d embraced diversity. We knew all too well that we would never survive without human mates and that Earth would not remain intact without us sharing our advanced technology to fight off the Kronock.
“After our peoples have worked together successfully for so long, it is troubling to know that there are those who hate us because we’re different,” I admitted, my chest tight.
She pressed her splayed hands to my chest. “You can’t listen to the hate. It will always be there because there will always be those who are so weak they feel threatened by anything different. It’s happened over and over on Earth. That doesn’t mean there aren’t millions of people on Earth who embrace change and value our alliance. What’s also happened over and over on Earth is people coming together to help each other during hard times.”
I dredged up a smile for her. “I am grateful that you’re one of the people who values our alliance and cares about Drexians.”
Her smile edged toward something mischievous. “I’d say my feelings are stronger than just caring.”
Heat blossomed in my chest as my pulse quickened. “As are mine.”
She curled one hand around my neck and pulled me down so we were eye to eye. “If you think this changes anything about us,you’re crazy. I still know there’s no one in the galaxy I’d rather be with than you.”
My throat tightened. “And out of all the females in the known universe, I would pick you again and again, Morgan.”
She let her fingers drift low enough to brush across the node at the nape of my neck. “Prove it, Shadow.”
I instinctively glanced around the corridor, but there was no one to hear her and no one to watch me crush my mouth to hers, curling my arms around her and lifting her off the ground.
When I finally lowered her back to the polished floor, she was breathing hard as she gazed up at me. “What are the chances of our getting one of those fantasy suites for the night?”
“Since they are reserved for engaged couples, I suppose you’ll have to give your official agreement to marry me.”
Her pupils flared wide, and an expression of pure joy transformed her face. “Then, I do.”
Chapter
Fifty-One
Deklyn
Icarried Sasha through the door of our fantasy suite, her arms wrapped around my neck. Despite the furor throughout the station, despite the Earth delegation preparing to depart, despite Serge’s insistence that we had more details to sort out before the wedding took place the next day, I’d stolen Sasha away and snuck back to our fantasy suite.
There was nothing that mattered more than my taking care of my real fiancée, and that meant removing her from all the fallout and drama. It also meant showing her just how real my feelings were for her. Every time we’d fallen into each other’s arms before, it had been with the understanding that it wasn’t real and that it was only for fun. I’d told myself that we were burning off energy and that it didn’t matter, but now I knew it mattered more than anything. Sasha mattered more than anything to me.
“You don’t have to carry me over the threshold,” Sasha said. “We aren’t married yet.”
“Why would that matter?”
She laughed and fluttered a hand in the air. “I forgot you don’t know all the Earth wedding traditions.”
“I don’t, but I know people are required to leave the bride and groom alone.”
“That’s after the wedding,” she teased, though her eyes sparkled with mischief. “And it’s so the couple can get it on, especially if they’ve waited until their wedding night.”
“Then that doesn’t apply to us.”
“Hardly.” She laughed as I dropped her onto the enormous bed, watching as she bounced once among the silk pillows.
“On Earth, couples stay apart the night before their wedding,” she continued, propping herself up on her elbows. “And we’re getting married for real tomorrow.”
I began peeling off my formal jacket, my gaze never leaving her face. “Then consider this another rehearsal for what is it your humans call it? A honeysmoon?”
