Sensing the swirl of questions in my head, he breaks the kiss and pulls back just enough to search my gaze. His confidence doesn’t waver—not even a little. He simply waits, giving me space to choose. Not pressuring. Just present.
Will I really let myself be held back by old prejudices, like those from Earth’s distant past? It’s been established for generations that attraction and love have no color, no gender, no species. The man standing in front of me may not be Human, but his values—his strength despite his cracks, his humor, his quiet little gestures that I’ve noticed but never commented on—they’ve slowly, inevitably worked their way into my heart.
And then there’s this magnetic pull between us. This force that keeps dragging me toward him, no matter how hard I try to be rational.
With renewed certainty, I lean in and kiss him back.
Maybe that was the final green light he needed, because this time, he doesn’t hold back. He captures my breath with raw intensity, his mouth devouring mine with a hungry sort of playfulness that sparks something dangerous deep in my core. A need that hums low and hot through my belly.
When his tongue brushes against mine, I gasp softly in surprise—it’s textured, rough, covered in tiny, rasping ridges that send an unexpected thrill racing through me. Different. Alien. And yet… incredibly good.
He looms over me now, all heat and power, his tall frame pressing me against the wall. There’s nothing timid about him anymore. His body is all around me, warm and unyielding, a shield and a temptation all at once.
And if the insistent tension in his muscles is anything to go by, he’s more than ready to take this further.
“Crhhh… Crsshh… Neela? Neela?”
The static of the CCC snaps me out of my sensual haze. Channel 3!
I break away from Prax and dash for the device.
“Hello? It’s Neela!”
“Oh, thank Ares, you’re there. Can you come by the house? It’s Youssef.”
“What’s going on? Is it urgent?”
“I slipped coming back from the center. I hit a patch of ice. I can’t put any weight on my foot—my ankle’s all swollen and blue!” he whimpers.
I glance at the time. If I hurry, I can cover the twelve miles to his place by snowmobile, treat him, and make it back without delay.
“On my way!” I confirm, cutting the signal.
I grab my medical kit, a compression wrap, shove my boots on, throw on my coat—and nearly slam into Prax’s chest as he steps in front of me.
“It’s late,” he growls.
“This patient needs help. Move, you’re wasting my time.”
“How far is he?”
“About ten miles from here. If I keep moving, I’ll be back before the temperature drops too much.”
“And what if it takes longer than expected?”
“That’s happened before. In that case, I just stay over. If his ankle’s broken, I might need to stay a bit longer, yeah.”
“This Youssef… is he male?”
“He’s a man, yes. Why are you asking?”
“Because if I were him, I’d definitely find a reason to make you stay longer,” he growls.
“I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear that,” I snap, shooting him a sharp look. “Now be a good kitty and let me do my job!”
I brush past him with all my gear and straddle my snowmobile. On my porch, Prax stands with his arms crossed, a dark look on his face. Does he think this is the first time I’ve gone out late for an emergency? And just because he kissed me doesn’t mean he gets to decide what I can and can’t do. I turn away and power up.
Fifteen minutes later, I arrive at Youssef’s place. I place my hand beside the door—it dematerializes silently. He’s lying on the couch, gray-faced. I take off my coat and start my exam.
