Felix gives her a big smacking kiss on the cheek and grins. “Thank you. You are seriously the best. Wait until you meet Cosmo. I hope he and Wanda get along.”
“The picture you sent me when we texted the other day was adorable. I can’t wait to make friends with him.”
“We also have many wonderful cats aboard our ship, beloved by Thekmis,” Kheph adds enthusiastically.
Today, he’s wearing hisMeowy Catmasshirt and a Santa hat like mine. We’re festive as fuck, thank you very much. Earthlings could learn a thing or two from us.
“That’s cool. I like cats too,” Gemma says. “We’re pretty much a pro-animal family.”
I can only hope she’s equally receptive to me and my tentacles when it’s only the two of us.
Gemma places her key in the ignition and closes the driver’s door, leaving it unlocked. “Don’t worry,” she tells Felix. “Peoplewill do weird shit to get a good deal, especially on a car these days.”
“You really are on top of things,” Felix marvels. “Nana would be so proud.”
“I think so too.”
We all make our way onto the ship and help Gemma move her things to the room that will be hers. I’m the one who had it prepared for her in advance, just in case. After all, it was a huge, life-altering decision she had to make and with very little time to do so.
Naturally, I was also super fucking strategic in selecting Gemma’s room.
“I’m right next door if you need anything,” I say, licking my lips.
I can’t hold back a shiver of satisfaction when I notice Gemma can’t seem to stop staring at my mouth.
Merry fucking Christmas to me!
Now I need to get her alone so we can make out like there’s no tomorrow—and maybe more.
CHAPTER 7
If things are going smoothly between you and your partner, before long you may end up getting introduced to some of their close family and friends. Gaining entrée into your lover’s inner circle is a strong sign of their trust in you—don’t fuck it up!
Be sure to show appropriate respect and courtesy in accordance with their cultural conventions (again, that earlier research will prove helpful now). Pay attention to names and find ways to draw flattering connections to tidbits of information your partner may have shared. Example: [insert partner name here] has told me a lot about you. I’d love to learn more about your work as [insert profession here]. When appropriate, eye contact, a warm handshake, and a smile go a long way. If relevant, come prepared with an appropriate greeting gift or tribute. Never forget how important first impressions are and begin with a positive introduction.
—Ch. 3,How to Flirt Among the Stars: An Intergalactic (and Interspecies) Sapphic Dating Guide
Christmas Eve…
Gemma
My new intergalactic companions give me a full tour of their impressive ship. It makes human space technology seem primitive at best—sorry, NASA!—but it’s the medical bay that sends me into raptures.
In seconds, I’m hitting my new alien comrades with a barrage of questions about each and every device I see. I’m like a kid at Christmas, and I can barely contain myself from bouncing all over the room. I could easily perform major surgery in this medical bay without a supporting team of physicians and nurses if I had to.
I ooh and ahh over everything, already itching to test out this amazing equipment. Luna stands close to me the whole time but still without touching.
That’s probably a good thing. I worry that the second we make physical contact we’re going to be all over one another. And there is no way I intend to give my new friends and my brother that kind of peep show!
Luna shows me how the biometric scanner works. It’s basically a more advanced MRI that analyzes all aspects of one’s anatomy. She demonstrates on herself, getting a clean bill of health. I get similar results when I try it out for myself, amazed that it can detect diseases, organ damage, and blood readings all with a scan.
Khephren clears his throat. “I wish we could spend longer showing you every nook and cranny of the Sleigh Belle, but I’m afraid we need to ‘get the hell out of Dodge,’ as you humans say. We don’t want to wait around for the Alliance to notice us parked here illegally.”
One minute we’re on solid ground in the Nevada desert, and the next we’re sailing away among the stars. It’s all so fucking surreal, but also kind of amazing.
“You get used to it, kind of, after a while,” Felix assures me with a smile.
“Where are we going?” I ask.
