Gemma’s cheeks flush. “That one did throw me for a bit of a loop at first, but when I did a little soul-searching, I couldn’t deny that it’s something I’ve secretly started dreaming about.”
“Ditto, gorgeous.”
The smile she directs at me is so beautiful and bright. I’m utterly captivated.
She traces a heart pattern over my chest with her finger. “Does that mean we’re both committing to one another on a permanent basis right now?”
I swallow hard. “That’s what I want.”
“Perfect, me too. Although I’m not sure that I’m ready for or even want something official like marriage.”
“Don’t worry,” I hasten to reassure her. “There are plenty of other types of couple designations that are legally recognized across most of the universe. We can decide together what, or if anything, suits us best.”
She links her arm with mine, and we begin walking back through the park toward where we docked the ship.
When we entered the Quantum Tunnel of Love, I wasn’t planning to declare my feelings for Gemma, but in the end, I couldn’t hold back any longer. I’m so damn glad I did because now I know that she loves me too.
I covertly pinch myself.Yep, this is real. I’m not dreaming.
I start grinning from ear to ear.
Gemma’s eyes become hooded and sultry. “Now that we’ve declared our love for one another and gotten that out of the way, I think it’s time for us to make our way back to the ship and to a bedroom. Stat.”
We race arm in arm back to the Sleigh Belle.
CHAPTER 17
Now that you’re settled into your relationship, you might be asking yourself—how do I keep the romance alive? That’s a good question and one you should think about!
Even the most committed relationships can become stale or stagnant over time. It’s easy to fall into a rut or simply settle into a routine with very little deviation. Variety is the spice of life, as they say, and it is crucial to keeping the romantic zest in your relationship zesty! Try to commit to regular date nights as a couple. Plan them around things that appeal to you both, and sometimes to your partner’s preferences. Show them you care and prioritize them and their happiness. Surprise gifts from time to time aren’t a bad option either, so long as they are in alignment with what your partner enjoys. You don’t have to break the intergalactic bank either. A meaningful handmade gift can hold more romantic value than an item from a store, or you can find time to do things with your partner that you both enjoy. Whether it be outdoors and adventurous or cozy and comforting, remember to always consider time, place, and needs.
Long story short, just because you’ve won each other’s hearts, doesn’t mean you don’t still need to work at keeping the romantic vibes grooving!
—Ch. 8,How to Flirt Among the Stars: An Intergalactic (and Interspecies) Sapphic Dating Guide
Gemma
Once Luna and I are back on the Sleigh Belle and in her quarters, the clothes start flying with gusto. We’re both riding high on the events of the day.
Who could have known so much would happen during a simple visit to an intergalactic theme park? But I’m not complaining. In my mind, everything that went down today was an important step toward building our future as a couple—and helping me determine how to pursue my passion as a doctor. The Quantum Tunnel of Love ride also gave both of us some profound insight into what we want. Family’s deeply important to us, and I’m already bound and determined to help make her dream of reconnecting with hers and gaining their acceptance a reality. But far more moving still was that final shared dream that gave me a vision of what being with Luna decades from now might look like.
It wasn’t anything elaborate or spectacular—but somehow, it was exactly what I want. That cozy picture kindled a deep yearning in the very core of my being. It reminded me of the love my grandparents shared. They were together for over fifty years, and to this day are still the happiest couple I’ve ever known. That’s not to say they didn’t have their share of ups and downs and issues they had to work through, but the fact that theytriumphed over those potholes in the road of life and came out better and stronger on the other side was always inspiring.
Their commitment was rock solid, and they never strayed from the promises they made. Thus, it came as no surprise to Felix and me when they passed within a few months of one another—as if they couldn’t bear to be apart, even in death.
When I was younger, I often fantasized about having a relationship like theirs, but as I got older and experienced the realities of dating, I quickly became disillusioned and settled for what I could have. I admit, those relationship failures weren’t entirely the fault of the women I dated. None of them ever inspired me to go all in with them either. I always held a part of myself back, instinctively knowing none of them were the one for me. In my heart of hearts, I was holding out for a love that could stand the test of time like Nana and Gramps’.
Then Luna burst into my life like a green-tentacled tornado, upending my whole world and causing me to dare to dream once more. Yet I still held a part of myself back, not fully able to believe that the proverbial shoe on the other foot might not drop at some moment and obliterate my poor, foolish heart.
But over the weeks we messaged with one another, and then after we finally met in person, those jaded doubts began to disappear one by one until I was able to believe in what Luna and I could become. So when she declared her love for me and practically proposed in such an adorable, earnest outburst, complete with excitable tentacled gesticulations, the last flimsy barrier around my heart dissolved, and I was swept up in a tidal wave of emotions I’d been barely keeping at bay.
The deluge was overwhelming, but also pretty damn blissful. I couldn’t deceive myself any longer that I’m as much in love with Luna as she is with me.
In a heated frenzy of passion, we tumble onto her bed together, desperately touching every inch of each other’s bodiesas if to confirm that we’re real. That what happened in the tunnel wasn’t a dream.
“Galactic gods, I love the way you feel in my arms,” Luna groans.
“You stole my line,” I chuckle.
