I can’t help but smile.
“And someone else admitted he loved dancing with me simply to make you angry. Why would it make you angry to see me dance with him?”
My fangs immediately elongate. “I don’t like anyone else touching you but me,” I growl. “The other crews need to stay away.”
She takes a step back.
The scent of fear permeates the air, which is wrong. My future mate must never be frightened of me. I decide to tell her the truth of the situation. “Female, I suspect you might be my future Bride. This is causing me to behave in ways that aren’t normal for me.”
“Oh wow.” She’s quiet for a moment, then looks up at me again. “Your sister-in-law, Leah, said you and I might be right for each other.” She looks away, takes a deep breath and looks back at me. “But I don’t want to make a mistake and become close to someone who won’t treat me with kindness andrespect. Especially since,”—she waves a hand up and down at me—“you’re so big and powerful compared to me. This becomes more important.”
I clench my jaw and give a curt nod of understanding. “You are a human who needs to be choosy for her own physical safety. But understand that I am the leader of my crew, which means I am responsible for our work performance and our business ethics. You are safe with me as your protector.”
An eyebrow crooks over her mask. “I don’t necessarily need a protector. I may look small compared to your species, but this does not mean that I’m weak in any way. All I need is a boyfriend who will speak to me and treat me, and others, with respect. This is what I will need from you, and what I’ve been worried you can’t give, which is why I’ve been avoiding you.”
The more time I spend with this female, the more I like her. I respect the fact that she’s telling me what she expects up front. There will be no misunderstandings between us because she will always state what she wants and of course I will do my best to comply.
The delicate scent of her arousal continues to waft in the air. Other species pleasure mate, which the Xylan consider odd and slightly disgusting behavior, but it is common. All Xylan learn to accept that indications of desire might happen from other beings in the four sectors they speak to, work with, or befriend. We always ignore these odd signals and carry on as usual. But this time I remain thrilled and honored that this gorgeous human wants to pleasure mate with me.
Her lips are plump and tempting.
For the first time in my life, I wish I could comply.
“Give me another chance,” I request. “For too long tonight I stood by the side, just watching, stunned and in fact a little scared to approach a female that affected me so greatly. Let me convince you with my words and actions that we can make sensetogether. We can spend time together and you will understand that I am not anything like your first impression.”
My female visibly softens and nods in agreement. She takes a step closer. “It’s true that the actions I saw earlier, and the conversation I overhead from those females could be easily misunderstood or untrue. And to be truthful, I can touch other Xylan to dance, but I really have wished to dance with you all night. I’d like to get to know you better to see if there’s something more there.”
“Let’s start over,” I announce.
“Yes,” she grins, looking more beautiful than before. “I would like to start fresh too.”
“Good.” I gesture toward the edge of the dance floor where a few empty tables remain. “Would you like to sit? Or would you prefer to stand here and let every unmated male on Timbur continue to gawk at you?”
She laughs. “Are they gawking?”
“They haven’t stopped all evening.” A growl slips out before I can stop it. “It’s been... difficult.”
“Difficult for you?” She tilts her head. “You poor thing. Having to watch me enjoy myself.”
I find myself smiling. This female has spirit. “You’re mocking me.”
“A little.” She shrugs. “You deserve it. You’ve been standing in corners looking broody and intense for hours. Very dramatic.”
“I was not being dramatic. I was strategizing.”
“Strategizing?” She draws out the word. “Is that what the fever brothers call sulking?”
My fangs flash in a grin. “We don’t sulk. We assess.”
“Mmhmm.” She doesn’t look convinced, but at least she’s smiling now. “Fine. Let’s sit. My feet are killing me anyway. I’ve danced with half the planet tonight.”
I lead her to a small table near one of the glowing crystal formations embedded in the cavern wall. The ambient light catches the angles of her face, illuminating the curve of her cheek, the fullness of her lips. She’s exquisite.
A server passes and I snag two drinks, a water for me and another flute of the bubbly alcohol she seems to enjoy for her.
“You noticed what I was drinking?” She accepts the glass with raised eyebrows.
“I told you. I’ve been watching.”
