“That’s perfectly understandable, and what I predicted,” Nirblob says. “You’ll make your grand reveal tonight, and then you’ll be able to move freely around the convention as yourself on the last day if you wish. We’ll be keeping some security on hand so they can monitor the situation in case anyone gets out of hand. But Tentacular Tales Con fans are good people, as you Earthlings like to say.”
I lean down from Kai’s arms and shake my friend’s hand. “Thank you for doing all of this. If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were one of the event organizers.”
“Ah, about that,” Nirblob says, his voice full of chagrin. “I actually am one of the organizers.”
My mouth drops open. “Shut the front door.”
“Given our context, you should really sayShut the spaceship door,” Nirblob offers with a chortle.
“I’m not mad or anything, but why didn’t you tell me?”
He shrugs. “You had a lot on your mind, and I didn’t want to trouble you with such inconsequential details.”
“I’d hardly call it inconsequential, man. It’s super fucking cool.”
“I did tell you when we met that I’m one of your biggest fans. This really shouldn’t come as any surprise.”
“He’s got a point there,” Kai interjects dryly.
I shake an admonishing finger at Nirblob. “This is something we’ll have to talk about later, because I totally want to get in on the action for a future Tentacular Tales Con and help plan some of the events.”
Kai face-palms. “Of course you do.”
Nirblob does a little twirl on his roller skates and chortles again. “How wonderful! Together we can make Tentacular Tales Con legendary!”
I turn to Kai. “We’ll be legendary. Did you hear that?”
“All too clearly, my dear.”
“I’m afraid I must leave to moderate the next panel. See you both this evening,” Nirblob says with a wave as he skates away.
Kai and I head back to our suite, where I tug his shirt to pull him closer.
“Have I told you lately how much I fucking love you?”
He gives me a lopsided grin. “It’s been a few hours, but I don’t mind hearing it anytime you want to tell me.”
I chuckle. Kai’s sense of humor can be on the bone-dry side, but I find it adorable.
He tugs at the wig on my head. “Please tell me I can take off this wig and mustache. I much prefer your gorgeous blond curls.”
I toss the fake hair pieces aside with a flourish and shake out my own smooshed and sweaty curls. “There you go. Au naturel, baby!”
“Much better,” he growls, running his fingers through my hair, a possessive glint in his eyes.
“How long do we have before the signing?” I ask breathlessly. I’m definitely having some bow-chicka-wow-wow honeymoon vibes at the moment.
“A couple of hours,” Kai says with a knowing smirk.
Hell yeah. He’s totally in the mood too.
I leer at him. “Plenty of time for us to indulge in some newlywed sexy times.”
He doesn’t waste a moment picking me up and carrying me over to our bed. In an instant, our clothes have flown off and we’re gloriously naked and pressed against one another. My heart flutters a little at the sight of the matching cuffs on our wrists.
“Thank you, again, for these,” I whisper. “I’ll treasure mine for the rest of my life, and I’ll tell our kids the romantic story of how these special amulets found us. Even when they become teenagers and they think it’s annoying and gross, I won’t stop telling them that story!”
Kai barks out a laugh. “I have no doubt. What I can’t wait to discover is whether any of our kids can get the best of you in a debate. Few can.”
