“We—um—haven’t had sex yet,” Beks told her, voice lowered.
“My, my,” Kate started, astonishment coloring her tone.“Beks Bridgett…I’ve never seen you actshyabout sex before.This is a first.”
Beks rolled her eyes.“I’m being serious.We haven’t.I’m a little nervous about it to be honest.”
“Don’t be,” Kate said, eyes twinkling.“Seriously.After you…ahem…adjust to his size, you won’t want to let him out of bed for a week or two or three.Luxirian penises?Game changers.”
“Oh my God,” Beks breathed, her lips twitching.“You didnotjust say that.”
Kate flashed her a secretive smile and then continued with, “But be careful.Luxirians are potent, if you know what I mean.I’m pretty sure Vaxa’an got me pregnant that very first time.”
“Oh,” Beks murmured, looking down at their hands.She remembered the conversation with Lihvan, the longing on his face when he talked of children, of family.She smiled softly.“I don’t think I’d mind.”
“Okay, who are you and what did you do with my best friend?” Kate demanded.
“I mean, obviously I’d like to have Lihvan to myself a little while longer, to carve out a place for myself here and get settled.But if it happens, it happens.I know he’d be a great father.”
“Jeeze, you have it bad, don’t you?” Kate teased, shaking her head.“My best friend is in love and talking about babies.I’d never thought I’d see this day.”
“Hell, me neither.”
TWENTY
Their span was busier than Lihvan expected.
It frustrated him slightly, considering all he wanted to do was get his female back to his dwelling, where he could have her all to himself.
The span had other plans for them, however.
They spent all of the morning and early afternoon at Vaxa’an’s dwelling, giving Beks and Kate time to reconnect, and giving him and the Prime Leader an opportunity to discuss what had happened after the infiltration of the Pit.
Lihvan learned that all the females safely reached Luxiria and that one even wanted to stay on their planet, which surprised him.They currently only possessed a single Luxirian crystal that could power a vessel to the Fourth Quadrant—to Earth—and it would be used the next span.They didn’t know when they’d be able to mine another that equaled its strength.
“Why?” Lihvan couldn’t help but question.“She does not wish to return home?”
“Privanax says that she is sick,” Vaxa’an said.“Earth medicine cannot cure her, but ours can.They have already begun her treatments, but it will take some time.”
Quietly, Lihvan asked, “Then why not delay the vessel until she is fully recovered?”
His mind started racing.It would give him time…time to convince Beks to stay with him.He could show herKroratax, show her all the places he loved best about Luxiria.Thepossibilityof it prepared him to beg his friend.
Vaxa’an studied him and then slowly said, “You would wish this?”
Lihvan’s breath hitched and then he admitted, “Beks is…she has not told me she will stay.”
“Cruxan told me you called her yourluxiva.”
“She is,” Lihvan said, his chest puffing with pride.“If the vessel was delayed, I could perhaps convince her that I am hers as well.But while selfishly motivated, it would at least give the other female a chance to decide her own fate once she is cured, even if it meant the others would need to wait longer.”
Vaxa’an blew out a sharp breath.“I will bring it up to the council later this span.I will see if I can motion for it to be delayed.”
Suddenly, hope burned even brighter and he inclined his head, “Thank you, my brother.”
“You deserve her, Lihvan,” Vaxa’an told him.“I always wished this for you.I will do what I can.”
Relief made his hands shake and he clenched them into fists.There was no doubt in his mind that if Vaxa’an wished for something to be done, it would be, council vote aside.
To distract himself, he murmured, “Where are the females now?”
