“That’s completely different. Trinh is a much nicer name than Xuan.”
L’Corte just raises his eyebrows at me skeptically.
Someone knocks on my door and loudly calls out that I need to ‘get off L’Corte’s dick and start getting ready’.
“I’d better go then,” L’Corte says, but instead of turning and heading out, he gently tips my chin up and stares into my eyes. “I love you, Trinh. You make me so happy. Are you sure you want to do this today? I know I sprung all of this on you, but I thought you’d like the surprise.”
“I love the surprise. You make me so happy too. Happier than I thought I could ever be. So yes. I want to marry you. Today,” I tell L’Corte, making sure he sees how much I mean every word.
As we linger, holding hands, I can feel him stroking the ring on my finger. Like he just wants to make sure it’s still there.
“You think you can stay out of trouble for a few hours until the ceremony?” L’Corte teases.
“I make no promises,” I snark, making him press a laughing kiss on my lips.
“I’ll see you soon,” he says with the sweetest, happiest look on his face. He leaves me with a sappy grin on my face that I can’t seem to wipe off. He gives me one last longing look before exiting my room. He’s prickly, regimented, and stoic as hell. And all mine.
Chapter 17
L’Corte
Waiting in the small line at the food replicator, I look around the reception hall. I can’t help the sense of pride welling inside me. Almost the entire population of the ship, except for a skeleton crew, is in attendance. I look around as our people laugh, eat, dance, and socialize. My mate somehow knew. She knew that with the looming fear and uncertainty of war, our people needed a reason to celebrate. And she knew that a large number of couples would pair up and mate.
We have tomorrow to recover and finish the last preparations for departure. I haven’t confided in anyone, but I am intimidated to be in charge. I hope I am up to the challenge of taking care of the remainder of our fleet while the chancellor and most of our command council are gone. But with Trinh at my side, I know we can accomplish anything.
Glancing around the reception hall, I am still amazed at the number of brides peppered throughout the room. I think back to the moment when the full magnitude of the number of matings truly hit me. I was standing on my dais in the ceremony chamber with all the other newly mated males, waiting impatiently for Trinh to enter the room. Bride after bride, each in a unique, beautiful dress, had entered the room until the back of the chamber looked like a rising wave of white shimmering froth. At the sound of a bell, each woman started toward their mate. Trinh looked like a goddess emerging from a turbulent ocean, stepping forward towards me. Each bride had separated and slowly made their way to their intended male, but they were on the periphery of my sight. My entire focus was centered on my beautiful bride.
I missed most of the words Chancellor L’Forn had spoken over the ceremony. My entire focus was centered on my mate. On her alluring dark eyes. On her small secretive smile just for me. On her delicate hands as they closed the metallic mating cuffs around my wrists. On her soft lips as the chancellor told us to kiss our brides.
When I get to the front of the line, I shake myself out of my memories, and get a glass of champagne and a slice of cake to share with Trinh. When I asked her about the human tradition of smashing cake in each other’s faces, she warned me she would happily gut me if I ruined her makeup with that stunt. I am glad not to participate in the strange tradition.
Turning with a plate in one hand and a champagne flute in the other, I look for Trinh. I spot her talking and laughing with her friends across the room.
My mate. My beautiful wife.
I just want to whisk her back to our quarters and peel her out of her stunning dress. I plan to have her in only her heels before this night is over. I’m ready to skip the cake and leave now. Catching me looking at her, Trinh must sense what I am feeling.
Looking away from me, Trinh says something to her friends and then heads across the floor to where I wait for her. When she gets to me, she pulls the flute from my fingers, smirking at me over the rim. She knows exactly what she does to me.
“You know, we could enjoy this back in our quarters. I have heard that cake is more delicious in bed,” I suggest.
“Is that so?”
“It’s what I’ve been told,” I inform her, trying to look informed and scholarly, but my grin ruins the effect.
“Only one way to be sure,” Trinh says, picking up the fork off the plate and taking a small bite. Forking up another mouthful, she offers it to me. “We’re going to need to compare. Just to make sure.”
A few minutes later, the cake and champagne are left forgotten on my nightstand.
Dozens of tiny white buttons along the length of Trinh’s back are keeping me from my prize. I make a slow, methodical trail down my mate’s back, unfastening button after button. When I release the last one, I part the soft white material and press a kiss on the butter-soft skin of her nape.
Helping her step out of her dress, I carefully drape the delicate gown on a chair. When I turn back, my glorious mate is standing, with her hip cocked out and a hand propped on her waist, in nothing except her sparkling footwear. Just how I envisioned her.
I strip my uniform off as quickly as possible, tossing the offending clothes over my shoulder in a mad rush, making Trinh laugh breathlessly.
When I am completely naked, she strides slowly towards me, standing at the foot of our bed. I feel like I am in the presence of a goddess, dumbstruck.
When she stops in front of me, I start to reach for her but she presses a hand against my breastbone. She gives me a firm shove, and I fall in a sprawl across our mattress.
