Polly raised an eyebrow. “Sounds like an intergalactic soap opera in the making.”
Erzo couldn’t help but smile despite the mess. “Polly, I should’ve been more upfront about all this.”
“You think?” Polly’s tone was dry, but the fear had completely vanished from her eyes. “I would think, from as serious as this sounds, it would be a big deal if the clans don’t combine.”
“It’s been ages since I last set foot on Charrovik and got the lowdown on the clan business. But as far as I remember, both our clans were doing just fine. They definitely don’t need me. This whole merging thing? It’s a fancy formality that needs the contract broken,” Erzo explained, aiming for clarity in the tangled web he’d created.
“So, just to clarify,” Polly began, her voice laced with a heavy dose of irony. “If you do the horizontal mambo with me, you get a free pass from mating with Breal? And she’s like family to you? That’s the whole drama behind your big ‘nope’ to going home?”
“Until you and I are officially mated in the galactic records, I’m steering clear of Charrovik,” Erzo explained, motioning between them. There were reasons aplenty for that, and not all of them were about avoiding his so-called destined bride.
He needed Polly to agree to this cosmic coupling. As for what happened post-vows, he was open to haggling the terms of their relationship. After all, that’s what Charro did.
They negotiated.
“So, what’s my part in this? Just put my John Hancock on some contract?” Polly asked, her eyes narrowing slightly.
“A digital agreement,” Erzo clarified.
Polly’s demeanor shifted, her eyes sharpening like she was sizing up a bargain. “Okay, Mr. Alien Romeo, what’s in it for me? Besides your charming self, of course.”
Erzo raised an eyebrow. “What’s your price?”
Polly leaned back, a sly grin playing on her lips. “Well, let’s see…”
Erzo couldn’t help but think Polly might have a bit of Charro bargaining spirit in her after all.
19
The way Erzo looked at her, Polly wondered if she should continue this bravado. Emotionally, she felt shredded. Everything was moving too fast, leaving her to wonder if it was all even worth the chaos.
Maybe she should pack up, find Re-lee and Addy, and head back to Earth. Erzo seemed interested only in filling a vacancy with her presence, nothing more. Despite their time together, his frequent absences—likely to talk to Breal—only added to her doubts.
Past relationships had taught Polly to be wary of men's excuses. Was Erzo just another in a long line of deceivers? He had admitted their union was more about convenience than love. So why her? Why did the Intergalactic Dating Agency pluck her from Earth? What made her so special in their eyes?
As she observed Erzo, she couldn't deny his physical appeal. His broad shoulders and muscular build were undeniably attractive, even in his simple white shirt and overalls. Yet Polly wrestled with the bigger question—could she trust him? Really trust him?
Determined to get to the bottom of it, Polly realized this was her moment to negotiate. "I need the whole truth, Erzo. No more half-truths or evasions. I'm already out of my element here. Don't make it worse by keeping me in the dark."
Erzo nodded. "Agreed. And in return?"
Polly squared her shoulders, a determined glint in her eyes. "I'll be your mate for the next thirty days. That's your window to sort things out with your clan. After that, I'm heading back to Earth."
His gaze lingered on her. "And if you change your mind?"
She met his stare firmly. "Trust me, I won't."
There was a charged silence between them. For a moment, Polly thought he might lean in to seal their agreement with a kiss, stirring a flutter in her heart.
His lips curled into a half-smile, his eyes softening just enough to make her wonder. The air between them crackled with a tension that spoke of more than just a business deal.
"How do we finalize this arrangement?" Erzo's voice dropped to a husky timbre, sending a shiver down her spine.
Polly extended her hand, steadying her racing heart. "With a handshake."
Erzo, amused yet intrigued, replicated her gesture and clasped her hand. His larger hand enveloped hers, radiating warmth.
"Like this," she instructed, exaggerating the motion of their handshake to lighten the mood.
