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“Well, that’s a tough one. We would need a full anatomical model of a dinosaur to be certain of that. Many species do not experience pleasure during sex. It’s simply a means to an end, a way to further the genetic material and produce offspring.”

“They didn’t enjoy mating?” Elias wished he could shut up. He locked his gaze with Hayley’s. He didn’t want her to stop paying him attention.

Her smile was indulgent, but Elias thought he saw a shiver of annoyance cross her face. Maybe it was him; she didn’t like him and found his questions ridiculous. He knew he did. Or could it be something else? Could Hayley hate sex as much as he did and find just talking about it unpleasant? He knew she worked at My Single Alien, so she must know a lot about mating behaviors and could have been freaked out by the sexual proclivities of aliens. Not that he’d been stalking her but had wandered past an open office door one day and seen her in there.

Hayley walked backward and forward across the stage as she pondered his question. “I’m going to posit they didn’t gain pleasure, not in the way humans do or many aliens. In fact, the pleasurable reactions we get when we mate evolved as an adaptive way to demonstrate the fitness of your partner. By that, I mean, if you find a partner who gives you intense amounts of pleasure when you are intimate, you are more likely to return to him again and again. Therefore, his genetic material is likely to be passed on to future generations.”

“You’re looking for horny guys who are good at giving you orgasms,” an audience member shouted out.

Hayley smiled and shrugged. “It’s that simple.”

There was more laughter. Elias admired the way Hayley handled the crowd.

“It is a fascinating topic. I’d be happy to expand on these points in another session. I think that’s all we’ve got time for tonight.” Hayley glanced to the side of the stage.

Elias hunched in his seat, a feeling of failure hitting him in the gut. He’d come here because he wanted to listen to Hayley talk, but it was more than that. He wanted to get to know her better. He couldn’t deny he liked her. A part of him knew he should feel relieved she hadn’t focused on him for too long, but his sense of annoyance took over. He liked this human female. He shouldn’t let his experience hinder him from getting to know her. Things could be different. If they were intimate, he might survive the experience.

“Let’s give Hayley a big thank you for her fascinating and, might I say, extremely stimulating talk about dinosaurs.” Neim nodded to Hayley as everyone in the room clapped their appreciation again.

She smiled, and an attractive flush crossed her cheeks.

Elias watched her for a moment as everyone got up to leave. He was thinking like an idiot. He’d made his decision over a year ago when he’d left his home planet and moved to Prodigy. Or rather, he’d fled to the safety of Prodigy. He liked his life here. He had a good job as an engineer doing repairs and maintenance on the ships docking at the station. He had friends, his life was comfortable, and everything felt settled. He couldn’t disrupt that now. He had too much to lose if he drew attention to himself.

He realized the room was almost empty, so he jumped from his seat and strode to the door. Elias stopped in his tracks as the door slid open.

Hayley was waiting outside.

Chapter 3

Hayley was surprised by how nervous she felt as she waited for Elias to leave the auditorium. She should leave him to his skepticism when it came to dinosaurs. He always challenged her at these talks. She didn’t mind that but was determined to prove she was right. She was determined to convert him into being as fanatical about dinosaurs as she was.

She shouldn’t feel nervous about waiting for Elias. They knew each other, but she wanted to know more about him. Only as a friend, though. She wasn’t looking for anything else.

He stood staring at her, his eyes wide and his mouth open in obvious surprise. Hayley’s gut clenched. She’d made a mistake. Perhaps Elias found her confrontational style annoying and didn’t want to spend any more time with her.

She cleared her throat as she glanced along the corridor. “I was wondering, if you’re not busy this evening, we can continue our conversation about dinosaurs.”

Elias’s intense dark eyes brightened a fraction as he stepped closer. Hayley had to crane her head to look at him. She hadn’t realized quite how tall he was until he was this close.

When he didn’t speak, she raised her eyebrows. “It’s just a suggestion. You seem interested in the topic, but I get the impression you’re not a big believer in Earth’s dinosaurs.”

Elias pulled back his shoulders and sucked in a breath. “I wouldn’t say that. Your talks are compelling, but you make bold claims when you don’t have a lot of evidence. I’m not certain these creatures’ remains should be saved for posterity. Humans have more pressing matters.”

She raised a hand as if to place it on his chest but then pulled back. “Of course, that’s not what I mean. It’s an absolute top priority we get Earth stable and everyone off who needs to leave. But I think history and prehistory shouldn’t be ignored because of that. Humans are a tiny blip on planet Earth. We’ve done a phenomenally terrible job of messing up everything for any future creatures who want to live there. Dinosaurs were around for a long time. They deserve to be remembered. I am going to remember them.”

The trace of a smile tracked across Elias’s face. She always liked it when he smiled. He seemed to do it without being aware of it. Normally, his mouth was set in a mild frown, as if whatever she said, he didn’t agree with. His smile changed that, making him look warm and approachable.

“I admire your passion for this cause. Not many people get excited about old bones.”

“They are so much more than old bones.” Hayley shuffled her feet and looked at the ground. This wasn’t the only reason she wanted to talk to Elias. She had a selfish motive to get to know him. It had nothing to do with those gorgeous eyes that blinked solemnly at her.

Elias tilted his head as if sensing there was something else she wanted. “Go on. What may I help you with?”

She let out a sigh. “I’m really new here. I’ve been on the station a couple of months and am finding it a bit of a head spin.”

Elias touched the translator in the side of his neck. “You feel dizzy? Have you been to see a doctor?”

She grinned. “No, not a literal head spin. What I mean is there’s so much to learn. It’s not just adjusting to life in space that has its weird moments. It’s also my job as a matchmaker.”