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Chapter 8
Talyn saw tiny crystals of tears trapped in Sinead’s long lashes as she stared up at him.
He was struggling to breathe, let alone form a coherent sentence and explain what he wanted from her. Sinead’s touch was amazing. He felt free after so many years of struggling for control, so many years of fighting the emotions warring inside him. Emotions that didn’t even belong to him.
“Talyn,” Sinead said. “How can we sort this out?”
He sucked in a breath and forced himself not to think about that kiss or the way Sinead’s mouth had calmed his raging mind. He knew for certain he couldn’t lose her.
“We stay together.”
Sinead jerked back in her seat, and more tears filled her eyes. “We can’t do that. I can’t date clients, and I can’t be your mate.”
He stroked a hand down her silky hair, wanting to draw her to him and forget his worries again. “We help each other.”
“That’s not the point.” Her breath shot out in a rasp as her gaze darted around the room. “I’ll lose everything.”
“You’ll gain me. You get to experience the calm I offer you whenever you desire it, and I get the peace you give me. It’s perfect.”
Sinead’s sigh came out shaky. “This is more complicated than you realize. It’s more than the two of us. I have a life here. I won’t give it up because I mistakenly signed on the dotted line.”
“Listen to my solution before you make any decision. Technically, I’m not a client of My Single Alien. If you haven’t filed the online form, no one needs to know I signed it.”
Sinead’s eyes widened. “I haven’t. Nobody but the two of us knows you’ve signed up.”
“Then the problem is solved. You destroy that form, and I never become a client. You’ve broken no rules, so your boss has nothing to complain about.”
Sinead rubbed her forehead with her fingers. “It will get Diadora off my back, but she won’t be happy I lost us a client.”
“But you get to keep your job. And, if she does complain, I’ll make an excuse about it not being the right time for me to find a mate. I won’t involve you.”
“Talyn, that’s not the only issue. We can’t be mates.” Sinead licked her lips and refused to meet his gaze. “It’s too much.”
Talyn didn’t want to spook Sinead, but he had to get her to understand. “When we kissed, I felt something. Or rather, I didn’t. The noise in my head vanished. I felt happy.” He reached for her hand, but she shied away. “How did you feel?”
“You know how I felt. You’re an amazing kisser. Your touch soothes me.” Sinead chewed on the side of her thumbnail before yanking it out of her mouth. “I don’t know. This is a huge thing. I’m not a settling type of woman. I have to have my freedom.”
“I’m not forcing you to stop living your life. We take this as slowly as you like. You’re a stranger to me, as well.”
She tilted her head. “How long do Lillips spend getting to know each other before they sign the contract?”
“It’s a fast process. It’s made easy because we read each other’s feelings. It’s simple to assess desires and reservations. You’ll know soon enough if a potential mate wants to progress. If they don’t, you move on. The partnership is confirmed in a matter of weeks.”
“Weeks! I have friends who’ve dated the same guy for ten years before they married.”
Talyn shrugged. “It’s hard to lie to a Lillip. It’s almost impossible to mask our true feelings.”
Sinead’s gaze grew increasingly concerned. “I hate lying. I’d never intentionally lie to you.”
“You’d unintentionally lie?”
She pursed her full lips. “Sometimes, I don’t know my own mind. There’s so much going on in there that I’m saying things and thinking things without realizing what’s going on.”
He chuckled. “I know that feeling too well. We’re not so different.”
“It’s not our differences I’m concerned about,” Sinead said.
Talyn reached for her hand again. This time, she didn’t draw back. “I won’t say a word to your boss. You won’t get in trouble because of me.”
