by Allie Ritch
“You’re better than my alarm,” Pixie teased him.
Zeo chuckled. “Come. I will feed you.”
To his surprise, she scrunched up her face at him. “You’re always feeding me. My mom does the same thing, only she says it’s because I’m too skinny.”
Growling, Zeo pulled her against his throbbing cock and squeezed her smoothly rounded behind. “I do not think you’re too skinny.” He nipped her chin. “Your body is perfect as it is. I only feed you to keep you healthy.”
It also satisfied something primal in him to provide for his mate, to prove that he could take care of her.
“What makes you think I can’t get my own food?” she asked.
Impossibly, Zeo’s erection stiffened even further. This was the first time she’d challenged him, and he liked that she dared to question him. It meant he didn’t frighten her anymore.
“Perhaps I worry you’ll forget. When you lose yourself in your art, you do not always remember to take a meal.” It was just a guess, but he felt sure he was right.
She confirmed his suspicions. “How do you know that?”
“I know you.”
Reluctantly letting her slip out of his arms, Zeo watched as she pulled on a pink, fluffy robe. The silly garment should have made her look girlish, but instead it turned her into something edible. He had a tough time wrangling his hard-on into his jeans.
A few minutes later, they settled in her tiny kitchen.
“Zeo,” she said after several minutes. “I think we need to talk about some things before we get married on Tuesday.”
He instantly stilled. Was she having second thoughts?
Instead of meeting his eye, Pixie fiddled with her plate. “Do you want kids?”
His breath rushed out of him in relief. So this was what she wanted to discuss.
“Yes, I want lots of children with you.” Zeo was sure she’d make a wonderful mother, and he’d always wanted offspring.
“I was thinking maybe a couple.” She audibly swallowed. “And I don’t want to have any for several years. I’m still young and figuring out who I am, and we need to learn how to live together just the two of us first.”
Zeo thought about it. Since he was one of two children, he really couldn’t argue against limiting their progeny, especially if they had one of each, a boy and a girl. If they didn’t manage that on the first batch, they could always discuss having more kids until they had both genders. As for the waiting, he agreed with her reasoning. Although Nimanians typically started trying to have a family immediately after their mating ceremony, he liked the idea of having her all to himself for a while.
“Okay,” he agreed.
He could see she was relieved.
“So, after the wedding—the mating ceremony—will we…?” She left her question unspoken.
Thanks to Quinn’s advice, Zeo knew what she must be getting at. “We will take the honeymoon.” He’d grown to like the alien concept. “I have the whole week off. Where do you want to vacation?”
She finally lifted her head and stared straight at him. “A honeymoon? We’re going on a honeymoon? And I get to pick where we go?”
“It is a New Earthling tradition. I’ll go where you do.”
The joy that dawned on her face made him feel ten feet tall. He may not understand all of her ways, but he’d definitely done the right thing.
“You’re going to think I’m weird,” she said, but she sounded excited. “I’ve always wanted to stay at one of those cute little B&B’s way outside the city. Can we do that?”
“Yes.” In that moment, he would have agreed to anything to keep her happy. As it was, he liked the idea of getting out of the city. “Choose the one you want, and I will make the arrangements.”
Zeo nearly tipped over in his chair when she launched herself into his arms. Stunned by her sudden assault, he sat there like an idiot while she rained kisses over his face. Before he could regroup enough to kiss her back, she let go and reclaimed her seat.
“This is so amazing. I can’t believe this is really happening to me.” She drew a deep breath and visibly calmed herself. “I hadn’t even thought of a honeymoon, though. What I wanted to ask you was where will we live?”
Feeling like he was on a bumpy ride, Zeo scowled in confusion. He’d shown Pixie his living quarters when she’d come to dine with his family. There was more than enough space there for her, and they could move into a larger family unit when they had children. Pixie could even have a studio to work in. He’d learned she’d been sneaking up to the rooftop of her apartment building to work on her art.
“My home is adequate,” he pointed out.
He watched her nibble her bottom lip. That nervous gesture usually preceded her saying something she thought would cause trouble.
“Your place is fine,” she told him. “It’s just … well, all your family is there. I don’t think I could deal with them being right on top of me like that day in and day out.”
Ah, so she doubted herself. She thought she couldn’t handle his fellow Nimanians.
“They are not allowed in my personal territory without permission,” he assured her. “You will not have to worry about unannounced intrusions. As long as you stand up for yourself, the members of my community will respect you.”
“Not all of them.” She wrung her hands together. “Zeo, I can’t do it. I know your family means a lot to you, and I’d never try to ruin that. We can live close to them. I just don’t want to live with them. The main reason I left my parents’ home was so I could be my own person instead of struggling to assert myself all the time.”
Which was exactly what she’d have to do in his community. His argument with Leoni had reminded Zeo of this fact quite recently. Nimanians were fierce, loving, and loyal, but they were rarely easy. Still, he’d never considered leaving his people. Where would he and Pixie go?
“You want to live here?” The question came out as a growl and made Zeo sick to his stomach.
Her apartment was fine for short visits, but he’d go mad if he had to stay here long term. There was no greenery, no life. He’d feel like he was in a cage.
“Maybe we could find a new place,” she suggested. “One we both like.”
That had … potential. Zeo still hadn’t fully absorbed the idea of living outside his community. If he could share a comfortable living space with Pixie, though, then he knew he could adapt. For her, he’d accept a lot.
“We can look for a place.” It wasn’t like he wouldn’t still see his family at work every day.
The tender look she gave him warmed him from the inside out even as it worried him. He wondered if she’d ever realize how much power she wielded over him.
* * * *
Pixie was relieved she and Zeo had hashed things out. For the rest of the day, though, she felt bad about asking him to leave his community. Although she stood by her decision, she decided she’d move in with him until they found their own place. Her apartment was too tiny for the two of them, and she was living on a month to month now anyway.
Fortunately, she didn’t have to worry about moving just yet. After scrolling through several onscreen promotional videos, she found the B&B of her dreams. It looked cozy and sunny and was as rural as Trilanta got. She told Zeo about it and left him to make their reservations. Since this was the off-season for tourism, she didn’t anticipate any problems.
No sooner had that decision been made than Xindra called her. Pixie had come to regard her instructor as a friend despite their age and personality differences. She was touched when the Allurian woman invited her to go dress shopping with her and Katra’Ruma, Spri, and Benni. Considering she just barely had two days to find something, the timing was perfect.
Contrary to what her mom hoped, Pixie had no intention of wearing her cousin’s wedding gown. Tabby was twice her size, and that dress was a beaded monstrosity. No, if she was going to go through with this mating ceremony—which was crazier than flying to an orbiting casino to ge
t hitched—then she’d choose her own dress, thank you very much. When she and Zeo got back from their honeymoon, she’d let her mom plan their whole reception to make it up to her.
“This one matches your ring,” Katra’Ruma remarked. She held up a colorfully patterned skirt.
“Oh … uh … it has to be white.” Pixie had preserved the right to the color, and she planned to wear it with pride.
“It’s symbolic,” Xindra explained.
“Hmm.” The Duosien woman put the skirt back.
Spri patted Pixie’s shoulder. “We’re honored to be a part of your ceremony. Don’t worry. We’ll find something you really like.”
“I wonder if we’re going about this the wrong way,” Benni said.
“What do you mean?”
“Well, you’re not only getting married in this outfit. You’re also going to have sex in it.”
Pixie’s cheeks burned, although she wasn’t nearly as embarrassed as she would have been before meeting Zeo. She just wished Benni would keep her voice down.
Xindra seemed to follow Benni’s train of thought. “It needs to be comfortable and provide easy access. Perhaps we should look at some sexy lingerie first.”
Katra’Ruma strode closer. “We could always add a detachable skirt. Something that can be easily removed.”
“That might—” Pixie swallowed. “That might work. I want it to be pretty, though. Nothing tacky or, um…”
“Slutty?” Benni’s eyes were twinkling.
Xindra laughed. “We’ll find something sweet and elegant. I know just the place.”
She led them down the street to another store, and minutes later Pixie was surrounded by frilly underthings. Some of them appeared fairly normal, but others she couldn’t even begin to figure out. What did you do with all those straps?
Walking farther between the racks, she searched for something white. Since most of the sexy pieces were done in skin tone, red, or black, color really narrowed down her options. Pixie plucked a few items off their perches and accepted half a dozen more from the other women. She stepped into the dressing room to try them on.
“I kind of like this one.” With a deep breath, she opened the door to show them. If she couldn’t bear to let the other women see her in it, then there was no hope for Tuesday night. “The lace is a little itchy, though.”
“If you feel that way now, it will be worse when you sweat.” Katra’Ruma’s tone was practical.
The other women nodded.
“The off-white one rode up, and the one with the corset was too tight.”
After ducking back into the dressing room, Pixie added a low-cut one-piece to the reject pile. She then discovered a couple of maybe’s before trying the very last one. The moment she put it on, she knew.
“This is it.” She opened the door.
Made of satiny white, the modest two-piece made her feel sensual. The sleeveless top was form-fitting without being restrictive, and it had just enough detail work to add some pizzazz. Finishing out the bottom, a boy short gave the whole thing a sporty flare, which was far more flattering on her than the high-cut briefs.
“May I?” Xindra asked.
Pixie nodded even though she wasn’t sure what she was agreeing to.
Xindra twirled her finger to get her to turn around, and then Pixie felt a tug at the bottom of her shorts. A touch of cool air followed. Reaching back with her hand, she discovered the cause.
“Oh.” She was back to turning red again.
“Open crotch seam,” Benni said. “Nice.”
“It’s perfect,” Xindra seconded.
Pixie knew they were right. She didn’t bother trying on anything else.
A couple hours later, she had a skirt tailored to match and was thanking the other women profusely. Growing up, she’d gotten used to her mom picking everything out for her and telling her what to wear. She’d never gone shopping with anyone else. Pixie had no idea it could be this much fun.
“And the fun isn’t over,” Benni announced.
Spri winked at her. “We know this is a cross-cultural mating, but we don’t want you to miss out on any of the New Earthling traditions.”
“We’d like to take you out on the town tomorrow night for a bachelorette party,” Xindra explained. “We’ll pick you up at seven.”
Tears stung Pixie’s eyes. She’d never been good at making friends. It was touching to have such remarkable women going out of their way to do this for her.
“Thank you.” She choked up. “You don’t know what this means.”
Benni laughed. “Yeah, I hear brides are supposed to get all emotional before the vows.” She gave Pixie’s shoulder a playful bump to show she was kidding.
Previously, Pixie had felt jealous of these women, each for different reasons. Now she felt blessed that their lives had intersected with hers.
* * * *
It was official: the other races were crazy. After an evening spent prowling the city’s nightspots, Zeo was pretty sure things were finally winding down. He and the other men had landed in some kind of bar with low lighting, a small stage, and crammed tables. Here he was, eating strange food and sipping something that made his throat burn all the way down. Whitt, the youngest of his classmates, was onstage singing along to bad music, while Glynn scowled at his drink and Quinn kept slapping Zeo’s back. Both Varion and Krux appeared amused by the whole thing.
“This is really a New Earthling tradition?” It was maybe the fourth time Zeo had asked that, but he felt sure they must be hazing him.
Varion laughed and morphed his features so that he could have been Quinn’s brother. “Would we lie to you?”
Quinn threw a peanut at the Multan, which caused him to shift to blond hair and golden skin.
“I’ve attended one of these before.” With his four arms, Krux was able to cross his arms and take a drink at the same time. “Just be glad they didn’t hire a naked female to handcuff you.”
Yes, they had all lost their minds.
“You nervous?” Krux asked him.
Pretending to misunderstand, Zeo returned a careless shrug. “I am not afraid of naked women with handcuffs.”
Krux chuckled. “Not about that. I mean tomorrow night.”
Zeo sobered as he thought about the mating ceremony to come. He looked forward to taking his mate—he was a full-blooded male, after all—but he was very conscious of the difficulties.
“My only fear is that I will hurt Pixie.”
“There’s no avoiding some of it,” Quinn pointed out. “It’s better that you both waited for someone you care about. Love can smooth over a lot.”
Krux agreed. “Keep your focus on pleasing your mate. We’ll help you leash your baser instincts.”
“I trust you.” Zeo said it with certainty, and it was the simple truth.
When asked if he’d hold on to Zeo and control his thrusts, Krux hadn’t so much as blinked. The Brachoi had accepted the responsibility with the confidence and control that seemed to define him. Quinn was calling Krux the “best man.” He was definitely a very good one.
Finally, blessedly, Whitt concluded his song and returned to their table to finish his drink. Moments later, a screechy girl took his place onstage, but Zeo and the guys were already heading for the door. With a few more congratulations—and more than a few ribald remarks—they parted ways.
Most of the men had work tomorrow morning, so it wasn’t terribly late. They’d also kept the drinking to a moderate level, although Zeo still felt a bit slow and fuzzy as he walked home. Perhaps the loud music had damaged his inner ear.
The sensation only cleared slightly by the time he passed through the front gates to his community and reached his door. Despite the aftereffects, Zeo wasn’t sorry he’d gone. His bachelor party had been fun in an absurd sort of way and was something he wouldn’t soon forget. In fact, now that he wasn’t having to listen to it, the memory of Whitt’s singing started to make him laugh. He had a sudden image of the tableau they al
l must have made at the bar.
Still chuckling softly, Zeo let himself in and almost missed the soft rustle beside him as the door clicked shut. That split second’s warning was all he got before the intruder clocked him in the chin. The blow cleared his head faster than anything else could have.
In the next instant, his assailant tackled him, and they went down in a tangle of limbs and swinging fists. Their momentum slid them across the slick floor until they landed in a pool of moonlight spilling through the window. Framed in the cold light was Ulistro’s snarling face.
*
“You girls are crazy.” With a final giggle, Pixie got out of the car and waved good-bye.
Arching her back out the window, Benni waved upside down as the vehicle pulled away from the curb. Pixie watched until the other woman disappeared around the corner and then headed up to her apartment.
“Oh. My. Gods.” Now that she was alone, Pixie couldn’t hold it in anymore.
Her face hurt from all her smiling and blushing, and her head was spinning. First Katra’Ruma had taken her and the other ladies to dinner at some chic restaurant where the dishes didn’t match. They’d overstuffed themselves on fancy entrees and even fancier desserts, all the while testing Katra’Ruma’s nose, which could apparently identify the ingredients of any dish with just a single sniff. Then Xindra had hauled them to a lounge for drinks in funny neon glasses. Spri had produced matching T-shirts and beaded necklaces for everyone just in time for Benni to take them to a male strip club.
They’d laughed themselves stupid when Benni and Xindra had tried to pry Pixie’s hands away from her eyes. No doubt turning ten shades of red, Pixie had managed to watch until a large, well-endowed dancer had strode closer and pulled off his, um, pouch. He’d then started simulating—
“No, don’t go there.” Pixie knew she’d have enough trouble getting to sleep as it was.
Although the jitters hadn’t fully set in yet, she could feel them hovering at the back of her mind. If she thought too hard about what she was going to do—in front of witnesses—tomorrow night, she’d freak out. The only thing keeping her from panicking already was the memory of Zeo’s arms wrapped around her this morning. She just had to get through tomorrow evening, and then she could wake up every day with him beside her.
