Then a final, mighty heave when he cried through gritted teeth, “Come!” His cries of completion joined hers.
A minute—or an hour—or an eternity later, he whispered in her ear. “My beauty, I fear with this power we have over you, you’re in big trouble.”
She didn’t reply. She only smiled.
Chapter Ten
Tina walked down the long, cream-colored corridor with her clan a few minutes after the tensest meal of her life.
She’d been allowed to leave the clan’s tiny quarters for a lunch date with Tukui and Osopa. The unexpected treat was a nice surprise, and she’d been delighted to sit in the dining room with its low tables, plush seating cushions, and a polite staff that hurried their food out to them.
Other clans which had claimed Mataras showed up. What Tina had envisioned as a—well, maybe not a romantic date, but a date all the same—had devolved into uncomfortable silence and little eating.
Mary Anderson had appeared terrified and ended up screaming her head off. Her clan had carried her out. Sister Katherine had been withdrawn, her expression shamed as she allowed her clan to feed her. Cassidy Hamilton, showing up with Dr. Degorsk, glared at everyone with righteous disgust.
Apparently, Tina was the only woman among them who’d found happiness in her situation. Unlike her, they were true believers in the religion. She wasn’t surprised they’d consider the situation unbearable. Guilt that she had no part in their misery assaulted her.
Yet she couldn’t feel bad about belonging to Clan Tukui. If God did exist, then her permanent status with the three men was a gift from the heavens. Given time, it could even turn into a real love affair. Her thoughts were drifting in that direction, which was why she’d been enthused about having lunch somewhere besides their quarters. Maybe even a bit starry-eyed. The thought of falling in love—and perhaps having it reciprocated someday—was impractical, but Tina enjoyed the fantasy. With three handsome men bound to her for life, who treated her like their leading lady and offered sensual thrills without judgment, how could she not hope for a happy ending?
Now she was shaken and wondering if she were a traitor. Was she? After all, it wasn’t as if she could fight the Kalquorian fleet and stop the invasion Yorso had told her about. She was one woman who lacked weapons training or any skills outside of cooking and cleaning. Movie heroines could have pulled off the impossible, but Tina wasn’t in a movie. This was real.
All she wanted was to be happy. Right or wrong, Clan Tukui made her happy.
The clan reached a cross-corridor and paused as Tukui and Osopa readied to return to duty. Yorso offered a smile that said he might lose what lunch he’d eaten. “A midday meal out seemed like a good idea at the time.”
“Osopa and I have to get back to the bridge.” Tukui’s demeanor showed reluctance to do so. Worry etched on his handsome features as he gazed at Tina. Despite her own uneasiness, she warmed to his concern. After seeing how the others behaved, she was more relieved than ever that she’d ended up with this clan. Perhaps those other men weren’t as understanding as hers, and that was why Mary, Katherine, and Cassidy acted so miserable. Yet the other clans hadn’t seemed bad, from the little Tina had witnessed. Mary’s clan in particular had behaved with indulgence when she’d turned hysterical. They’d been gentle as they’d taken her out of the dining room, even smiling with understanding rather than acting angry with her behavior.
“I’m okay,” she reassured her clanmates.
Osopa wasn’t hiding his feelings. He appeared as troubled as Tukui. “Are you? That young woman—I hated that she was so upset after having several days to adjust.”
“Her clan is a fine one. I promise she’s being well taken care of,” Yorso soothed, watching Osopa with approval.
Since Osopa continued to watch her uneasily, Tina took his hand. “Mary’s always been dramatic. After what we’ve been taught about sin and such, it’s no wonder everyone was freaked out. I could barely stand to look at the others myself, because I knew they’d be thinking ill of me.”
Tukui stepped close so he could rub her back. “I’m sorry, my Matara. For a lot of things.”
“Hopefully not that you chose me,” she half-joked.
“After what I saw of the other Mataras, I’m rejoicing that Osopa noticed you. I only wish it could have happened under better circumstances. We’ll do whatever it takes to make up for this forced clanning. I swear it.”
She felt his sincerity. “Don’t worry about how it came about. As long as I can check on my family before we go to your planet, all is forgiven.”
“Is it really possible to forgive us for taking you from your life?” Osopa was torn, unsure as he never was. Tina wanted to hug and pet him, but she feared it would bring up his barriers again. Especially since there were other Kalquorians passing back and forth every few seconds.
She was determined he wouldn’t hide from her. As frightening as the first two days had been, being chosen by Osopa as his clan’s Matara might have been the best thing that had happened to her. Especially if she was given the opportunity to make contact with her family. If they would speak to her.
The possibility of a final rejection brought pain, but it wasn’t as crippling as it would have been without Clan Tukui to turn to. “If you knew how it is to not have to beg to belong, you wouldn’t ask if I could forgive you. If you could just imagine how it feels to be accepted. Wanted.”
After a lengthy beat, he answered her. “I have some idea.”
His wince made her wonder who’d rejected him in the past. Before she could figure out how to ask without upsetting him, something on his crowded belt beeped.
Osopa snapped into his no-nonsense demeanor, as if a switch had been flipped. He looked at Tukui. “Duty calls. We’ll be late if we don’t go now.”
“Unfortunately. Are you certain you’re all right?” His question was for Tina.
“Go. Don’t get yourselves into trouble.”
Excused, they set off down one of the branches of the corridor. Tina watched them until they disappeared around a curve. The urge to call Osopa back, to hug away whatever pain he’d felt, wasn’t easily suppressed.
As if guessing her thoughts, Yorso murmured, “Our Nobek has his moments. Over time, you’ll see there’s a big ball of mushiness inside that stiff exterior.”
“Since I have the rest of our lives for that, I can be patient. It’ll be worth waiting for.” She smiled up at her clanmate.
He took her hand and led her towards their quarters with a chuckle.
* * * *
Osopa was looking forward to the end of his shift. It had lasted longer than was usual, since Commander Lidon and the captain had opted to split their shifts that day. Rumors were flying their Matara wasn’t settling in well, so they’d left early in the afternoon with the plan of returning to the bridge at late evening.
More than mere rumors, if what he’d seen in the dining room during lunch was any indication. General Hamilton’s platinum-haired granddaughter, the ice woman he’d compared to Tina during the initial invasion, had glared at the other Earther Mataras with disapproval bordering on condemnation. Between her overt censure and Mary’s hysterics, he’d feared Tina’s reaction.