I’m so distracted by my appearance that I jump when the AI informs me someone is at my door.
10
I hurry to the door and tell the AI to let it open. I take a step back when the panel recedes and reveals who is standing on the other side. It’s the captain. I let out a startled squeak, immediately mortified, wondering why this gorgeous man is here in my dorm.
“Doris Gray,” he says in a low rumble.
“Hi. You’re the captain who saved us. How can I help you?” All that’s running through my mind is how stupid I sound.
“I am Captain Jaxxo Noru,” he says with a slight bow, his eyes never leaving me.
A hot wave of awareness washes over me as his eyes scan my face, my body, and the flesh of my chest revealed by the low-sweeping neckline.
“I see you’ve found the Martian garments. I hope they are to your liking.”
“Yes. They’re nice.” Every word out of my mouth sounds like total garbage. It’s like I’m a twelve-year-old fangirl talking to my rock star crush. I start sweating under my gown, and I’m sure he can see it breaking out on my brow.
“May I come in?” he asks.
“Yes. Of course.”
I stand back and allow him to enter my suite. The AI closes the door automatically behind him. We stand staring at each other in the sitting room. My heart pounds. I can’t imagine why he’s here. He steps closer, his deep blue eyes bright with an inner fire. The scent of his body intoxicates me.
I go weak in the knees, like I’ve lost my balance. My body becomes tightly aware of his masculine presence. He stands at least a foot taller than me. His shoulder span would cast me in shadow if there were any in this well-lit room.
I gulp, trying to remember that I am a civilized person and not a teenage groupie.
“Can I get you something to drink?” I take a step back and turn to the replicator. “I’m having wine.”
“I will have the same.”
I replicate us both glasses of chilled Chardonnay and carry them to the living room where he’s still standing at attention. My eyes slide over his frame, catching for too long on the bulge between his legs. My eyes widen, and I look away with a blush. I try to get a grip on myself. But if my eyes aren’t deceiving me, he’s as aroused by this meeting as I am.
“Have a seat,” I say, handing him the glass. I must sit down before my legs go out. “What brings you to my humble abode?” I take a long swig of wine. I seriously can’t deal with my own lameness right now.
“I have important news,” he says, sipping from his own glass. He sits forward in his chair as if he might bolt from it at any moment. I get the sense that he’s like a crouched tiger, always ready to strike. I take a deep breath, flushing at the thought of him pouncing on me.
Maybe I should be more intimidated by all this. Maybe I should be terrified or angry or confused. I think I am all those things on some level. But after what happened in the library, and our imprisonment by the Mantis, I am more than grateful to have ended up here.
I feel hot and flushed, gazing into his eyes as I drink my cool wine. I wish it would cool me down more than it is. Instead, the alcohol fills me with even more of this buzzing heat.
“What news is that?” I ask.
As he is about to speak, I am sure I know what it is. My heart races in my ears, and I can barely hear him when he says the words.
“You and I have been matched. We are to be mated. To produce a child. Children. For Mars.”
“I…” I stare dumbly at this Martian who looks like an ancient god carved out of marble. I might appear pretty, dressed up in these exotic clothes, but underneath, I’m still the same old dorky Doris as I ever was. My mouth slides open, and I stare at him for far too long. My grandmother would have told me I’d catch flies with my mouth open like that. I finally catch myself and close it with an audible clack.
“Are you disappointed?” he asks.
“Disappointed?” I say the word like I don’t know what it means. “No. I guess I’m just confused. This is all so sudden.”
“I understand.” He stands to his feet, towering over me. I get an even better view of his manhood. My eyes widen, and I have to look away. The wet heat between my legs pulses. My mouth waters. I have an image of taking his thick shaft into my mouth. I’m so embarrassed by this thought that I can’t even look him in the eye.
“I wanted to give you the news myself. But I can see you need time alone to process the information. I will take my leave.” His words are clipped and abrupt as he heads for the door.
He instructs the AI to open the door. I scurry to my feet, following him out. He turns back to me. We’re standing only a few feet apart. The smell of him is making me lightheaded. My nipples are hard knots, and my pussy is dripping into my panties. He sniffs the air when he looks at me. I feel mortified, positive he can smell the scent of my juices.
I can’t help my response. It feels so irrational to me. But I don’t want it to stop. I just hope I can manage not to embarrass myself. Or turn him off. I wonder if that’s why he’s leaving so quickly—he’s mortified to be matched with such an awkward nerd.
“I will visit you again soon. We can continue our courtship then.”
Everything he says is so matter-of-fact, like it’s a business arrangement. I want to throw myself at him and rip off his skintight uniform to see what’s underneath. My cheeks burn. I’m totally embarrassing myself.
Maybe he does think of this as a business arrangement. Maybe his match doesn’t matter to him at all. And why would it? I’m just some weirdo librarian from Earth. He only needs me for my womb. Not my personality.
“Great. Sounds peachy.”
What am I even saying?
“Tomorrow at noon, I will escort you to one of the area’s finest dining establishments. The food is fresh, and the chefs are excellent.”
“Okeydokey.”
He nods, steps into the common room, then disappears into the hallway. Bethany rushes over to me, wide-eyed and smirking.
“What was that about?” she asks, grabbing my hand. She’s changed into a Martian gown too. Except hers is pink with a blue floral design. “Is he your match?”
“Yes…”
I’m dumbstruck. I don’t know whether to laugh or cry. My elitist ex cheated on me. I’d given him everything. I paid half the bills. I cooked and cleaned. I tried to please him in bed. But in the end, I wasn’t enough for him.
The pain of the breakup is still with me, even after the harrowing events of the last few days. Or however long it’s been. My sense of time is completely off.
“Oh my god, Doris! How do you feel? Do you like him? He was the captain of the ship that rescued us, wasn’t he?”
“Yes. Captain Jaxxo Noru. I think he’s a good one.”
“A good one. Captain Jack puts Ashton to shame. Ashton is like a soggy tissue stuck to Captain Jack’s shoe.”
“It’s Jaxxo.”
“I know. I just think it’s hot to call him Captain Jack.”
“He’s nothing like that character. He’s… so serious.”
“Well, this is probably a shock to him too. Don’t you think?”