Page 87 of Alien's Eternal Mate

I narrowed my eyes, suspicion warring with the inexplicable pull I felt towards her. "Right. And you just happened to be out here when I was leaving?"

Liara laughed, the sound sending shivers down my spine. "Paranoid, aren't we? I was just passing by, I assure you. But now that we've met, I'm glad for the happy coincidence."

I couldn't help but smile back, despite my reservations. "Yeah, I... I'm glad too."

We stood there for a moment, the silence stretching between us, filled with unspoken questions and a tension I couldn't quite name.

"Would you like to get a drink with me?" I asked.

"I don't even know you," she said. "But I feel like I can trust you."

TWENTY-NINE

CARTER

Chapter 29

Isat across from Liara in a dimly lit corner of the Stardust Lounge, nursing a glass of Glimner whiskey. The ice clinked against the sides as I swirled the amber liquid, my eyes never leaving her face.

"So, Carter," she said, leaning forward with a familiar tilt of her head. "What brought you to this vacation planet?"

I nearly choked on my drink. It was the exact same way Arael used to lean in when she was curious about something.

"Oh, you know," I coughed, trying to regain my composure. "Just needed a bit of quiet."

Liara raised an eyebrow, her lips quirking into a half-smile. "Right. Because Glimner is such a quiet place."

I couldn't help but chuckle. "Alright, you got me. Let's just say I'm here on... extended vacation."

"Mmm," she hummed, taking a sip of her drink. The way her fingers curled around the glass, delicate yet purposeful, sent a jolt through my system. It was so achingly familiar.

"What about you?" I asked, desperate to shift the focus. "What's your story?"

Liara's eyes sparkled with mischief. "Oh, I'm just a simple girl trying to make her way in the universe."

I snorted. "Yeah, and I'm the Emperor of the Alliance."

She laughed, the sound light and melodic. It was different from Arael's laugh, but the way her eyes crinkled at the corners was identical.

"Okay, okay," she conceded, holding up her hands. "I'm actually here on a research project. Studying the local flora and fauna."

I leaned back, eyeing her skeptically. "A xenobiologist, huh? Funny, you don't strike me as the science type."

"And what type do I strike you as, Mr. Reed?" she asked, her voice dropping to a low, almost sultry tone.

I swallowed hard, memories of Arael flooding my mind. The way she used to look at me across the dinner table, the quiet strength in her eyes, the unwavering support...

"You strike me as... someone I've known for a very long time," I said softly, surprising myself with the honesty.

Liara's expression shifted, a flicker of something—recognition? confusion?—passing over her features. "That's... an odd thing to say to someone you've just met."

I shrugged, trying to play it off. "Maybe. Or maybe it's just the whiskey talking."

She laughed again, but this time it sounded forced. "Well, in that case, perhaps we should call it a night before you start professing your undying love."

The words hit me like a punch to the gut. How many times had Arael teased me with those exact words?

I chuckled, trying to mask the ache in my chest. "Undying love? Now that's a bit dramatic, don't you think?"

---