Page 10 of Ready for Her Alien Husband

“I also make paper flowers and garlands,” she told Vrixiel. “It’s a hobby, but many friends have made orders to decorate their parties and weddings. Maybe I could make decorations for the station too?”

“Of course.” He put the shower head back in the wall. “You can bring brightness to everyone’s home, not just ours. Although…”

“Yes?” Trixie turned around to face him, now that her hair was squeaky clean.

Vrixiel's green eyes drank her in through the mist. He was not touching her, but his gaze alone felt like a seductive caress. “I am a possessive male, my bean.”

A pleased smile tugged at her lips. “You wish to keep me to yourself, huh?”

He nodded, eyes on hers.

Trixie wanted to kiss him. Needed to feel the press of his lips so badly. But if their first kiss was any indication, just one would not be enough. If she started, she wouldn’t be able to stop.

She willed her legs to move and went to stand behind Vrixiel. The dome provided enough space for the two of them, wings included. “I’m possessive, too,” she whispered over the pointed tip of his ear before starting to unbraid his hair. It took several tries because of his horns, but she got the hang of it. “I know that Gaenthians don’t exchange rings with their fated mates, but would you wear my ring? It would please me very much.”

“Yes,niela. I will make us rings. They won’t be ready if we hold the wedding later today, but–”

“We’re in no hurry,niel.” Trixie smoothed his hair down his powerful back. The black tresses looked longer now that theywere free from the braids, reaching all the way to where his wings began. “Right?”

“No hurry,” he said on a dreamy sigh. Apparently, he enjoyed having his hair touched as much as she did.

Oh, the hair braiding sessions they’d have. She tingled all over at the thought.

“We can have the ceremony as soon or as late as you wish,” Vrixiel added. “It is a human tradition we respect but is not required under Gaenthia’s laws. Once you have the red color of my clan on you, everyone will know you’re aniela.”

“And how will they know I’m yours?”

His wings fluttered, a sensual brush of feathers against her bare legs. “My scent on you.”

“Mmm.” Did she like the sound of that. Vrixiel could scent-mark her anytime.

Trixie had to get her mind out of the gutter, quickly. Or he might scent her arousal and turn around and snake his arms around her and press her against his naked body and–

“Work!” Yes, that should do it. “Do you have to work? Later today? Tomorrow?”

A chuckle came from Vrixiel. Was he on to her? “No work for the next ten days.”

“Ooh. Splendid.” She took the shower head from the wall and, with no button in sight, she tapped on it experimentally. It came on.

“It’s our honeymate period,” he said over the running water.

Trixie tittered. “Our what?”

“It’s the term humans on the station have given the period after fated mates meet. No one is to disturb us until our honeymate period ends, unless it’s an emergency.”

Were she not holding the shower head, Trixie would be rubbing her hands together. “I’m all in for the name and what it stands for. Let the honeymate begin!”

CHAPTER8

Eyes on Me

“So.” Trixie put the shower head away. “Tell me about you. I know you’re a soldier. That’s about it.”

Vrixiel took a nail-sized yellow sphere from another hole in the wall and showed her how rubbing the sphere between her hands would turn it into a single dose of might-be-shampoo. As she applied it to his hair in between his horns, Vrixiel spoke.

“I have served in King Xissiel’s space army since I completed my warrior training. I’ve always wanted to travel the stars. Before coming to the Solar System, I fought in many others. Anywhere Gaenthia’s army was needed to defend innocents, basically.

“Since coming to your system two years ago, I have been living on the Venus station. My many medals and clan put me higher on the list of Gaenthians the ASI tries to find a match for, and when that happened, I was transferred here to this much safer station.” His tone grew serious as he added, “There will still be battles to fight, in space and planetside, as well as regular exercises across the system. But my home will be here from now on.” The back of his wing caressed Trixie’s shin. “Where you are.”

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