Page 60 of Volunteer 4711

“No. I just wondered because it was yours; now you will have to share with me.”

I see his point. In marrying him, I have, in some ways, lost everything that was mine and have given it to him, including my individual identity. “I loved my quarters because they came along with the job. I was prepared to die there, alone in my quarters or doing my job. I never thought I had much of a future besides being your valet, and I have been grateful for that future. Now I might have to share with you and give up that privacy, but I would say being your wife and having the title of ‘wife’ is worth it.”

He runs his hand over my left cheek and my volunteer tattoo. “I also always expected you to be my valet. That we would both die alone in our separate quarters and in our roles, but it seems as if the government has pushed us together.”

“You’re not disappointed, are you?” I ask.

“No, not even a government fleet could force me to marry someone I did not want to.”

“What if I had turned you down?”

“I would have found someone on the Home Planet to take care of you so that nothing bad happened to you on that farm,” he says.

“Oh,” I say, instinctively wanting to kiss him. Our faces are so close, but at the last minute, he turns his head.

“I think the Water people’s desire to kiss has more to do with your mating practices than you think,” he comments.

“Sorry,” I say. “I’ll try and remember.”

He puts his hands on either side of my face, “Don’t move,” then he brings his lips so lightly and gently to mine I have to concentrate not to do more. But his touch there still feels great, and when he backs away, I give him a big smile.

My Commander smiles back in his Silver way. “I think there’s more to your kissing. I think we will have to figure out a way to do it because you need that to feel connected.”

“I don’t know,” I say, unsure he’s reading me right.

“Ever since we began talking, all you have done is look at my lips every other second.”

“No,” I disagree, but I can’t know for sure because I did want to kiss him all that time.

“Yes,” he says playfully and pulls me close to him.

He holds me for a while, and then someone over the comms interrupts our moment.

He gets lets go of me and sits up. “Yes.”

“Your delivery from ….”

He cuts them off. “Yes, bring it in.”

Then my Commander gets up, puts on his black robe, and walks out, closing the doors I’ve never seen him use to the bedroom. A couple of minutes later, I hear some muffled voices in the other room, but I can’t make out anything they are saying. I quickly get out of bed naked and go to the door to see if I can hear better, but I can’t. I try to open the door, but it’s locked.

This is odd because I had his access code even as his valet. I try to open the door again, and I can’t. He returns a few minutes later, and I’m sitting in bed.

“Why did you lock me in?”

“I did not,” he says.

“I couldn’t get out.”

“Were you naked?” he asks.

“Yes.”

“That is why you could not get out. Modesty controls,” he explains. “I am glad to know you have never been naked in my quarters without me.”

“Only in my dreams,” I say seductively, and he jumps back onto the bed next to me.

“You are serious, aren’t you?”

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