Page 15 of My Human Wife

“I don’t know if I can do that.” Suddenly the simple enjoyment of opening and closing my door is gone.

“You must. Sooner or later the nuns at the Fertility Temple are going to report you as married. You must be sold before that information becomes public.”

“So, you think it’s better Kamos buys me and then finds out I’m a spy while I’m helpless in his lair?”

“No, he’ll be so charmed by your beauty that he won’t believe the rumors. No offense but you don’t look dangerous.”

I smile. “I don’t know if that’s a compliment or not given the situation. But I’ll need better clothing if you expect me to seduce him into buying me. I can’t do it wearing this.”

“That’s been taken care of. You need to meet Gael in his quarters. He has clothing for you.”

“Where are his quarters?” I try to keep the disappointment out of my voice that he sent me to be alone after we married.

Hela points to a section on the wall of the ship and it lights up. Then she says something in Imperial I can’t understand. With the translator she says, “Follow the green circle. It will lead you to his quarters.”

Hela walks away and I do as she says. I walk for about five minutes until the circle stops moving forward. I assume I have arrived but there are two doors here. I can’t read the Imperial writing on either of them. As I begin to say, “Eeny meeny miny moe,” Gael opens the door and I almost fall backwards. He looks better than he did yesterday, well rested and smells delicious. My stomach begins to flip and it’s not because I haven’t eaten.

Gael and Lara

{Duet}

l.“I didn’t know which door.”

g.“I see. Come in. We have a lot to talk about.” I lead her into my quarters and present her with an array of sexy clothing we have onboard just for this purpose. “Do you think any of this will work?”

l.I pick up some of the pieces of fabric and rub it between my thumb and forefinger to get a sense of its quality. “It’s not ideal but it might do the job. But to be honest I don’t know what Imperial men like.” I look through the pile for something silver or gold. “I’ll also need gold paint and jewelry. The IGC took everything when they processed me.”

g.“Gold paint isn’t a problem, but we don’t have any gold jewelry.” I cross the room and open my own private collection. I pull out a silver ring with a small purple stone in it. “But I think this would work well and it’s got an old tracking device on it. One that won’t be noticed.”

l.I take the small ring and turn it in my fingers. It’s a minimal design, but has beauty. “This has a tracking device? Why? Is it made for spies?”

g.“Not at all. It’s an Imperial lovers’ ring. They’re an ancient tradition. Lovers wear them to prove that they have nothing to hide.”

l.I try the ring on my ring finger and show my hand to Gael theatrically. “Why do you have a lovers’ ring?”

g.“It was my mother’s.”

l.I try to hand the ring back.

g.“I have no reason to keep it in a box. This seems like the perfect opportunity to use it and it might bring you luck. My mother would have fully approved of this plan.”

l.I turn over the ring in my hand. “I don’t want to lose it.”

g.“Then don’t lose it.”

l.“Will you wear the matching one? Did your father give it you?”

g.“I’ll wear the other one, but my father didn’t give it to me.”

l.Before I can ask him about this admission, he holds up one of his grey hands.

g.“I don’t discuss my family.”

l.“I understand. Neither do I,” I say. I wouldn’t be surprised if this was a rule among his crew.Who wants to talk about their personal sorrows in the galaxy?It’s better to just move on and take every day as it comes.

g.“Hela told you about the translator issue?”

l.“Yes, but I don’t know how quickly I can learn Imperial.”

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