Page 34 of Temple

He smiled. “Visiting with Sage?”

“We both put it in. I am good at starting plants, and she wants to grow them. There are some varietals that I put through accelerated development, and they are doing very well. It smells like home.”

He smiled. “I believe Zell and I can deal with that.”

She smiled and kept going. “So, a child or one hundred years?”

“One hundred years to the next negotiation.”

“Wow, are you confident.”

He grinned. “I have seen you in my dreams. I have reason to believe we will be together far longer than you can currently imagine.”

“How do you know that?”

“I don’t really dream because I don’t sleep, and I have been seeking out sleep to see you again.”

She looked at him, staring at the black mask that surrounded his eyes and ended in points around his cheeks. Black hair with silver bands to hold it away from his face, a black jawline, and then stripes working all the way down. He was wearing a loose, open robe and wide-legged trousers. His wings were covered in feathers that were as short as scales. They looked soft and fluffy.

“Oh.”

He smiled. “Any thoughts of me in your travels?”

Bailey shrugged. “I dreamed of falling asleep in your arms, warm and happy. And then I woke with a jolt remembering what is gone, and I feel like a traitor.”

“I did not choose you because you have loss. I did not choose you because I want to stamp out your memory. Your mate wanted you happy, did he not? You have had years pushing happiness back so you could carry out your little project. Are you content with your progress?”

“Oh, you mean destroying those who took advantage of women during the time between the impact and pickup?”

He smiled. “Yes. That. What’s your body count?”

“Seventeen. I am pleased with the results.”

“It is a good number. Are you ready to settle?”

Bailey looked at his calm features and tried to overlay Dennis’s face. They were not similar in any way except their soft gazes when they looked at her. That was very familiar.

He took his tablet back and added her stipulations. When he returned the contract to her, it was complete, and he had signed.

Bailey took it and looked at the additions of her keeping her shuttle and her crusade to get chocolate and coffee across the universe.

She looked at him. “You are sure about this? There are women out there who aren’t scarred up and who are a lot less trouble.”

“The scars don’t bother me, and I like the trouble. It makes me feel. Pursuing you across the stars has been exciting.” His smile was sweet. “I have met many of my own kind, including Ra. I never thought I would meet Ra or Nebel.”

She looked at him, sighed, and signed.

He smiled and took the tablet from her. He did something with his thumb, and the screen flashed and then locked. He slid the tablet into a pocket in his robe. He rose to his feet and held his hand out to her. “The matron has allowed us to use her guesthouse to take the fire out.”

“Fire?” She slid her hand into his, and he pulled her to her feet.

“What would you call it?” He moved her grip to the back of his wrist, and they walked out of the room and back toward the guesthouse.

She glanced back at the contract rooms, but Symo tugged her along. “Zell and Sage are currently involved in detailed negotiations.”

Her eyes got wide as she realized that it was code and that clothing was optional. Her cheeks were scarlet the rest of the way to the guestroom she had been given, except they passed it and kept walking. “Where are we going?”

“Your bed is too small. The chambers arranged with the matron are larger.”

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