Chapter 8

Diana giggled as Kor told her far-fetched stories of alien life. I know he's got to be pulling my leg, but at least he's entertaining.

After one tale on the mating rituals of the Xianmalons-it seemed odd that you needed to die in order to get married first-she broached the subject of bonding.

"Okay, so you need to explain this bonding thing to me a little better. I mean, it is why I'm here. Mind you, I'm not saying yes. I'm just curious."

Kor, who had gotten closer to her while he talked-disturbingly close-seemed pleased with her question. "What do you want to know?"

"If I understood you correctly before, we get naked, then say some words, and we're, like, married?" So much for a white wedding.

"Bluntly, yes, although it is a little more spiritual than that."

"I still don't see why we need to be naked." Although she had to admit that a part of her looked forward to seeing him naked again. Surely he can't be as big as I remember. Can he?

"As part of the bonding ritual, the shedding of our vestments symbolizes the leaving behind of our previous life and coming into our new life together as equals."

His words startled her vision of all the smooth blue flesh, and she almost blushed. "That makes sense, I guess. In my world, we wear our fanciest clothes for the occasion. Women especially tend to wear really fancy white dresses, and the men wear tuxes."

"I've seen examples of Earth weddings. It seems rather ornate and ritual-driven, not to mention crowded with spectators. On my world, it is a private matter between two individuals."

Kor leaned even closer when he said this, his lips hovering over hers, making her breath hitch. Feeling her body betray her again, Diana moved away. She couldn't think coherently when he got that close.

"I'm not saying I won't be your mate, but I'd like more time to decide or at least feel like I'm the one making the choice and not some strange oracle." Although if he keeps getting close to me, it will be my hormones making the choice soon. Damn, he turns me on.

"I will respect your choice, for now. But keep in mind that we must have this accomplished before we arrive at my planet. While females are held sacred, that doesn't mean that they will allow a non-mated female to walk around. Oracle or not, there are some who will claim you for their own with no regard to your wishes."

Diana didn't like his last remark. She didn't like feeling pressured. She'd bond if and when she chose to. And if anyone thought-Kor included-that they could force her, she'd . . . Probably not have much of a choice. She sighed.

It wasn't that she disliked Kor. On the contrary, she found him entertaining, a good listener, patient-very, very patient-not to mention super sexy. But was that enough? They were talking about a lifelong commitment. Or was he? Did they have divorce in his society? And she still worried about adapting. Would she be lonely for others of her kind? Homesick for the things she'd lost? And what color would her babies end up being-light blue? Diana almost giggled at that thought. She must have made some kind of noise, though, for Kor looked at her oddly.

"What is so entertaining?"

Diana thought about lying but then, imagining a blue hued baby-that reminded her of a certain cartoon she watched growing up-giggled and told him, "What color are the babies?"

That flummoxed him, apparently, and he knitted his dark brows. "I don't know. I've never held one, and I honestly don't recall seeing any. I was the youngest of my mother's brood. Alphie?"

"I already heard the question," said the computer, and to Diana it sounded as if he was suppressing chuckles too. "The babies, depending on the parents, run a gamut of colors, actually, but most often they are a mixture of the parents' skin hues."

"I'm going to have a blue baby?" Diana spoke without thinking and then tried to backtrack. "That is, if I decide to-"

But Kor had heard enough, and with a grin, his arms were around her, his lips capturing her mouth and shushing her. He sure has an interesting way of making me shut up. She closed her eyes, enjoying what had become a daily occurrence between them. And, despite her protests, she looked forward to his daily embraces.

As he deepened the kiss, parting her lips to slide his tongue inside, she grew bolder as well. Her hands touched the hair at his nape, the texture softer than it looked. As the kiss deepened though, she let her fingers drift from the silk of his hair to grip the defined muscles in his shoulders.

His hands performed an exploration of their own, skimming up her rib cage to lightly touch the underside of her breasts. Diana felt her breath hiccup as she waited for his hands to grab her full globes and squeeze them. They felt heavy with longing, her nipples so taut. But instead, his hands came back down to her waist and slid around her to hug her in close.

Diana felt frustrated and mewled against his mouth, arching her body into his.

Kor chuckled. "Sorry, moon flower, but I will not take advantage of you without the bonding ritual. If you are ready, let me know."

Diana felt like a bucket of cold water had been dumped on her. She jumped up, his unresisting arms falling away.

"I-No," she managed to say in a voice that wasn't too breathy. Then she fled from his laughter, the heat from his kisses still branding her lips, her loins wet enough to wring.

However, horny as she was, she knew one thing for sure. I'm not ready yet.

I still have so many questions. So many concerns. And lucky me, I only have a horny blue man and a sarcastic computer to answer them.

The responsible part of her knew she should say no. After all, they had nothing in common.

Oh yeah, like me and my ex, Rick, had so much in common. Rick had been a lawyer by day, asshole by night. She'd dated Rick the gym enthusiast for three months. They spent most of their dates at either his place or hers, ostensibly to watch a movie, but usually they ended up in bed.

And while she could not say she had actually loved him, she had liked him and thought he liked her too. Turned out she was his closet fetish, a fact she discovered by accident when she asked him why she hadn't met any of his friends. Rick had hemmed and hawed and then finally admitted that her size embarrassed him.

"Excuse me? I thought you said you loved my curves."

"Well, I do in private, but in public, no one wants to be seen with a fat chick."

Diana had thought she'd been pretty restrained when he'd made that comment. After all, she'd slapped him only once. She'd been more pissed at herself for crying when she got home. Who cared what one asshole thought? So what if I'm plump? I'm also smart, funny, considerate . . .

Now that she thought about it, Kor appreciated all her qualities, even her rounded shape. So what was her problem? Kor had no intention of hiding her away like a shameful secret.

Or would he?

"Alphie, how are the women on Kor's planet treated?"

"Could you be more specific?" asked Alphie.

"Well, do the women over there have freedom? Are they allowed to go out and do what they want? Do they have to wear veils over their face? Do men decide everything?"

"Yes and no," came Alphie's oblique reply. "Before the plague, females had almost as many rights as men. Since the plague, some of those freedoms have been curtailed in order to protect them."

"Curtailed how?"

"Simply put, females must be married when they come of age, and widowed females must likewise be taken under the care of a male guardian. This is for her own safety, though, as the lack of females makes the males a little more violent in their courting methods."

Diana kind of found that idea archaic-sounding for a supposedly advanced culture. It did sound, though, like the issues were mostly safety ones. And Kor certainly hadn't tried to restrain the way she spoke to him. How bad could it be?

"Anything else I should know?" she asked. "Like, can he dump me if it doesn't work out?"

"Mate bonds are for life. A male mate, especially of the warrior class like Kor, would die before allowing you to come to harm. You will be well taken care of."

But will I be loved? she wondered, still confused as she went to sleep in the large bed, alone.