Amy Redwood: Alien Best Man

“It’s a bit more complicated, Jana.”

“But he’s our best man?” I tried to stomach this new tidbit about the planet I’d soon call home. “Well, thank him for sending me this.” I grinned, hugging the book to my chest.

“Goodbye, my heart.” His lips found mine in the same tingling sensation I’d felt in our first kiss. But only now, after spending day after day, week after week together, did his kiss reach my heart as well. I wrapped my arms around him, the feel of his hard body underneath his thick coat making need rise within me.

“Just take me with you now.” I felt every bit the lovesick fool. “Why do I have to wait?”

“You know why. Once I’m onboard, my three days of solitude and silence will start. It’s tra—”

“Tradition,” I said, defeated. “Well, I’ll let Kyra know so she can block out her schedule.”

He brushed his thumb over my cheek. “It is good that Kyra will fly you to Dezra.”

“She needs to be on Dezra anyway, being a bridesmaid and all that.”

“Listen,” he said, gripping my shoulders hard, as if he wanted to make sure I paid attention, “on Dezra, the bride always gets three days and nights to make up her mind.

The traditional ceremony, our wedding, won’t happen before the three days and nights are over. Jana, don’t ever think you have to do anything you don’t want to do. Kyra can take you back to Earth anytime.”

“I love you,” I said, my throat tight. “Why would I want to leave you?” He didn’t answer, kissed me instead, and I stared after him as he boarded. I held the book between my knees and clapped my hands over my ears to block out the noise.

The platform vibrated as the traveler geared up and pulled away. Within seconds, the ship grew smaller as it navigated toward open space.

Trying not to feel abandoned, I brushed the back of my hand over my eyes and grasped the book again. I flipped it open, scanned the pages until I spotted the Dezrian word for wedding.

“ Tra Mar’ge Deflar. ” My tongue tripped over the unknown words. What did it mean? Three joining? The joining of the three? I turned the finely written pages.

Everywhere, the word three caught my eye.

My gaze fell on a sharply drawn picture, its minute details clearly visible. A huge bed, probably made from a kind of wood, was at its heart. Atop, a man and a woman—or bride and groom—were adorned with slim crowns and both buck naked. The artist had placed emphasis on how the groom plunged himself between the bride’s spread thighs.

But it wasn’t the explicit coupling that had me holding my breath.

The bride didn’t gaze at the groom, her hand didn’t rest longingly on the groom’s buttocks to guide him into her. No, she reached for a man next to the bed, a man with a ferocious smile and eyes like a cat. Mind and heart and soul read the caption, or something close to that, if I translated it correctly.

I lowered the book, aware that I was in danger of hyperventilating as the full meaning hit my stomach like a one-two punch. That was some wedding night tradition.

One bride, one groom and one very disturbing best man.

Qay’s last words haunted me suddenly, “Don’t ever think you have to do anything you don’t want to.”

Like a threesome with the best man? Should I even take the book at face value, take it literal?

Mindful not to bend any pages, I closed the book. I’d find out once I was on Dezra.

But I wouldn’t walk away from what I had found with Qay, the trust and love. Never.

Too deep had he touched my heart with his wit and smile and words. Soon, I would board the ship that would fly me into a still unknown new world. And after three nights, I would marry Qay.

Even if I had to spread my legs for a catlike devil.

My stomach was grumbling, not with hunger but with a mild case of nerves. The sky was still dark except for the light beams of arriving and departing ships. I was granted access to the small docking station where private space jets and shuttles waited for their owners. I waved, spotting Kyra. Clutching an extra-large drink in one hand, Kyra wore only a plasma thermal tank top with matching black pants. She looked like a space pirate.

I probably looked ready to throw up.

“Here, drink,” Kyra said by way of greeting, and pressed the drink into my hand.

“Or you’ll hurl for the next eight hours straight. And that’s with the gravity switch pulled.”

“Not funny,” I muttered, but sipped. It sloshed over my tongue like liquid teeth cleaner.

“That’s all you’re taking with you?” Kyra looked at my bag. “After twenty-nine happy years on Earth, all you take is one lousy bag?”

“I don’t need much as long as I have Qay.”

“By the stars, you are in deep.”

“I love him if that’s what you mean,” I replied, raising my voice over the hissing noise of a big-bellied trader.

“I guess his looks don’t hurt either,” Kyra said with a grin.

I shook my head, thinking about Qay’s gorgeous body, his copper-colored skin, the tender touch of his hands. But it wasn’t his looks that had gotten to me. It had been his show of character during the negotiations, during late-night meetings, and his ability to truly listen. And the way he made love to me. “He was the best thing that happened to me after…after—” I broke off, shoving the thought aside.

“After what happened with that…guy? Sorry,” Kyra said quickly, “I know you don’t like to talk about it.”

“It’s okay,” I said, surprising myself. It was as if the drink not only made me sleepy but talkative. “I aimed my phaser at him, threatening I’d shoot him if he didn’t back off.

He not only backed off, next day he was gone. Qay came to continue the negotiations. I fell for him.”

“Wow. Amazing that they didn’t fire you.”

“They waited until Qay signed the trade contract then they fired me.”

“That’s the confederation for you. Follow me, you haven’t met my girl yet, have you?”

The sleek space glider Kyra owned gleamed chrome black under glaring white security lights. I boarded and strapped myself into a too-wide chair, which made me feel like a toddler.

“Ready?” Kyra checked if I had downed the drink.

“Can’t wait.” I was tired and excited at the same time. “And I can’t wait to kick ass as Dezra’s new trade official. My old boss is in for a surprise.” Kyra whistled. “So, Qay bagged himself a confederation insider as his wife. You sure he’s not just using you?”

It was so absurd, I laughed. “Kyra, he loves me.”

“Is it true that Dezrians can read minds?”

My throat closed up a little. “Qay can’t. I asked.”

“You fell fast for him. Maybe too fast.”

“Since when are you the word of caution?”

“Well, Dezra is not in the allied confederation yet , as you know best. They don’t adhere to common laws.”

“But they will be in a couple of weeks.”

“Still, it hasn’t happened yet. On Dezra, you’re at Qay’s mercy.” A cold shiver gripped me, why I couldn’t tell. I glanced out the cockpit screen as Kyra navigated through the checkpoints toward the open space. Kyra wasn’t telling me any news, but from her mouth it sounded as if I headed to my execution instead of my wedding.

“I’ll go insane if I can’t see Qay soon.” I knew from the book that some kind of feast awaited me, but damned if it had mentioned as to when .

Instead of being met by Qay, an apparent welcome committee—solely women—

had greeted Kyra and me. They escorted us from Dezra’s docks to a large glasslike dome that was large enough to hold a small city, which in fact it did.