by Jay Cannon
“So how long before you’re gone again?” Aundria asked.
“Hold on. I need to take this call,” said Adar, holding up a hand in front of Aundria while answering his UCD in Euclidian. “I appreciate that, captain. It’s good to hear that you regained control of the mission, but I can’t go with you. I need to stay here for a while. Yes. Goodbye.”
“I can’t believe you just dissed me so you could take an intergalactic phone call. Are you talking to your other woman, possibly your wife back home?” Aundria asked, raising her voice.
“No, no to both of those. I had to let my captain know my plans. The ship is preparing to embark on a mission, and I let him know I’m going to stay here with you, as long as you like,” Adar said softly, hoping to calm her down. “If I have to leave in the future, I’ll take you with me. In the meantime, Ahmed is moving back to his apartment, which makes room for you in mine, if you’re interested in staying with me.”
“Oh, you are such a liar,” said Aundria, punching him in the chest and knocking him to the floor as the patrons looked on in astonishment.
“It’s okay, everyone,” Steve said, reassuring the customers. “They always behave that way. It’s their way of reconnecting after a long absence.”
“Why did you do that?” Adar asked. His eyes flashed at Aundria as he rubbed his chest and started to pant.
“What are you going to do about it?” She placed two fingers in her drink on the bar and flicked the liquid at Adar’s face.
“Now you’re going to get it,” he barked, jumping up from the floor, grabbing Aundria, and throwing her over his shoulder in a fireman’s carry. Gripping her thighs tightly, he headed toward the bar’s office in the back.
“Just remember who’s on top,” Aundria grumbled, before hitting Adar in the back and lifting her head to look behind her at the bartender. “Steve, we’re going to need your office for a while.”
“Don’t you two dare tear my place up!” shouted Steve.
“Put it on my tab,” said Adar.
The End
Acknowledgements
First, I would like to thank Morgan Gendel for giving me the idea for writing this book and assisting me with its initial development. I deeply appreciate the time he devoted to the kickoff of the project.
Second, I would like to thank Rose Ragsdale for taking my early draft and helping me turn it into a much more digestible manuscript.
Thanks to Caroline Crnekovic, Chris Bennett, Ming Chow, Sheri Fisher and Valeria Stallman for reviewing my early content. A big thanks to my beta readers Ava Mortier and Kelly G. Harris.
Thanks to Verlene Kelsey-McKee for jumping in at the last minute to proofread my final draft.
Special thanks to Christie Golden and Wil Harris who gave me advice along the way.
I want to thank my good friends Carrie Culley, Euan Grant, Kristi Berry and Ron McKee for their continued inspiration.
A big thanks to my family, friends, and colleagues for their endless support and encouragement as I wrote this book.
Last, but certainly not least, I want to thank my lovely wife Renée who has always been wonderfully supportive of my writing.