“Candice, this is Craig,” Iris said. Craig stood to his feet and shook my hand, and then I looked reluctantly to the other gentleman. “And this is Christian.” She added.
“Pleasure to meet you,” Christian said, shaking my hand. His voice was much deeper than I thought it would be, and his dark hair and light green eyes were appealing. I hated to say it, but he was attractive in a Clark-Kent-before-becoming-Superman sort of way.
“Hello,” I simply said. His grip was tight on my hand. I took a seat myself and a sip of water. I was seriously hoping that this whole night wasn’t going to be awkward, but mostly, I just wanted to go home — and find Luke there, waiting for me.
“I hear you’re a doctor,” I said, trying to start some conversation.
“Yes, there’s never really been a resident doctor here in Sun Valley. It seemed like a good place to bring my practice.” Christian sayed with a kind smile. There was a warmth in his eyes - hiding behind his glasses - that put me at ease.
Iris looked at me with a smile and winked. Clearly, she was intent on having me date this guy. It couldn’t be possibly in a million eons...
“Buona Sera.” The Italian waiter said as he came to our table. “My name is Francesco, and I will be serving you tonight.” I was kind of surprised that they got a real, authentic Italian guy to come serve spaghetti in the desert.
After we ordered our food and wine, I could hear that it was starting to rain outside. It was surprising, but also a welcome treat in Sun Valley.
The conversation stayed polite, but the wine was beginning to go to my head. I looked over at Christian, who had been glancing at me from time to time.
My female radar knew that he was trying to impress me. He talked about his personal travels through Italy, he remarked upon the tasting notes in the wine, and he cut me off a piece of his veal cutlet to try. The gesture was sweet, but I was starting to fantasize about my pajamas waiting for me.
Lighting stuck outside and the rain came down harder. Off on Hecate, could Arias the Angry be watching as Christian stared at me? I laughed to myself.
“Aye Dio!” The Italian waiter exclaimed.
The storm is frightening, that’s for sure. And it is growing in intensity.
“How are we going to get home? We walked here.” Iris said, holding hands with Craig.
“I guess we’ll just have to drink more wine and order more food!” Craig said with a laugh. Clearly, the wine was starting to go to his head as well.
“I really do have to get home soon. It was a long day at the diner. I might just walk.” I said.
“I’ll walk you home,” Christian said, getting up from the table.
“No, really. You don’t have to.” I replied. Another harsh crack of thunder and lighting struck the desert and the windows of the Italian restaurant shook.
“Shit!” Craig said. We were all really startled by it.
“Just wait a few more minutes,” Christian said, putting a kind hand on my arm.
I wanted him to not touch me. I wanted those to be Luke’s hands on my skin.
Another crash of thunder.
Jesus, what is going on?
Something was happening that couldn’t be explained.
And that’s when the realization set in, and my stomach flipped, the Gate was opening. I knew it.
Luke……
I ran to the window and looked at the deluge of water that was pouring down Main Street, like a desert flash flood.
I looked up at the sky and saw the heavens raining down. The droplets were so big that they looked the same way the stars did when I was plummeting through the tear in the galaxy, how they all rushed past me so quickly.
“Candice, what are you doing?” Iris asked, probably finding my antisocial behavior to be kind of strange.
“Oh my God,” I said aloud.
Oh, my God.
Through the haze of water, I saw a figure walking down the street. He was completely soaked, and his hair was falling down into his face. His T-shirt was clinging to his enormous chest and soldiers, and his tight pants revealed strong, sturdy thighs. I knew those thighs. It was Luke.
He was walking towards the restaurant. How did he find me? I took the exit in a daze and stepped into the pouring rain. It soaked me to the bone.
“Luke?” I called out. Maybe it was just a vision.
What if I’m seeing things?
Just then Christian stepped out of the restaurant, following behind me.
“Candice, is everything okay?” Christian placed his hand on my shoulder.
Luke brushed his hair out of his eyes and looked up at me. Those shocking blue eyes met mine. I could see that he was bleeding from his arm, and the rain had washed the blood all over his clinging T-shirt.
Damn. He’s like Marlon Brando in a ‘Streetcar Named Desire’.
I felt panicked by the thought that he might be hurt. I tried to step towards him, but Christian’s hand stopped me.
Then I saw it register on Luke’s face. His awareness was brought to Christian standing behind me, and his face changed from soft recognition to confusion.
CHAPTER 2
Luke
Who is that guy?” I asked. The last thing I wanted to see after being banished from the battle was Candice out with another man. If I were a soldier of baser instincts, I would have run him through. But I only drew my sword to see how he would react. He might be pissed himself. It was hard to tell.
“It wasn’t a date, Luke.” She said. I was inclined to believe her, but I needed more information before I was satisfied. She sat on her couch and folded her hands.
“Do you like him?” I asked. I was not afraid of her reply. If she did have slight feelings for someone else, then I could not convince her otherwise.
She tried to speak but stopped herself. I gazed at her intently, awaiting her reply.
“Iris made me go on a double date. I didn’t want to. Yes, I think Christian was trying to impress me.” She admitted.
“I don’t want you to go on double dates,” I said calmly. I was inclined to command her to never do such a thing again, but I wanted Candice to understand that I respected her.
“Luke, I must admit to you that I’ve been thinking about how abnormal all this is. I want things for us that other people have. Everyday things that don’t involve other galaxies and fighting aliens.” She laughed to herself. “I sound crazy.”
She did not sound crazy. Our situation was crazy and abnormal, yet still, I was a man, and I was feeling possessive at this moment.
“I wish I could give you those things, Candice. But I’m a soldier. I have duties.” I caught her looking at my bloody arm.
Candice, you are never to go on a double date again. That is what I want to say.
“You’re hurt.” She said. I was appeased by the fact that she was worried about me. I was enchanted by her tender, female human side.
“It’s nothing,” I replied. She walked towards me and touched my arm, and the proximity to her made me immediately happy. Why did she always have this effect on me?
The pouring rain outside didn’t help to alleviate the need to touch her. I had never been one who thought about making love on a rainy night, but with Candice, it seemed like the best idea in the galaxy.
I grabbed her hand and pulled it away from my skin. Candice looked at me with confusion in her eyes.
“We need to talk more before there’s physical touch. Do you understand?” I asked. There were more things to say, and her physical proximity would make me disappear within moments, thanks to the pleasure she brought me.
“Yes.” She replied, understanding what I was getting at. Of course, there would be nothing more triumphant than to experience intense pleasure with her right now and then find myself back on the battlefield this very night. It would be a win-win situation. But I didn’t want to leave her that soon.
“Why did you do that? He is a friend of a friend. You seriously scared him.” She said.
I chuc
kled a little. It was funny to see the look on his face when I pulled out my light sword. It was a surprise and delight to find that it had traveled back with me through the Gate. I wasn’t going to hurt him. It was a joke that I thoroughly enjoyed.
“He’ll get over it,” I said. Even Candice laughed a little remembering the look on his face.
“I just…” She looked down to the ground with those beautiful green eyes. “Will we ever have a normal life?”
“I will win the war, and then I will be free,” I said. Her expression changed.
“Promise me that you will stay here for a few days. Just so that we can be together, like normal people.” She said.
“We’re not normal people,” I replied, but the thought of just being around her for a few days sounded delicious. The real challenge was: how were we going to keep our hands off of each other? It seemed impossible, but I was willing to try. “Yes, I’ll stick around for a few days. But you can’t ever see that guy again.” I added. I pulled out my light sword and lifted my eyebrow. It was fun to tease her, after all.
“He’s the town doctor!” She said with an ironic laugh. Now she was smiling and laughing and looking more irresistible than ever.
“Well, find a doctor in the next town over. I’ll take you there myself.” I said, joining her in a smile.
“I've missed you so much.” She said.
God, if she only knew how much I had missed her, too. I place my hand under her chin and looked into her perfect eyes. Being here and not laying a finger on her was going to be the hardest thing I had ever done, but I was willing to give it a shot if that meant she would be happy…and stay away from that ridiculous doctor.
Candice
He looked exhausted and bloodied, dripping with rainwater. I tried not to stare at the way his shirt was clinging to his perfect chest, but it was hard to avoid. Luke agreed to stay for a few days, and my heart was filled with happiness. He was fulfilling all my domestic fantasies.
Visions of Luke sitting on the couch when I got home from work, reading a book and smiling when I walked through the door, filled me with warmth.
Wait. Does Luke even read books?
What if he was incapable of the kind of domestic bliss that I dreamt of? What did hybrid-human warriors even do for fun? It was a funny thought.
The next couple of days were a challenge because we both knew that we couldn’t get too close to one another. It would be one night of bliss followed by absence, and I was not ready to let him go just yet. Not if I was to believe that this whole weird relationship was even possible.
“Do you want us to go and watch a movie?” I asked one morning. It was my day off, and I wanted to spend every second of it with him.
“Um, I don’t think I’ve ever seen one.” He replied.
“You’ve never seen a movie before?” I asked. It was unbelievable to me.
“No. It never occurred to me.” He said.
“Getting to know you…..” I sang. “What do you do to pass the time on earth?” I asked. From what he said, he had been on Earth for many years. Surely he had to do something to occupy himself.
“I’m usually working. I’ve always been with the carnival.” He explained.
“I see. Well, we’re going to have a day filled with the best earthly amusements!” I was really excited thinking about it. We would have a nice breakfast, then go to the movies. Maybe we would take a walk in the desert, holding hands.
“There’s only one earth amusement that I’m aware of.” He said as he raised his eyebrow mischievously. His perfect mouth broke into a smile.
“Not so fast, Don Juan. You promised me a few days.” I said.
“Alright. Whatever you want to do. Just promise me that you’ll always smile like that when in my presence.” He said.
“I know what we’re going to do!” A perfect idea came to my mind. “We’re going dancing. There’s this great place on Main Street where they have wine from all over the world, and there’s live music.” Of course, that meant that Luke and I were going to have to touch one another, but it would be safe because we would be in a public place.
“There’s that smile again.” He said. I caught him gazing at my mouth. “I’m willing to accept the challenge of enjoying an evening looking at your shining face.”
Damn. Why is he so warm and irresistible?
I secretly hoped our domestic bliss could go on and on forever.
The day was perfect. I took him to the movies, and he sat through the whole thing, but I could tell he was unenthusiastic about the romantic comedy that we saw.
“I do not understand why humans need to watch other humans fall in love.” He commented when we were leaving the theater. Luke took my hand in his. His grip was firm.
“You devoured that popcorn,” I said. It was hard to get him to eat earth food, but the popcorn, he completely polished off without me getting more than a few bites.
“I like that food. It’s……what’s the word I’m looking for?” He looked at me for help.
“Crunchy?” I asked.
“No, we have plenty of crunchy foods on Hecate.” He said, dismissing it.
“Salty?” I added.
“No. I know this word.” It was adorable to see Luke in a moment of non-humanness.
“Buttery?” I finally asked.
“Hm.” He replied, arching his brow again. “Yes, that’s the word.”
Of course, Luke could make a word like ‘buttery’ sound so special.
“I’m going to snatch that eyebrow right off of your face,” I said.
“Buttery.” He said again, clearly teasing me.
“You’re doing this on purpose because you want to get back to Hecate, and I’m beginning to think I should send you there as soon as possible,” I said, looking away.
He stepped towards me, wrapping his large arms around my waist.
“No, you have to take me dancing first. You’re not going to get out of this.” I said.
“You’re going to have to teach me.” He said.
“Nothing would please me more,” I replied.
The Fox Trot Club was packed, which was surprising for a Tuesday night. The floor was filled with couples dancing to a Michael Jackson song. The live band wasn’t going to take the stage for a few more minutes, so the DJ was playing old tunes that he knew the crowd could warm-up too.
“This is not my scene,” Luke said, drinking a beer.
“Come on, it’s going to be fun,” I said, nudging his arm.
“And now, CK Price and the Traumatic's!” The DJ announced, and the band took to the stage on a wild applause.
To my dismay, CK Price and the Traumatic’s weren’t an upbeat band. I imagined pulling Luke onto the dance floor to covers of 80’s pop music, but instead, we were getting soulful jazz, and the crowd was slow dancing. This was going to be a test.
To my utter surprise, before I got the courage to ask Luke to dance, he grabbed my hand and pulled me onto the dance floor. Being pulled onto the dance floor by an intergalactic soldier was an experience that I had trouble describing.
“Look who wants to dance,” I said with glee.
“I’ve wanted to do this for days.” He said, and pulled me against his chest, wrapping his arms around me and holding me tight. To my surprise, the guy could actually dance! He was swaying me back and forth gently and looking deep into my eyes.
“Where did you learn to dance?” I asked. Clearly, he was lying to me all along.
“It’s not that hard. All I have to do is hold onto you and move from side to side.” His face was dangerously close to mine.
The heat started at the center of my body, and it began to sink down into my belly. I couldn’t stop it. The warmth from Luke’s chest only added to the heat. My heart was pounding.
“Feeling you so close, this evening may prove to be a challenge.” He said.
“I want to be close to you too, but….” Before I could finish my sentence, something caught my eye. There, standi
ng in the corner was Christian. He was holding a glass of wine and watching me dance.
Oh dear.
Christian needed to know that his presence here was a bad choice. And kind of creepy. Maybe it was some weird coincidence, and he just happened to show up.
God. Hopefully, he’s on a date.
But looking to his left and right, I saw that he was standing there alone.
Alien Romance Box Set: Alien Former: Sci-Fi Alien Romance (Books 1-5) Page 110