"It's just not fair that this beast prefers you,” she groused. She handed him the cat.
Two pairs of green eyes blinked at her. Q'winn at least smiled.
He had set aside the laws of space and time for her and taken the Anakin back to a moment several hours before the accident. His theory had been that whatever impact she would have had on Earth would have ended with the accident. Her departure from her world was the same as death—on that world.
She had voiced confusion, and concern. He had looked troubled and confessed his concern, as well. Paradoxes could exist, but they were unlikely. The end result, on Earth, was the same.
Her parents would see to the details of selling her property and informing her employer and friends that she'd moved away. Someone would buy her house and fill her position. It would have been the same if she had died in the accident. Mariel would have called another friend when Trista didn't answer her phone.
She knew Q'winn would have to answer for his actions when they returned to Dannar. She hoped Vanteen was correct and they would be forgiving. In the warm darkness of their couch he had confessed concern there, too.
Then he'd said they could always become qrammi farmers and live a quiet, rural life. She had no idea what qrammi was, but it didn't matter. She would be at his side, whatever happened.
He'd stood beside her as she'd told her parents she was leaving. They had been disbelieving at first, then tearful. Q'winn had remained stoic, a rock she'd clung to as she'd wept, but she sensed he grieved with her.
It had been her grief that had won him over on the matter of the cat. That and the fact that one neutered male cat that would be kept in their rooms didn't pose much of a threat to any indigenous life other than the occasional unfortunate micci that found its way inside.
He'd remained silent on the subject of the several hundred pounds of cat paraphernalia and food she'd asked to take for Tux, too.
What he'd not remained silent about was the cat sharing their couch. Q'winn had planted his booted feet firmly and refused. Trista supposed it was a small concession to make. And besides, it was clear to her that the cat was going to win that battle of wills.
"Tell me something.” She stroked Tux, who was purring happily in Q'winn's arms. “At what point do we arrive back at Mahdis Keep?"
He smiled. “It will seem as if the Anakin was only gone five days."
She shook her head. “I suppose now that I know what you're doing, you'll tell me things as they happen, won't you?"
"What is it you say? ‘Don't count on it.’”
"You're impossible."
"I'm very possible.” He set Tux down on his chair. “We've a long trip to Dannar. What should we do to pass the time?” His eyes gleamed as he backed her towards their couch.
"I'm hungry. We could eat something.” She slipped past him. He followed her.
"Kassa.” She held her hand out to him. “Kassa, kassa."
A huge grin split his face. He remembered their first encounters as well as she did.
He scooped her up and tossed her onto their couch. Her laughter was cut short as his mouth descended on hers. She shoved him away, giggling.
"I want food!"
"I want you.” He yanked her sweatshirt over her head.
They wrestled about, finally settling in a tangle of limbs and sharing contented kisses that promised passion. The Anakin vibrated around them. The ship was making the first of the timeline jumps back to their proper time on Dannar.
Trista sighed, resting her head on Q'winn's shoulder. His lips brushed her forehead. A life together stretched before them. Time was no longer an enemy that would separate them. When they reached Mahdis Keep, they would say the words to bind them to each other on two worlds.
"I love you, Q'winn."
His arms tightened around her. His hands stroked down her back in that gentle way he had. He nibbled at her ear.
"I love you, Trista."
Their future had begun anew.
Meet Rayne Forrest
Rayne Forrest has worked for a picture frame manufacturer, a plumbing company, a general contractor and as an Administrative Assistant for various non-profit organizations. She began writing fiction in 2003. Prior to that she'd designed and written newsletters, booklets and informational pamphlets for those organizations.
She lives with her partner of eleven years in scenic western Maryland, where she was born and raised. They have one very spoiled black Lab and two cats that belong to the dog. All male.
Her first six releases, Across Time, Mountain High, Right From the Start, The Rea Cheveyo Chronicles: Kiana, Skipping Heaven, and The Skies of Mahdis have earned stellar reviews from the toughest critics in the industry—her readers.
She has several more titles coming out in the next twelve months including When the Night Comes, and the second in the series, The Rea Cheveyo Chronicles, Talyss.
When not at her computer she spends time biking on the historic C & O Canal towpath, bowling, gardening, crafting, and reading romance and science fiction. Rayne enjoys classic rock, piano, and Celtic music. She is a member of the Romance Writers of America.
Most recently, Rayne began keeping a blog that chronicles milestones in her career and in her personal life. Her blog can be found at
www.livejournal.com/users/rayneforrest
For more about Rayne and her works, please visit
www.rayneforrest.com
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