by Lisa Lace
She pulled on the clothes awkwardly. I noticed the red coat looked stunning with her black hair and fair skin. She was truly beautiful.
"If you pull your socks over your regular pants before you put on the snow pants, they won't ride up. Just a little tip for next time."
"Thanks," she said. I waited until she finished dressing, then led her through the garage to the small door that led outside.
As we stepped out the exit, the wind hit us in the face with some snow that had blown off the roof. She flinched in shock. I looked at her with pity and concern.
"Pull your scarf up, Quinn. It will protect your face."
She nodded and clumsily pulled her scarf up without taking off her gloves. I walked over to the nearest snow car. It was similar to vehicles I had seen on planets where they didn't have snow ten months of the year. Instead of wheels, it had tracks to go over the snow and travel between cities. During the brief, two-month summer, smaller self-driving cars were used for transportation.
The driver opened his door. "Hey buddy, we need a ride to Nivan."
"I can do that," he said. "Hop in."
I opened the door and let Quinn climb in first. An hour later, we were in the small town of Nivan. During the walk from the parking lot to the wedding location, Quinn struggled to move in her big boots. It had snowed heavily yesterday. The snow removal division was still in the process of getting all the sidewalks cleared. They hadn't got to this one yet, and it was up to our knees.
Finally, we got to the door, and I opened it, holding it for her. I didn't miss the sigh of relief that she let out when she felt the warmth inside.
"Come over here and take your extra clothes off," I said as we stepped through the second set of double doors. To our left was a coat room. We removed our boots and set them on a mat. The snow would melt and drain into a shallow trough underneath the footwear. On the wall, there were hooks for hanging up our snow pants and coats.
I motioned to a device that looked like a long radiator but had loops pointing up on the top. "Put your gloves, hat, and scarf here to dry. The loops heat up and dry off your clothing. The theory is that they will be warm and dry before you go out again into the terrible weather."
"Nice," she said. She put her gloves and hat each over one of the loops, then wound her scarf around a couple of them. I felt entranced when I watched her movements. She was lovely and elegant. When she looked up at me after she finished putting all her outdoor clothes away, her crystal clear blue eyes ensnared me. I couldn't seem to look away.
I wondered if she felt it as well. The moment stretched, but she looked away first.
"We should go this way," I said, turning away from her. Why did I feel guilty? Quinn was going to be a temporary wife. My true love was somewhere far away on a backward planet. I had to nurture the hope that she would be safe until I found her. I wasn't sure how far into the future my vision was. Perhaps it was a year or more away, and I could still find her and save her. I had no business getting interested in another woman.
We walked through the large entrance and into a corridor. I turned into a room whose nameplate read:
Maloney-Buhari Wedding
Quinn gazed at the sign and read the words slowly. There was no time for hesitation.
"Come on," I said, taking her hand. She looked at me in surprise. "We have to keep up appearances. My mother and my brother are the only ones who know you're from TerraMates."
"Oh." Her eyes were big.
"Can you pretend you like me? Hopefully, you will, soon enough."
She laughed then and shook her head.
"I like you, Airik. I won't have to pretend."
The words warmed my heart but made me feel guilty at the same time. Even if I wasn't getting involved with her, wasn't it was a good idea to like my wife?
"I like you too, Quinn," I said. "Ready?"
"Ready."
I opened the door and lifted my head high as we walked into a room packed with over a hundred people. I heard Quinn's shocked gasp. To her credit, she kept her smile firmly in place.
"I thought you said we were meeting your family," she said out of the side of her mouth.
"Yes," I said as we walked forward.
"What are all these people doing here?"
I turned and smiled at her. A genuine smile for the first time.
"This is my family."
Chapter 5
QUINN
By my estimate, Airik had about a million people in his family. It appeared they were all coming to my wedding. I had already met about twenty of them, but I couldn't remember a single name. I was starting to freak out.
My Dad was on another planet. I was on my own in a sea of people.
Airik hadn't let go of my hand. It was a small measure of comfort that made me feel secure. Occasionally, we had to release each other when our wrists crossed, but then he would take my cold hand in his again as we made our way through the crowd.
I wished again that I hadn't mislaid the folder about my prospective husband. I was never more mad at myself for being disorganized than I was the day I realized I lost it. I had considered asking Mrs. Lynch for another one, but I couldn't work up the courage. I was worried she would think I wasn't responsible enough to be a mail-order bride.
The truth was, Mrs. Lynch terrified me. She was a harpy. I should have asked her despite my misgivings. Now I knew nothing about these aliens and their culture. What if I offended someone by accident?
And I wished Airik had told me ahead of time that I was going to have to act like we were in love. But when could he have told me? I just arrived on the planet. He let me know as soon as he could, I guess. And I supposed it wasn't a big deal. It was merely another part of our sham marriage.
I didn't know why he wanted to marry me. Keeping up appearances seemed important, so I would do that for him.
I meant it when I had said that I liked him. He seemed kind. There was something reassuring about him. He projected confidence and calm. It seemed he was usually in charge and knew how to put people at ease.
If I could only get through this day, I was sure I could get through another year. Airik introduced me to his closest family members. I met his mother, his father, his three brothers and two sisters. My mind started melting when friends said hello, followed by favorite cousins, aunts, uncles. By the time we finished lunch, I was exhausted.
There were two full days to rest on the space station before the shuttle left for Koccoran. I was over my jet lag. There wasn't anything physically wrong with me.
But I hadn't been around people for years. Mostly my life was Dad and me, especially at the end when we were always looking over our shoulders. I stayed at home alone all day and spent time with my Dad, or trusted friends would come over. I hadn't been in a group this size for a long, long time. And frankly, it was making me nervous.
"Are you ready to go back to the room?" Airik said when he noticed I was finished eating.
"Yes, please."
He said our good-byes for us and we headed up to the hotel room. When we arrived, I collapsed on the couch. He asked me if everything was all right.
"I'm okay. I'm just tired. I haven't been around this many people in a long time. Probably not since I was in school, so it's overwhelming along with everything else."
"I'm sorry, Quinn. We'll have a few hours to rest but then the wedding and the reception are coming, along with more crowds."
"I know. That's okay. Of course you want your family here. I didn't know there would be so many of them. I don't know anything about you, do I?"
"Right," he said, looking worried for a moment. His expression evened out. "We'll get to know each other."
"Yes, we will," I said. My voice had more conviction than I felt. Right now Airik was a complete stranger. I thought I would never know him any better than I did right now. It seemed like an impossible task.
"It's a suite," he said, walking to a door and opening it to reveal a bedroom. "Do you want to sleep for a
while? I have some work to do, but I can get it done at the table."
"That sounds wonderful." I sank gratefully onto the bed and pulled off my thick sweater. Underneath I had on a pink T-shirt. "Thanks, Airik, for being understanding."
I looked up, and he was staring at me in a way that made my body tingle. I felt my heart rate accelerate, and my breath came more quickly. Our eyes were locked. His gaze felt like foreplay.
I hadn't been in a relationship since high school. There was one guy that had been a loner. He was an artist and different from everyone else, like me. One night, down by the river, we had both lost our virginity.
Another guy seduced me at the bar one night when I was twenty-two. We went home together, and he disappeared before I woke up. But there hadn't been anyone since then.
I hadn't wanted anyone, until now. I swallowed.
"Rest well, Quinn," he said. When he spoke, I imagined a kiss on my lips.
"Thank you," I said.
He nodded and left.
I fell back on the bed. My body tingled. I felt alive for the first time in years. What was going on? And what about the man I was supposed to be in love with in a year's time? How could I consider anything with Airik when my mystery man was still out there in the universe?
I briefly wondered if it could be Airik. But what were the chances I would have a vision of my true love, and he would turn out to be the man I had already married? Slim to none.
It felt strange to be panting over Airik when I knew there was a different someone out there for me. It was almost like cheating. But if I hadn't had a vision, I wouldn't know anything about the man from the future, and I wouldn't have any misgivings about having sex with my husband.
What about all the people a person dates before they find the person they want to marry? Does that make them disloyal to a person from their future? Of course not. When they're dating the person, they don't know what's going to happen.
Did it even matter? We weren't going to be jumping into bed together. We would get to know each other first and then if it seemed like a good idea, something might happen. I remembered how it felt locking eyes with him halfway across the room, and my body disagreed with my mind. My body didn't see a need for a getting-to-know period.
It wanted him. And that was that.
I sighed, pulling my pants off and crawling into bed in my T-shirt and underwear. All my philosophical thoughts would have to wait until later. I needed a nap if I was going to be able to face my wedding and reception. I sighed at the thought.
How was I going to live through the rest of this day?
Have a nap, I counseled myself. Everything will look better when you wake up.
I curled up on my side and quickly fell fast asleep.
* * *
I woke slowly, aware that there was a foreign scent in my vicinity. It was a little spicy, a little exotic and it made me weak with need. I had been dreaming of Airik. The content of my dreams made me blush. My heart was still pounding because I had woken up as we were about to become intimate.
"Quinn?" I heard Airik's voice calling softly from above me. Wait a second. He was sitting next to me on my bed. My pulse raced.
"Quinn, your face is changing color. Do you feel okay?"
I didn't answer immediately. I was too embarrassed. I didn't think he had much experience with fair-skinned people. On Koccoran, it would be impossible to tell if people were blushing or not because they were many shades darker than my pale skin.
Eyes closed, I responded to him. "I'm blushing."
"Oh," he said. "Why? Am I making you uncomfortable?"
Was his voice huskier than before? I felt myself getting wet. This would not do. I needed to keep our relationship platonic. Didn't I?
"No," I said, finally opening my eyes.
"You seemed fast asleep. I'm sorry to wake you up, but it's time to get dressed for the wedding," he said.
"Okay," I said. I didn't want to sit up because my nipples were hard and would be obvious in my tight shirt when the blanket fell off of me.
He smiled and leaned over me, kissing my forehead.
The moment his lips touched me, I had a flash of images race through my mind too fast for me to grasp. He pulled away in surprise, examining me as if trying to comprehend something.
I sat up and moved back away from him. "What was that?" I asked.
"What was what? Did you experience something?"
I stared at him.
I couldn't tell him I saw visions. Hiding was ingrained in my soul by now. What if he didn't understand? Maybe he was like the Sons of the Heavenly Father back on Earth? I had concealed my abilities for years. I could certainly hide them for one more.
"It was nothing." I looked away. "I thought I heard something, but I was wrong."
I glanced up at him and was surprised to see him give me a speculative look. Was he trying to figure me out? He shook his head slowly as if dismissing whatever he had been thinking.
"I see," he said, rising to his feet. "You will find a wedding gown in the closet. It is a traditional dress. My sister will be along shortly to help you put it on."
He headed for the door, and I called after him. "I don't need any help. I can dress myself."
He looked back over his shoulder in a way that could only be called distracting.
"Trust me. The dress requires assistance, and Neesa wants to get to know you."
I relented. The last thing I wanted was to get lost trying to wear alien fashion. Neesa was one of his relatives that had seemed nice. I remembered her.
"Okay, maybe you're right," I said, getting up.
He went very still, and I froze too. Our attraction was back, and he was still far away from me. How would it feel when I was in his arms?
"What is it?" I couldn't help asking.
"You're very beautiful. Your pictures didn't do you justice."
I smiled. "You're easy on the eyes, too," I said, borrowing an expression from my father.
He certainly was.
He was tall, not too broad, but strong. He wore conservative clothes, but I was sure that I would find a well-muscled body underneath. The thought made me flush. His hair was black and very short. His mocha skin gave me shivers. I wanted to see what it looked like alongside my pale body.
I had already lost myself in his chocolate brown eyes several times. His dark goatee made him look distinguished and handsome. His lips, though, had me mesmerized. They were full and sexy. The only thing I wanted to do was press my own against them.
What was I thinking?
I had just met this guy. How could I want him so much? But it had been a long time since I had found a desirable partner. Perhaps I was starved for love...or maybe it was something else. I had to admit I was powerfully attracted to Airik, more than any guy I had ever met. He seemed to want me, too, if the tent in his pants was any indication. He turned, finally, as though he had to wrench himself away from me.
"I'll see you when you've dressed, Quinn," he said, passing his sister on his way out of my room.
She looked at him, looked at me, and raised her eyebrows. "For an arranged marriage, you guys seem quite interested in each other."
My mouth dropped open. "I thought you didn't know."
"Don't worry, nobody else knows. But Kartar never could keep a secret from me. I knew something was up. I made him tell me everything."
"Does Airik know that you know?"
"Nah, I'll tell him later."
I nodded.
"So, there's some chemistry between you two?" she asked, grinning at me.
"Yeah. I guess there is."
"That's good. You'll need it tonight."
I supposed she was referring to any required kisses at the reception. "Should we get this dress on?"
"We should, but put this underwear on first." She handed me crotchless panties and a bra that could be unbuttoned to allow my breasts to burst out.
"Wait a second. What kind of kink are you aliens into on this planet?
" I said. The words popped out before I could stop them. I clapped my hand over my mouth, then took it off to apologize. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean that."
"No, no," she laughed. "You have a right to know what the interesting underwear is about. I'm here to explain everything."
"Explain away."
"You've noticed that we live in a cold climate. A long time ago, we lived in cabins that could be quite chilly. Sometimes people didn't take their clothes off for weeks at a time."
I wrinkled my nose. "No offense, but that sounds pretty gross."
"I know. It was my ancestors, not me. If you ever visit one of the historical cabins during the winter, you'll know why they didn't change. You wouldn't have, either."
"You're probably right," I said.
"They would sleep in their clothes as well. But newlyweds have certain needs."
"Okay." I knew where this was going now.
"And they weren't about to take off all their clothes in the bitter cold to fulfill those needs, no matter how urgent their desires."
"Of course not."
"They created underwear that would allow easy access to a woman's body."
I swallowed hard as I imagined Airik having easy access to my body.
"Sounds brilliant," I said.
"Exactly. The newlyweds could fulfill their needs whenever they wanted to. The women wore blouses that buttoned in the front and skirts. The men could always pull it out when they needed to."
I laughed.
"That's where the traditional underwear comes from."
"Okay. I'll just put it on then," I said, going into the bathroom.
"Here," she said, tossing me a ball of silk. "Put the slip on too."
When I came out, she had the dress ready for me to put on. I stepped into it from the top. As she had already indicated, the top half buttoned up for easy access.
It was like a princess dress. The blue shade happened to match my eyes exactly. My shoulders were bare. The sleeves were long and covered my entire arm. The bodice was tight and highlighted my narrow waist. The skirt fell smoothly over my hips all the way to the floor. It covered my shoes and swished when I walked.
When I turned and saw myself in the mirror, I couldn't believe I was looking at myself. I had lived my entire life in jeans and T-shirts. My dad had never been good at feminine things. The sight of myself in the dress made me smile.