The Alien's Mail-Order Bride_A Sci-Fi Alien Romance Novella by Ruby Dixon

Author:Ruby Dixon [Dixon, Ruby]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Ruby Dixon
Published: 2017-10-30T04:00:00+00:00

7

NICOLA

Despite the warmth of the day, the night is surprisingly cold, and after dinner, I’m happy when Emvor moves to the stove and starts a fire.

“You’re too fragile to endure the cold,” he tells me, and then I’m less happy about the fire.

“Humans are surprisingly hardy,” I can’t help but retort. “If we were as fragile as you say, no one would steal us. We’d die of fright the moment we got a look at your alien faces.”

I’m rewarded with a reluctant, almost rusty chuckle, and it breaks the tension between us.

“Do you play sticks?” I ask after a moment. “I found a set when I was straightening things.”

Emvor looks over at me, surprised. “You play?”

Is that pleasure I hear in his voice? I nod, trying not to sound too eager. “Leandra taught me. She loved to play. We’d spend hours most nights just tossing sticks back and forth. She could beat me every time, but I never stopped trying.”

A slow smile curves his mouth, and it seems like his whole face creases with it. My heart skips a beat. “I used to be pretty good,” he murmurs. “Haven’t played since I was a soldier, though.”

“I’ll go easy on you, then,” I tease, getting to my feet.

“Will you, now?” He sounds amused, and my heart skips another beat.

I get the box of sticks as he drags the table toward the fire and pulls his log-seat across from the only chair, which he holds out for me. I’m surprised at the small gesture and wonder if he knows it’s a chivalrous human thing to do. Probably not, but it affects me all the same. I smile brightly up at him and I’m so, so happy when he actually smiles back. It’s almost like we’re becoming friends, and I love that. I haven’t had a friend since Leandra died.

I’ve been so alone.

But here by the fire with Emvor, I don’t feel so alone, so utterly adrift in the universe. So terrified. It feels like I might have a friend and it’s the most wonderful feeling in the world. It makes my spirit feel light and free, and my heart full of joy.

I can’t tell him this, though. He’s a prickly sort and won’t like it if I gush over him when he’s trying to set me up with one of his neighbors. So I just give him my best cocky smile and take the lid off of the game. “I hope you like eating crow.”

He gives me a cool look of amusement. “What the kef is ‘crow’?”

“You’re about to see,” I tease gleefully.

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