Chapter 17
CARL
When he’d said hula was a good workout for a warrior, my mind had gone down the path that the movements involved in the dances and the calories expended were a good workout.
I was, therefore ill prepared for the sight of a dozen Mylos and several humans running down a sandy beach.
An actual friggin’ beach with a simulated ocean behind it.
Further down, some surfers were preparing to paddle out.
My mind was absolutely blown. The surprises weren’t finished with me yet, however.
The men all ran, and after a cool down and some stretches, began climbing two huge coconut palm trees.
It was quite the sight to behold, all that sweat glistening skin, the muscles in their thighs, arms, and backs flexing…
I damn near needed to go dunk myself in the ocean to cool down.
As it was, I just prayed that the loose sweatpants I’d put on in solidarity with it being physical training hid my erection well enough.
“If I join the program here, will I have to do all that?” I asked Kit afterwards.
“You can join a more recreational level class, but you will have to learn, yes, as well as take a Hawaiian language class, in addition to conversational Mylos and Dragonii,” he informed me.
“Two languages?” That seemed daunting. “At the same time or…?”
“No,” he responded, amused. “Mylos first for a year, unless you get matched to a Dragonii, then of course you’ll be relocating and having to learn their language before any other.”
That made sense.
“That doesn’t sound so bad. I’m still pretty fair in Spanish and can order food and reserve a hotel and shit in German.
” I ignored what he’d just said about getting matched.
I knew that was not going to happen unless it did for Kit and me.
I’d read an article about how one of the Mylos, an officer investigating the kidnapping of a child and teacher from that big picnic event, hadn’t realized that the teacher was his mate right away.
It had taken him weeks, apparently, so it was entirely possible for the Mylos mating drive to not surface without delays.
My personal opinion on the matter, without any scientific backing, admittedly, was that since the Mylos relied so much on the matching service to identify their mates and therefore knew upon first look that they were a match, that it was the conscious acknowledgement of the match that helped kickstart their reaction, usually.
Sure, we’d had a lot of contact and social time over three years, but surely some of the genetics of the maternal species came into play, too.
Just look at those two vampire ones, for example, who were the first Mylos-human throuple and made all the news.
We stopped for breakfast on the way back to our quarters, and while he showered and got changed into his uniform, I decided it was time to quit messing around.
The mate matching test would sort this thing out between the two of us once and for all.
I’d take it, all would be revealed, and we’d go get freaky in the sheets, get married here aboard the ship, and go on our honeymoon somewhere.
Yes, as soon as he left for work, I was going to get changed into something smart casual so as not to look completely unprofessional, and take myself right on down to the Human Resource office.
Or up or sideways, whichever way it was here.
I wasn’t worried about finding it, thanks to Xero’s navigational assistance protocols.
I was going to go straight there before my nerves got the better of me, sign that contract, and take that damned test. I wasn’t going to tell him I was going, even, better to just get it over and done with and let him deal with the surprise.
After all, if we'd never met and I’d taken the test, he’d have been surprised to meet me.
It was practically a tradition that the Mylos be surprised by discovering who their mate was, and who was I to poop on his parade?
No, I’d let my signing up be a surprise so he wouldn’t have a clue that I’d made my mind up to do it, so our matching would come from out of left field as far as possible.
Kit came out of his bedroom, all sexy in his Mylos uniform of form fitting heavy leather trousers, boots, and no shirt.
It was a far cry from what I’d seen him in before, as he usually wore the standard human academia attire of chinos, a button down shirt, and a sports jacket paired with either brown or black Chelsea boots.
Sure, I’d seen Mylos on TV and aboard ship dressed this way, but this was only the second time I’d gotten a look at Kit like this, the first time being at Bratty Dogs. Second time, if I counted that shirtless hula session.
“Just wow. I can’t get over you in those pants,” I told him. I chuckled. “It’s a good thing you didn’t wear that to classes, as you’d have had so many student stalkers you’d have had to have your own bodyguard.
He huffed. “You’re being ridiculous.”
I laughed once more. Oh, soon enough, he’d discover that I was far from joking.
He was the hottest damned guy I’d ever seen, and that was before I’d seen him like this.
Thankfully, I was sitting down on the sofa, talking to him while half turned to face him behind me, so he couldn’t see my arousal.
Yep, definitely best to get that pesky test out of the way because while it had been hard to disguise my interest before he was ready, it was going to be nigh impossible now.
“We still on for lunch?” he asked me.
“Yeah, sure. Um, here or at Bratty Dogs?”
”How about the burger place next to it? Jim’s Jammy Burgers.”
Jam on burgers? I wrinkled my brows. Surely not.
“Why do they call it that?” I asked cautiously.
Kit laughed. “It’s not got grape jelly on the burgers! He uses various chutneys. His mate works in ship maintenance. I met him two days ago when he showed up to change out some air scrubber filters in the conference room as we were leaving. He told me to try the pork and rhubarb chutney one.”
“That does sound intriguing," I admitted. “Okay, I’ll meet you there.”
“I’ll message you when I’m free for lunch then.” He edged his way towards the door.
“Sounds good,” I replied, watching him leave, my mind already playing a reel of future such interactions, involving me either going with him, hand in hand to show the universe we were together, or kissing him good-bye and later kissing him hello.
I waited a minute or two before hurrying over to my suitcase. I had business to do to make sure that happened, and I wasn’t wasting a second I didn’t have to. I’d waited damn well long enough.