12. Jesse
JESSE
We walked in companionable silence all the way to his, well, now our quarters.
The entire while, my brain whirled. I’d seen the more notable matches in the news, and a fair few people at my university had scholarship funds from the Mylos as they taught an advanced science course of some kind or other there.
One of the gals had been in my English Comp class my freshman year, and she’d been matched.
So how had I gotten it into my head that signing up to be matched was so rare, it made the odds even more remote?
And even if that had been true, how had I disregarded the reality that I might actually find myself matched?
To the point where I’d even convinced myself that the until now infallible test was wrong?
I felt a deep sense of shame course through me. Mama had raised me better’n that. Dad too, I had to begrudgingly admit.
You always read the fine print, and once you shake on it, a deal is a deal, and you make the best of it.
I wasn’t even giving this mating thing a chance.
Instead, I did push ups, crunches, jogged in place, did jumping jacks, burpees, you name it until I was absolutely dripping in sweat, and then refused to let anyone in to help me dress in the fancy clothes they tried to bring me.
I stayed in my room clear until Helkhor said I could wear my “human clothes,” but I had to come now, or we’d be late meeting the prince.
Then I’d acted the fool, standing there all, “Aha! You see? Not your mate!”
Shit, I think I was just so angry still about how the Double J was given to my sister and Ted, that when I assumed my match being a prince meant I could kiss my ranch claim goodbye too, I took it out on him.
I swallowed. I owed Prince Johree a major apology.
And seeing as I disrespected him in front of his men, I needed to do it in front of them, and then hope my sad ass story about the Double J and my horses allowed him to see my earlier frame of mind so he’d forgive me for real and not just out of protocol or whatever.
“I’m sorry,” I blurted out. “I had my reasons, which I see now weren’t very good ones, but even so, I could have handled meeting you to find out better.
” His tail tightened around my leg, giving it a gentle squeeze before returning to the more relaxed hold.
“Ambassador Helkhor had informed me you’d be scenting me as was traditional, so I knew you’d be able to tell whether or not we were truly mates as the test said or not, even if I was freshly showered and in that fancy suit he’d wanted me to wear.
I guess I simply wanted to prove…” I sighed, feeling awkward as hell, “to prove I was done getting pushed around and having things that were promised or given to me taken away and given to someone else.”
Prince Johree’s tail tightened around my calf again, this time to the point of it being uncomfortable. I let out a grunt of pain, and when I looked at him, his eyes were hard.
“Who took from you?” he asked, the timbre of his voice a low growl that went straight to my groin and gave me goosebumps.
I glanced behind me. His two guards were listening with an interested look. Fuck it, soon the whole universe would probably know anyway.
“That’s what I’m going to tell you once we’re in our quarters. They can hear it too. But, umm, could you not try to cut my leg in half?”
He looked horrified and pulled his tail away completely.
“I didn’t mean you had to do that. The tail was, well, kind of nice.”
His gaze softened. “I am glad you like me holding you, my corathiel.” His expression grew more heated. “There are so many other ways I’d also like to hold you.”
Fuck, that was hot. I felt a stirring in my groin in response and was very glad I was wearing loose sweatpants after all, so I didn’t have to walk the remaining distance across the open deck with my dick pointing the way ahead of me - I’d decided to go commando during my temper tantrum, because that was what it was.
I licked my lips. “Maybe I’d like that, but first, I really need to tell y’all everything. Our mating is kind of a huge deal, yeah?”
He inclined his head, his tail finding my leg once more and his hand reaching for mine.
I’d never had a boyfriend who was willing to be physically affectionate in public, and I found that I really liked it.
Not that I’d had a boyfriend since college, only random hookups if I got lucky at the bar, and the last time that had happened was over a year ago as I’d stopped responding to advances for more than a dance or a drink because I had felt so hollow afterwards.
“It is. There will be a lot of media coverage, I’m afraid.” He grimaced. “We can expect to become inundated with paparazzi as the palace will press the advantage to promote the colony program amongst both our peoples.”
I made a sour face. “I’m with ya there. I’m sure they’ll all find out about my family, and they’ll twist things to make themselves look like the good guys. Since they won’t know me from Adam, folks will believe whatever they say about me too.”
“So, why not tell them the truth of who you are, Your Grace?” one of the guards asked.
“Like, give an interview?” That would be even more journalistic BS that could get twisted. No, thank you.
“I was thinking more of you doing a vid channel, introducing yourself, talk about why you applied, how you hope to bring your horses, and show what it's like as you settle in on New Haven.”
By now we’d reached the Corsair and boarded, starting to make our way to our quarters.
The interior had the same sharp, clean lines as the exterior, all bright white ceilings and walls with a mottled dark gray flooring.
The corridors were wide, but then the Dragonii were huge, so the room would be needed to allow two of them to pass.
It had been the same on the Mylos ship, what little I’d gotten to see of it, though theirs had been less stark.
“A vid series…now that might be an idea. Showcase my journey as a wannabe colonist who just happened to be matched to the prince who is the colony’s governor.
” I nodded slowly. “If I get a few episodes out before the big announcement and have one we can release shortly after, it could benefit us both as we could get ahead of the curve.”
We stopped in front of a door, one flanked by two more guards who saluted the prince by doing this “two arms crossed with their hands in clenched fists” thing before giving a small bow in my general direction.
They wore the same military uniforms I’d seen aboard The Talon or whatever the hell it had been called, so I figured they were also members of the Dragonii space navy and not more personal guards.
“Please remain here. My guards will be in a meeting with my mate and I, so will not be relieving you. Please instruct the captain that as soon as Jesse’s belongings are aboard, we wish to return to the surface.”
Another salute and bow and then the prince was opening the door to reveal an interior almost impossibly more opulent than the one I’d recently vacated.
Shit. Is this really okay to get dog hair all over?