rather wait.”
Lorilana changed her tactics. “What if Brianna refuses?”
He shrugged. “She seems to be rather intelligent. She’ll see that it’s the only possible way to save herself and her planet.”
Her eyebrows rose. “Is that how you plan to broach the subject?”
Char lifted his glass and threw its contents into his mouth.
Time to nip Lorilana’s romantic thoughts in the bud. She didn’t have to know just how much he wanted this woman in his bed, on the floor, or against the wall, for that matter.
He began to pace. “What do you expect me to do, Lori? She saved two of my crew from certain death. The clan owes her. As their captain, I owe her. I’m taking you at your word that she’s human. Can you think of another way to save her life? You’ve read the Alalakan reports on Bakom. You know what he’s capable of, all in the name of science. Do you really want him to get his hands on her?”
She sank down onto a chair. “No, I don’t, but this marriage idea… Events are moving too rapidly.”
Char stopped pacing and stared out the window again. Was Lori right? Did he really know what he was doing? Marrying an alien? How would his parents react? How would the clan react?
Thank goodness Rodane was already married. He and Crystas would provide the heir soon.
Straightening his shoulders, Char quashed his uncertainty ruthlessly. He would destroy Bakom! And he would use this alien woman to do so. First, though, they would pleasure each other in his bed.
He turned his attention back to Lorilana. “There’s no other way and no time to waste. The ceremony must be performed before we get home, the sooner the better. What’s more, it must be secret from everyone except the necessary witnesses. The longer we can keep Bakom from learning about it, the less time he’ll have to formulate plans. Right now he’s sure he’ll be able to take the woman as soon as we get to Drakan. The longer he thinks that, the better.”
“Her name is Brianna.”
Char frowned. “What?”
“You keep referring to her as ‘the woman’. No one will believe in this marriage if you don’t even use her name.”
He cocked his head and studied Lorilana intently. What plans was she formulating in that lovely head of hers? “Brianna, then. You will perform the ceremony, of course?”
Her smile was genuine. “I’ve been waiting years to perform this particular ceremony. I just wish it could be under different circumstances. What reason for this marriage will you give those not privy to your plans for Bakom?”
Char shifted his gaze away. “The only reason anyone who knows me would believe because it’s the least believable.”
An elegant eyebrow rose. “And what would that be?”
He glanced back at Lorilana and grinned. “Why, that I fell madly in love at first sight, of course. Why else would the most eligible Alalakan left in the Clan marry a nobody from an unknown planet?”
“Madly in lust maybe,” Lorilana answered with a chuckle.
He shrugged. “Lust, love, what’s the difference?”
Lorilana’s lips twitched. For such an intelligent man, Char could be such an idiot. Then she chuckled again. “Do you know how many mothers with eligible daughters have plans of action in place for the moment you return to your family’s estate? Do you know how many ‘eligible’ friends your sister-in-law has invited to the Solstice celebration? Or have those plans helped you formulate your own?”
“I must admit that the thought crossed my mind,” he acknowledged with a grin. “As long as the… Brianna agrees, we’ll both be able to avoid difficult situations. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I must get back to Command. Are you staying here?”
“No, I’m tired, and with the sedative, Brianna should sleep approximately eight more hours. The guard you’ve posted, not to mention Meri’s Aradabs, will be sufficient protection.”
“That and the fact the door is keyed to open only to you or me,” Char said as he
Lorilana changed her tactics. “What if Brianna refuses?”
He shrugged. “She seems to be rather intelligent. She’ll see that it’s the only possible way to save herself and her planet.”
Her eyebrows rose. “Is that how you plan to broach the subject?”
Char lifted his glass and threw its contents into his mouth.
Time to nip Lorilana’s romantic thoughts in the bud. She didn’t have to know just how much he wanted this woman in his bed, on the floor, or against the wall, for that matter.
He began to pace. “What do you expect me to do, Lori? She saved two of my crew from certain death. The clan owes her. As their captain, I owe her. I’m taking you at your word that she’s human. Can you think of another way to save her life? You’ve read the Alalakan reports on Bakom. You know what he’s capable of, all in the name of science. Do you really want him to get his hands on her?”
She sank down onto a chair. “No, I don’t, but this marriage idea… Events are moving too rapidly.”
Char stopped pacing and stared out the window again. Was Lori right? Did he really know what he was doing? Marrying an alien? How would his parents react? How would the clan react?
Thank goodness Rodane was already married. He and Crystas would provide the heir soon.
Straightening his shoulders, Char quashed his uncertainty ruthlessly. He would destroy Bakom! And he would use this alien woman to do so. First, though, they would pleasure each other in his bed.
He turned his attention back to Lorilana. “There’s no other way and no time to waste. The ceremony must be performed before we get home, the sooner the better. What’s more, it must be secret from everyone except the necessary witnesses. The longer we can keep Bakom from learning about it, the less time he’ll have to formulate plans. Right now he’s sure he’ll be able to take the woman as soon as we get to Drakan. The longer he thinks that, the better.”
“Her name is Brianna.”
Char frowned. “What?”
“You keep referring to her as ‘the woman’. No one will believe in this marriage if you don’t even use her name.”
He cocked his head and studied Lorilana intently. What plans was she formulating in that lovely head of hers? “Brianna, then. You will perform the ceremony, of course?”
Her smile was genuine. “I’ve been waiting years to perform this particular ceremony. I just wish it could be under different circumstances. What reason for this marriage will you give those not privy to your plans for Bakom?”
Char shifted his gaze away. “The only reason anyone who knows me would believe because it’s the least believable.”
An elegant eyebrow rose. “And what would that be?”
He glanced back at Lorilana and grinned. “Why, that I fell madly in love at first sight, of course. Why else would the most eligible Alalakan left in the Clan marry a nobody from an unknown planet?”
“Madly in lust maybe,” Lorilana answered with a chuckle.
He shrugged. “Lust, love, what’s the difference?”
Lorilana’s lips twitched. For such an intelligent man, Char could be such an idiot. Then she chuckled again. “Do you know how many mothers with eligible daughters have plans of action in place for the moment you return to your family’s estate? Do you know how many ‘eligible’ friends your sister-in-law has invited to the Solstice celebration? Or have those plans helped you formulate your own?”
“I must admit that the thought crossed my mind,” he acknowledged with a grin. “As long as the… Brianna agrees, we’ll both be able to avoid difficult situations. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I must get back to Command. Are you staying here?”
“No, I’m tired, and with the sedative, Brianna should sleep approximately eight more hours. The guard you’ve posted, not to mention Meri’s Aradabs, will be sufficient protection.”
“That and the fact the door is keyed to open only to you or me,” Char said as he
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