31. Negal

Just like the one the night before, the wedding ceremony had been touching, and the vows Kri and Michael had exchanged echoed in Negals mind long after the words had faded into the ether and the festivities had commenced.

The hall was alive with laughter and the soft clink of glasses, and as the music started, couples took to the dance floor.

Would you like to dance? he asked Margo.

I would love to. She swiped a finger under one eye and then the other.

He smiled. Got emotional?

She nodded. For a cynical skeptic, I love weddings too much. She cast a glance in Kians direction. Apparently, I share this weakness with the big boss, so maybe its something that grouches like us have in common.

Youre not a grouch. Negal rose to his feet and offered her a hand up. Maybe you just need more reminders that not everything is as bad as you think it is.

Chuckling, Margo took his hand. Oh, its much worse. The older I get, the more I discover how naive I was, believing in a better future and the integrity of the system.

Im not well versed in human affairs, but I experienced the same on Anumati. Sometimes, I miss the days of my youth, when I worshipped the Eternal King and believed wholeheartedly that he had my best interests at heart along with all the citizens of Anumati, whether residing on the home world or the colonies.

Im glad that you understand my way of thinking. Margo smiled up at him. Not many do.

As he led her to the dance floor, Negal scanned the room, noting all the males whose eyes followed her, and he had the absurd urge to wrap her in his arms and hide her from view.

Margo looked exquisite in a dress made from a shimmery gold fabric. The bodice hugged her curves gently while the skirt flowed like liquid gold, cascading to the floor in a series of gentle waves. Her long blond hair was gathered atop her head, and a few strands cascaded like a golden waterfall, framing her face and highlighting the clear blue of her eyes.

His thoughts drifting to Kri and Michaels vows, to the joy and love he glimpsed in their exchange, Negal couldnt help but yearn for an everlasting bond like theirs.

As the slow dance began, Margo looked into his eyes and frowned. Did something upset you?

Why do you ask?

Your eyes are glowing.

He wasnt sure whether they were doing that in response to the male gazes that had trailed Margo or what her nearness was doing to him, but it was unacceptable in either case.

My apologies. He blinked a couple of times until he was sure they were no longer glowing.

You have nothing to apologize for. I was just curious about the reason. A smile lifted her lips. Were you having naughty thoughts about me?

He chuckled. Im always having naughty thoughts about you, but Im usually in better control of my responses.

As her cheeks pinked, she got closer and rested her forehead against his chest. Im having naughty thoughts about you as well, she admitted in a whisper. But they are probably much tamer than yours.

His shaft swelled in an instant. Now Im dying to hear all about those naughty thoughts.

She shook her head. Im not going to tell you.

Negal hoped she would show him, and that she wouldnt keep him waiting for too long. Delayed gratification had its merits, but he preferred to end the delay sooner rather than later.

As they swayed in place to the rhythm of the music, not really dancing but rather enjoying each others closeness, the world around them seemed to fade. The music and the couples dancing next to them all receded until it was just the two of them, moving to the beat.

As the song ended and they stepped apart, Negal was reluctant to let go. Another dance?

Margo stepped closer to him. Of course.

As Dagor and Frankie glided onto the dance floor to join them, the dynamic shifted, their bubble expanding to include their friends.

Watching how happy and in love they looked, Negal was glad for Dagor and Frankie, but he was also a little envious.

The obstacles that they had faced together were behind them. Frankie had successfully transitioned, and her future with Dagor was set on the right path. They would still face challenges, but their relationship was cemented, their bond just as everlasting as Kri and Michaels.

Still, Dagor would never be able to bring Frankie home to his parents on Anumati because she was a hybrid, part human, part goddess, and mating with created species was not allowed on the home planet. The same was true for Negal, but he no longer cared about that.

His gaze flickered from Dagor and Frankie back to Margo, who was watching the other couple with a smile.

Was she thinking about all the obstacles that still stood in his and her way before they could bask in each others company with the same ease?

The crux of it all was her transition, but for that to have a chance of happening, they needed to overcome Margos intimacy problem.

Not that he was overly concerned about that. The way she was looking at him, her eyes full of desire and perhaps even love, it wouldnt be long now, but the biggest question was whether she possessed the godly genes at all. He believed that she did, that the Fates wouldnt be cruel to him by sending him a mere human to taunt him, but until it happened, the uncertainty was gnawing at him.

The thought of a future without her was unbearable. He loved her, more than he had ever thought possible, and the realization that her transition might never occur and that their time together could be limited was weighing heavily on his heart.