Chapter 36

Chapter

Thirty-Six

Dex

I could not believe I had been forced to return to Earth. First I had been sent to retrieve both the crown prince and his wayward cousin, and now I was back because Ruune could not live without the striking brunette. I had been a royal guard for a long time, but I had rarely felt as awkward as I did standing stiffly behind Ruune. Every fiber of my being regretted agreeing to accompany the lovesick royal back to the alien planet.

I watched with a mixture of exasperation and grudging admiration as Ruune poured out his heart to the human female. He clearly adored her, and even a confirmed bachelor like me could admit that she was beautiful.

My gaze drifted, taking in the curious humans who had gathered to witness this interplanetary drama. And then, suddenly, the world seemed to stop.

There, standing behind Olivia, was the most captivating creature I had ever seen. Her hair was like a living flame, cascading over her shoulders in waves. Her skin was pale and her eyes a soft shade of green.

I couldn't look away. Even as Ruune and Olivia embraced, their joyful reunion causing a stir among the onlookers, my eyes remained fixed on the human female. As if sensing my gaze, she turned, and our eyes met. A shy smile curved her lips, and I felt as though I'd been struck by a bolt of Berillian sky fire. My heart, usually steady and controlled from years of battle training, began to race. My palms, never before prone to such reactions, were suddenly damp.

Then I remembered what I was—a royal guard. Not a prince who could come and go as I wished. I served at the pleasure of the Valorian royal family. Could there ever be a future for me with one who was not from my world?

I was so lost in my thoughts that I barely noticed Ruune and Olivia rushing off, too lost in their own joy to spare a glance for anyone else. I had been tasked with accompanying Ruune, but I would not chase after him when he and his human clearly wanted privacy. But how long would I have to wait?

I tried to suppress my exasperation, but a sigh escaped me. Guards were not supposed to express irritation, so I was glad Ruune had not heard me. Not that I worried too much about the royal saying anything. It would be an understatement to say he was not a stickler for protocol,

"Can you believe they ditched us?” The woman who’d made it hard for me to breathe smiled at me, as I glanced around to see that the rest of the small crowd had dispersed. "Do you want to grab coffee?"

I blinked, my usually quick mind struggling to keep up. Coffee? I had no idea what that was, but in that moment, I didn't care. I would do anything to spend more time in her company.

“Yes,” I managed to say, hoping my voice didn't betray the tumult of emotions swirling within me. "That would be agreeable."

She laughed again, and I decided then and there that making her laugh would be my new mission in life. "Agreeable? I guess I’ve heard worse. Come on, I know a great place just down the street."

As she led me through the store and onto the bustling New York sidewalk, I found that the noise and chaos didn't bother me quite as much anymore. Perhaps it was because I was focused on memorizing every detail of her—the way she moved, the sound of her voice, the sparkle in her eyes when she glanced at me.

"I'm Pippa, by the way," she said as we waited to cross a street.

“I am Dex.”

"Well, Dex," Pippa said, grabbing my hand and yanking me across the street with her. “Let’s go before this walk signal changes.”

Pippa's hand sent a heat scorching through my body, and I made a mental note to thank Ruune later. Being forced to come to Earth with him might have been the best thing to happen to me yet.

Or it might have ruined my life.