Chapter 10

10

S unlight streamed through a gap in the bedroom curtains, warming the tangled sheets as Zhoel watched Lila sleep in his arms. He couldn’t stop marveling at the curve of her cheek, the way her dark lashes rested against her skin. He’d spent the last few hours learning the contours of her body, exulting in the way his Iki’i spiked with pleasure whenever her breath hitched at his touch. Each time he’d carried her over the brink, he’d fought to restrain himself from using his secondary mating rod and sealing the bond. She said she’d think about becoming his mate, but until she agreed, he would simply let her savor the slow burn of their connection.

Lila sighed and stretched against him, her chestnut hair spilling across the pillow. He watched her eyelids flutter open, hazel eyes blinking sleepily in the morning light. She smiled and glided one palm over his bare chest with a familiarity that made his heart soar.

“Morning,” she murmured, her voice husky with sleep.

“Good morning.” Zhoel pressed a languid kiss to her temple, inhaling her warm sweet scent. At once, his cock rose to full attention, rock hard against her hip.

Lila flexed against it, a pleased glint in her eye. “Are you always this ready to go?”

“For you, yes.” His voice was rough, every blood vessel in his body thrumming with need. Kuzara , she had no idea.

Her hand slid down his belly toward his shaft, but the patter of small running feet in the hallway outside made her freeze. She sighed, then slowly pulled away and sat up. “We should probably get dressed before someone starts knocking on doors.”

Zhoel nodded, reluctantly sliding out of the warm sheets to pick up his pants. As he pulled them on, his HGU vibrated in his pocket. A knot of dread tightened his gut. He’d become so caught up in the moment with Lila that he’d forgotten all about the IDA and his potential arrest.

Pulling the device from his pocket, he brought up the hologram and saw the message he’d been dreading. “Kuzara,” he groaned.

Lila pulled a heavy sweater over her head and stepped into a pair of jeans before moving closer to peer at the device. “What’s it say?”

He scanned the contents of several missed messages, his stomach churning at the escalation of warnings. “The permitting office is saying I violated the terms of my travel. If I don’t resolve things in the next few hours, they’ll arrest me.”

He activated the connection to the interplanetary permitting office. After a few moments, a hologram of a tall, alabaster-skinned vatosangan with large, hooded purple eyes and a pinched nose appeared. “Interplanetary Permitting, Earth Division.”

Zhoel cleared his throat, quickly assessing the man’s black uniform tunic. No IDA insignia, at least not visibly, but he knew many of the permitting officials received kickbacks from the IDA. Choosing his words carefully, he said, “I received a notice about an issue with my visa.”

“Name and visa ID,” the official said in a disinterested voice.

Zhoel rattled off the information. The pause that followed stretched uncomfortably, the vatosangan’s thin indigo lips becoming thinner as he reviewed the information until each beat of Zhoel’s heart felt like the ticking of a bomb.

Lila’s fingers laced with his and squeezed gently, reminding him to breathe. He smiled gratefully at her, unused to having someone supporting him. He’d always pursued his goals alone, and that made the weight of his mistakes heavier. But now, with Lila beside him, his burdens didn’t feel so crushing.

Finally, the official’s indigo eyebrows drew into a single confused line. “It appears there was a problem with your arrival coordinates. There’s something here about… cultural interference?”

Zhoel’s chest tightened as he recalled his arrival among the religious statuary. Surely, they couldn’t reprimand him for that mistake? He gritted his teeth. The IDA was obviously attempting to twist the situation to their advantage. They’d do anything to undermine potential competition. “I used the human database to plot my coordinates and teleported to Bloomington, just as approved on my application. Did the human authorities submit a complaint?”

“The complaint was filed anonymously.”

Scowling, Lila put a hand on his wrist and turned the hologram to face her. “People were just surprised to see him, but there’s no issue with him being here. I live here, and I’ll vouch for him.”

The official blinked, hooded gaze widening with interest at seeing Lila. Zhoel tensed at the official’s obvious appreciation, but schooled his features to remain calm; showing animosity wouldn’t help his cause.

The official cleared his throat. “Yes, well, you can testify during the audit. Until then, Zhoel Aedul is being ordered to leave the surface and remain outside orbital limits until the matter is resolved.”

Zhoel clenched his fists, trying to suppress his rising panic. He knew how this would play out. Once he left Earth, the IDA would tie him up in bureaucracy, ensuring he’d never be able to return to finish his business or see Lila again.

Praying this official wasn’t on the IDA’s payroll, he leaned forward and dropped his voice. “Listen. I’m developing an app—an intergalactic dating and travel platform to open rural communities like Bloomington to alien visitors. The IDA doesn’t want the competition, and they’re using this audit to push me out. I need your help.”

The official blinked, his gaze returning to Zhoel with sudden interest. “A travel app? I thought the IDA had the exclusive contract for Earth.”

“They do, but they focus exclusively on creating matches, not experiencing Earth culture. I want to focus on more than dating. I want to provide quality interactions that help the galaxy understand humans and their traditions. But I can’t do that if the IDA forces me to leave. Is there any way you can help me?” Zhoel held his breath.

There was a beat of silence, then the official shifted in his seat, his voice a low, conspiratorial whisper. “How, exactly, would one sign up for your app?”

Exhaling with hopeful relief, Zhoel said, “It’s still in development, but if you give me your contact information, I can add you to our beta testing list.”

The official glanced over his shoulder as though ensuring no one else was watching. “Considering the cultural significance of your work,” he said, tapping something on his console, “I can reclassify your visa under scientific study, providing broader travel clearance. This should sidestep the IDA’s audit.”

Zhoel’s HGU chimed with an incoming approval from the permitting office. A second chime quickly followed, notifying him of the official’s contact details. Amazed by how easily government officials could be bought, he nodded in gratitude. “Thank you.”

“I’ve forwarded the necessary documents,” the official said with a wink. “Please be advised, however, that your original deadline to depart Earth remains in effect.”

The hologram flickered out, and Zhoel’s shoulders relaxed.

Lila squeezed his hand again. “How long do you have?”

“I’ve got two days left on my visa.” The impending deadline weighed on him like gravity on Hollox Prime.

“But that’s Christmas Eve!” Her sudden dismay clanged across his Iki’i. “You can’t leave before Christmas!”

He pulled her close and pressed a kiss to her forehead, thinking about her mother’s reaction to him being present during the important holiday. “I doubt your family feels the same way.”

Lila pulled back, her eyes flashing with determination. “Don’t worry about Mom. My brother’s girlfriend is coming for Christmas, so I can bring a…” Her voice wavered for a moment before she continued, “A guest, too.”

Before he could respond, his HGU chimed with a message from an unknown sender. Frowning, he opened it and discovered another request for access to the beta version of his app.

“What is it?” Lila asked.

Reading aloud, he said, “I’m interested in your intergalactic dating and travel app. I heard about it from a friend in the permit office.” He let out a breath and smiled. “It sounds like our official passed on the information.”

“Is that good?”

“Sort of.” He rubbed his forehead. “Plenty of Kirenai are intrigued by Earth culture. But I don’t have any humans on the app for them to date yet.”

“Well, that’s easy.” Lila reached over to her nightstand and retrieved her phone, flopping back on the rumpled blankets. “If there’s a silver lining to being trapped in a small town, it’s knowing everyone else who’s trapped with you. I can shortlist some women who might be up for a date or two.” She looked up from her phone, eyes narrowed. “We are just talking dating, right? Not sex?”

“Any sex must be consensual.” He smiled at her lying comfortably on the bed they’d just shared, thinking how lucky he was. “I want to focus on interpersonal and cultural interactions rather than finding mates.”

Lila nodded and returned her attention to her phone. “Well, most of the single women I know are sick of the limited dating pool. If there’s a chance to meet a charming alien—like you—I think they’ll be intrigued.”

“Charming?” Zhoel raised an eyebrow, leaning closer. “I don’t recall you being charmed when we first met.”

Lila rolled her eyes with a grin. “Yeah, well, when I first saw you, I thought, ‘Oh great, another one of Nana’s setups.’ But now…” Her voice softened, her gaze meeting his. “Now, I see the real you, Zhoel. And I want to help make this work—not just for the business, but for us, too...”

His heart swelled with gratitude and something deeper, an emotion that filled every crevice of his soul. He leaned forward, brushing a tender kiss against her forehead. In that moment, he dared to hope that she would agree to become his mate, that this bond they were forming would become more solid than any business venture. “Thank you, Lila.”

The moment lingered between them, the warmth of her smile and the closeness of her body making him yearn for more. But there was still so much to do—and so little time.

Lila cleared her throat and pulled away. “All right, let’s get a list together. I’m thinking of some friends who’d be game for joining a new dating app. Maybe Kylie... or even… Ann.”

Zhoel tilted his head, recalling the lively blonde from the cafe. “Ann? The one who tried to kiss me under the mistletoe?”

Lila’s eyes sparkled with amusement. “That’s the one. She’s always on the hunt for a new man. She’ll be delighted to date men from another planet. Hmmm, I wonder if she’s at the coffee shop now.”

Zhoel nodded, though he had his doubts. “If you think she’d be a good match for someone, then it’s worth a try.”

“We’d better hurry while the breakfast crowd’s still there.” Lila hopped from the bed and headed toward the door. “Grab your shirt and let’s go.” Without waiting for him to pull it on, she flung open the door and froze.

Diane stood on the other side, one hand raised in readiness to knock. Her eyes narrowed as they flicked from her daughter to Zhoel’s naked chest. “Why is he in your room, Lila?”