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"What was that all about?" Roxie asked Bnjmn once they were alone. "What did I do?"
He shrugged. "I do think I've changed since I met you, but not in a bad way. Kvn is strange sometimes."
"Obviously." She stood up. "I need to go check on Lacey. I promised I'd give her hand-to-hand combat lessons when I had time."
"Yeah, go teach your friend how to fight. I'll just sit here eating my massacrater. All alone."
Roxie patted his shoulder as she walked past. "You do that! How much longer before we reach your planet anyway?"
"Day after tomorrow. About fifty-two hours from here."
She left to go to Lacey's quarters, knocking on the door and waiting for her friend to invite her in. "I'm sorry about Kvn. He's never been rude to me before. I don't know what's gotten into him."
Lacey made a face. "He's an ass. That's what."
Roxie covered her mouth to hide her laugh. "I never thought I'd hear you use that word for anything but a donkey."
"That man can make me do things I didn't think were even a possibility. How can you have so much antipathy for someone upon meeting them?"
"I think now would be a good time for your self-defense lesson. You're angry, and you can take some of the aggression out." Roxie was thrilled Kvn was making Lacey so angry. She had been worried her friend would agree to marry the first man she met, but no more. No, away from the compound and strict rules, she was starting to show more of a backbone.
"Can I use him as something to kick? Or punch?"
"No, you may not use my brother-in-law as a punching bag, no matter how much he deserves it." Roxie put her arm around the other woman's shoulders and led her to an empty room she'd seen. "I'm not even sure what this room is for, but it'll suit our purposes nicely."
For the next two hours, Roxie demonstrated different ways to drop a man to his knees. She showed her friend every devious move there was against a man in hand-to-hand combat, explaining how to use anything she picked up from the ground as a weapon.
She didn't notice when Bnjmn came to stand at the door and watched them until he finally said something. "You're both dripping with sweat. Don't you think it's time to take a break? You can continue training her on Mcy. There's no need for her to learn everything today. She has a full month before she has to choose a husband, remember."
Roxie turned to him, her chest heaving from exertion. "Come here for a second first. I need to demonstrate one more move."
Bnjmn sighed. "Are you going to knock me on my backside again?"
"Only if you let me." She made motions with her hands for him to come toward her, and Lacey backed away from them both, obviously nervous about what her friend would do.
Bnjmn made a move toward Roxie, trying to surprise her and grab her. The instant he touched her, he felt her grasp his arm, and he was thrown over her head, landing on his back on the floor. His wife put her foot on his chest and grinned at her friend. "That's what I meant."
He grabbed her leg and pulled her down on top of him, quickly reversing their positions so she was on the bottom. "Haven't you learned yet, that I'll never let you stand over me in victory." He leaned down and kissed her, his tongue automatically entering her mouth.
She groaned, her fingers tangling in his hair.
"I'll be on my way then," Lacey said behind them
Roxie waited until she heard the door close. "Make love to me." She couldn't believe how turned on she'd become when he'd reversed their positions the way he had. No one ever bested her, and it made her want him even more because he could.
Within moments, they were both naked. As he came down on her, she saw for the first time, the glimmer of love in his eyes. Could she think her thoughts to him? I love you.
He looked at her, poised to enter her. I love you, too.
She smiled, her whole face lighting up. Come inside me. I need you.
*****
Much later, they lay on the floor in her training room, panting for breath. "What made you tell me you love me?" he asked.
"I could see your love for me, shining in your eyes. It wasn't just lust this time. I—I never would have married you if I hadn't loved you. When I knew you felt the same, I had to tell you."
He pulled her against him, kissing her forehead. "I do love you. I have since the moment you flipped me over your head when you first got on the ship."
She smiled at that, hugging him close. "I didn't know. I didn't see it until then—and I didn't know if our link worked both ways. I'm so glad it does."
"I am too. Most don't. It's usually only the male who can send his thoughts, but Drrrl can send his to Lela, and Lela can send hers back, so maybe it's a Mcy to Earth woman thing." He brushed his lips softly against hers. "It's made a huge difference in my life to have a mate. And not just the sex, although that's one glorious aspect of it."
"It sure is! One I wouldn't miss for the world! I don't care what's going on around us, as long as I have you, I'll be happy."
He held her close. "I couldn't live without you now, my beautiful Mary Ann." He moved a bit. "I wouldn't mind taking this to the bedroom, though. The floor is becoming uncomfortable."
She giggled. "Sounds like a good idea to me. I'm glad the floor was here, though, because I couldn't have waited."
He got to his feet and pulled his clothes on. "I like your friend, but if she weren't here, I could just run around the ship naked."
"Put your clothes on. You can take them off again just as soon as we get back to our room." She pulled her blanket dress over her head. "I'm ready to get to Mcy. Lela will be sure to help me with clothes."
As they walked back to the room they shared, Roxie was looking forward to the future for the first time since she was three years old. There was nothing to dread. Life would only get better, and it was a good feeling.