A plot hatches
“Who’s giving you grief from that department?” Cosdas asked Iliana.
“Oh, this paternalistic, aggravating…well, that’s unimportant. It’s just, uh, I might have used you as an excuse to get him off my back.” Iliana warmed. Had she behaved any better than Clan Hanvel in that regard?
“Used us? How?”
Iliana cringed. “He’s been at me to consider clanning. I was at the party last night to convince him to leave me alone, which failed. He showed up in my shop to hound me about who I met and did I give them a chance. And I sort of…well, I didn’t come right out and tell him we were seeing each other, but I didn’t exactly say we weren’t when he assumed we were, so…”
“Ah.” Hanvel’s gaze brightened, and he grinned. “Now everybody thinks we’re an item, huh?”
“Dramok Metnur is hardly everybody. He’s simply a significant somebody whom I want to leave me alone.”
“Got it. Well, my mother commed me today to tell me how happy she was I left with a woman who wasn’t Deefa, and I failed to correct her, so I guess we’re even on that score.”
Iliana stared at them. They looked at her. The next second, chuckles and giggles filled the air, muffled to keep Clan Baknu from overhearing.
“We’re all a mess, aren’t we?” Selbi snorted. “Hell, we should keep pretending we’re having an affair so everyone will leave us alone for a change.”
“Except we’d have to explain the situation to Deefa. I won’t play on her emotions again,” Hanvel said. “Otherwise, that would save a lot of trouble. We could talk to her without everyone jumping down our throats about it. She might appreciate it too.”
Iliana sighed. “Even Clan Bas might run for the hills if they thought I was serious about you. It would solve several issues.”
Their quiet laughter tapered off. They blinked at each other. Iliana saw dawning inspiration on the men’s faces, a match to the hope blooming within her.
“You don’t think—” she began.
“Actually, I do,” Hanvel said.
Releasing September 17. Pre-order now available, print on sale now.
Amazon, Amazon
UK, Nook, and Smashwords. Also in print.
Their agreement
didn’t include falling in love. What happens when a ruse becomes reality?
Iliana Rossi’s reluctance to join a Kalquorian clan comes from a terrible loss that leaves no room in her heart for any men. Dodging the alien three-man clans eager for a Earther mate is a full-time job, and she’s running out of patience with those desperate to change her mind.
Hanvel, Selbi, and Cosdas pursue Matara Deefa, a rare unclanned Kalquorian woman. She’s everything they could possibly want. But her parents have promised her to another clan, and Clan Hanvel can’t seem to convince Deefa that love is more important than rank and family approval.
When Iliana meets Clan Hanvel, the solution seems obvious. They embark on a fake courtship that satisfies societal and family pressure; a relationship that requires no love, no commitment, and no responsibilities to each other.
But when passion wakes for the reluctant foursome, they have a choice to make: loyalty to the impossible past or a chance for love they can keep.
No comments:
Post a Comment