Inferno by Cara Bristol
Chapter Five
After the customer paid for her purchase and left the Inner Journey, proprietor Mandy Ellison slid onto the opposite love seat in the alcove. “Need a warmer for that coffee?” she asked.
“No, it’s good,” Inferno replied, taking a sip. Mandy specialized in herbal tea, but after Shadow had had an unexpected bad reaction to one of her blends, she refused to serve tea to ’Topians.
She regarded him with a sympathetic gaze. “No progress?”
“None. Geneva still avoids me. Tigre suggested I write her a note, which I did.” He lifted a shoulder and let it fall. “I got no response.”
“Are you sure she received it?”
He nodded. “I left it where she’d be sure to find it.” He raised his cup and took a drink. “That’s why I came to see you. I was hoping you might have had another vision.”
Mandy shook her head. “Nothing has come to me, but let me try, right now.” She touched his hand and bowed her head. After a minute, she released him and met his eyes with a sympathetic gaze. “Sorry. I’m not seeing anything new. But I’ll add you to my daily meditations. Maybe something will come to me. Unfortunately, visions can be hit or miss. The universe acts in its own way on its own schedule.”
“I understand.”
“It’s only been a little over three weeks since you met. On Earth, it can take a while for the chemistry to kick in. It’s not unusual for people to spend months or even years as friends before they start to date.”
“Months? Years?” Horrified, he shook his head. “You and Shadow connected in a matter of weeks. And you two were under the mistaken impression you weren’t genmates.”
“Each couple’s courtship is unique.” Mandy canted her head. “It’s going to take time and patience to break through the wall of skepticism she’s constructed around herself.”
That pretty much confirmed his suspicion—that Geneva didn’t believe he was ’Topian. “But, how do I get through to her?”
“That answer I don’t have.”
He sighed.
A customer entered the store. “Welcome to the Inner Journey!” Mandy said. “Feel free to browse. If you need help finding anything, give a shout.”
“I’d better let you get to work.” He downed the last of his coffee. “Thanks for everything.” He appreciated her concern, even if she couldn’t help him convince Geneva to accept him. On his way out the door, Mandy shouted, “Chicken-fried steak!”
“What?” He and the customer stared.
“I saw—I mean, I think Millie might be serving chicken-fried steak today…” Mandy flushed under the customer’s scrutiny. “Doesn’t that sound good?”
“Thanks for the tip,” Inferno said, to ease her embarrassment over the outburst. With a wave, he left. Hands in his pockets, he strolled up the street and pondered the sad state of his love life.
Mandy was probably right. Maybe he expected too much too soon. On his planet, a male never had to woo a female or work to convince her he’d make a good mate. Genetics took care of that. Bonding occurred automatically. Although Geneva had the mating marker, she was human, not ’Topian. Genetic bonding was as alien to her as courtship was to him. Maybe he hadn’t expressed himself well enough in his note.
But, shouldn’t she feel at least a fondness for him by now? His mating glands had reacted within minutes of meeting her. Females didn’t have mating glands, but she should still be reacting. He thought of her constantly. His throat and jaw ached. He existed in a state of perpetual arousal.
However, they hadn’t spent much time around each other. Once, when they met and she threw him out of the church, and a chance encounter outside Millie’s when she’d ordered him to go away again. If he added up the time they’d spent in each other’s company, it didn’t amount to ten or fifteen minutes.
He should be more patient—and grateful. While he wasn’t living happily ever after like his four brothers, at least he’d found his genmate. Poor Tigre hadn’t encountered his. Nor had Mysk, their fellow ’Topian who’d arrived on Earth fifty years ago. Some ’Topians never did. Even on their home planet, some men died without ever mating.
He needed to stop feeling sorry for himself. And if a hollowness remained in his belly, well, maybe he could fill it with chicken-fried steak. That did sound good.
He scooted across the street to Millie’s Diner—and shopped short. Who the herian is he?
Inferno glowered through the restaurant window at the strange man ogling Geneva in a proprietary way. Jealousy ignited in his gut and spread through his limbs, threatening to burst into flames. He studied her for signs she reciprocated the man’s interest. It offered some relief that she appeared…neutral, even annoyed.
Or was she?
She masked her emotions well—except for anger, which had been directed at him.
Their meal finished, she and the man stood up. The interloper pulled out his wallet and extracted a few bills. Geneva shook her head and slapped money on the table, too. Irritation flitted across the man’s face before he shrugged.
Geneva waved at Millie, and then the man put his hands on Geneva’s body! Fire surged from Inferno’s core to his extremities and into his fingertips. He curled his hands into fists to contain the flames.