Alpha Star: Big Sky Alien Mail Order Brides #1 (Intergalactic Dating Agency): Intergalactic Dating Agency by Elsa Jade Page B

don’t swing that way.”
    Zoe swatted at her. “I just meant—”
    “I know, I really do know. You’re trying to help. That’s what I love about you, what I loved about Will. You were out there helping people, trying to make the world a better place. I’ve always just…taken advantage of it.”
    “That’s not true,” Zoe said loyally. “Will always talked about how you made a home he couldn’t wait to come back to.”
    “Until he didn’t.” Del’s response held a matter-of-factness that shook Zoe to the core. “He’s not coming back, and I guess I wanted to leave too.”
    Zoe rubbed the scar buried in her hair. How could she object? Her whole life had been travel and work. Until the brick. But just because her adventuring life had come to an end didn’t mean she should prevent her friend from finding the same. “Just…you don’t have to go too far, do you? Sin made it sound like he was looking for someone to drag to the other side of the world.”
    Del tilted her head. “Sin?”
    “The match who took back his profile.” Zoe dropped her hand from the scar. “Sinclarion Jax. Weird name, right?” It was weird too that she’d never asked exactly where his inherited land was. Far enough that she’d never see him again. She forced a grin to banish the pang of regret. “Just as well you lost that profile. Del Jax has a strange ring to it, like Monty Python channeling Star Trek.”
    Pacing again, Del didn’t return the smile. “He shouldn’t have said anything to you about the agency since you haven’t gone through their orientation and signed their non-disclosure agreement. They’re very…exclusive.”
    Zoe frowned. “You’re making this sound pretty shady.”
    “I just need to get the cube back.” Her tone edged toward frantic.
    After she pushed out of the booth, Zoe went around to face her friend. “Okay, now you’re starting to scare me.”
    “You shouldn’t have—” With visible effort, Del gathered herself. “Do you know where I can find him?”
    Guilt churned the wet cement of oatmeal in her stomach when Zoe shook her head. “He said he had a ship, but that didn’t make much sense. Sunset Lake won’t get a ship very far.”
    But Del nodded. “Okay then. You and Tish go have fun at the cabin.” She headed for the kitchen door.
    Zoe stared after her. “Wait. Where are you going?”
    “Fishing.”

Chapter 10
     
    On the bridge of the Sinner’s Prayer , Sin paced while his first officer and pilot tried to determine how a piece of the ship had blown off without anyone noticing.
    The sensors had no record of a temp flux on landing. Probably it was nothing and he was being overly suspicious to counteract his utter failure on the dating and mating front.
    Except, in his own defense, the mating had gone quite well.
    Too well, or he wouldn’t have two of his five mating rings. The singilt in his tongue and ear were the lesser of the five rings. His body might even reabsorb them if he had no further contact with Zoe Nazario.
    He needed a bride to claim his solar system, and he needed to save his rings for his bride, and Zoe couldn’t be his bride, ergo to claim his solar system he must avoid her. A few thousand lightyears should do the trick.
    But he wasn’t taking the Prayer around the block with a missing shield tile and no explanation. The ship was his life and the life of his crew—literally.
    He slammed the comm button on his chair. “Honey, report.”
    “Once upon a time, there was a very cranky starship captain—”
    Sin slumped into his chair. “Not a book report.”
    “It was a boring book anyway. I burned it.”
    “Fine, but I don’t want my ship to burn.”
    “She shouldn’t.” But Honey’s tone wavered.
    “Shouldn’t?” Sin queried. “Can’t is the word I’m looking for.”
    “Never say can’t.” A deep sigh. “But I can’t find any reason for the tile loss or the lack of sensor warning. I need to see the outside of the ship. We’ll have to