shouldn’t be meeting with strange males by myself.”
“Hey, are you calling me strange?”
“Well, no, but still. Princesses do not do this sort of
thing.”
“How many times have you heard that line?”
She chuckled. “Too many times to count.” She let her hand
play with one of the large leaves, running her fingers across the small prickly
hairs that covered it. “How did you get into the royal gardens anyway? They are
secured.”
“Ship let me in through one of the empty guest apartments. No
questions asked.”
“Well, if Ship let you in, then I think I can trust you. He
wouldn’t let just anyone into the apartments.”
“See? I’m trustworthy.” He held out his hand toward the
path. “Shall we take a stroll?”
She nodded and walked by his side. “Jess and Eva count you
as a very close friend.”
“You were checking up on me?”
She raised a brow. “What does that mean?”
“It means you’ve been trying to get information about me,
Princess.”
“You are a stranger and I am meeting you alone. I thought I
should find out more about you.”
He laughed.
“You may call me Saia.”
“Eva doesn’t think that’s a good idea.”
She nodded. “The formal names are only used in formal
situations.” She flicked her eyes toward him briefly then back to the path.
“It’s beautiful. Does it have a meaning?”
“Saia means ‘adore’ in my native language.”
He stared at her. “Fitting.”
She averted her eyes. “What does JB mean?”
“JB isn’t my real name. It’s a nickname, my initials.”
“Oh.” She fell silent and then added, “What is your real
name?”
“Justin Blake. But only my grandmother and twin sister used
to call me Justin. I haven’t heard it in so long.”
“What do you wish for me to call you?”
“You can call me JB, or if you prefer, Justin.”
Her cheeks burned and she turned away. “Everyone calls you
JB. If you don’t mind, I think I’ll call you Justin.”
“I’d like that.”
He laughed. The sound couldn’t have been better if it were
coming from one of the mighty Ancients.
“What’s so funny?”
He shrugged. “This…us. If I didn’t know any better, I would
think we were on a date.”
“A date?”
“Males and females from Earth went on dates to get to know
each other better—when they liked each other.”
She dipped her head, trying to hide the grin that covered
her face. “This is not a date,” she said.
He reached for her hand. “It could be if you wanted it to.”
Yes.
His thumb caressed her knuckles. “Would it be so bad for two
people to get to know each other a little more?”
No.
Wait—yes.
Remembrance of Ranuit Pi made the smile drop from her lips.
She looked away.
“I know you’re engaged. I also know you’re Taio’s little
sister. Those are two very good reasons why I should steer clear of you.”
She nodded. “True. So why did you want to meet me?”
He shrugged. “Because I have a habit of doing things that I
shouldn’t.”
“I usually do as I’m told.”
“If I did what I was told, I would have left a long time ago
and missed the opportunity to meet you. Your brother has threatened me more
than once.”
She stopped and turned to look at him. “I’ve never heard
that phrase from anyone before.”
“What? That he’s threatened me?”
“He must find you to be very special.”
“Um, I wouldn’t go that far. But why do you say that?”
“Because he’s threatened you and you still live.”
“Don’t get me wrong, I would never want to tangle with Taio,
but I’ve had my life threatened plenty times before. Hell, before the Galactic
Council absolved us from all our crimes, we had a bounty on our heads. It was
large too. If I could’ve, I would’ve turned Jess in and collected it for
myself.”
Not believing he could even think of doing such a thing,
Saia gasped, but then saw the humor in his smile. She giggled. “You’re joking
with me.”
“Just a little bit. Jess
“Hey, are you calling me strange?”
“Well, no, but still. Princesses do not do this sort of
thing.”
“How many times have you heard that line?”
She chuckled. “Too many times to count.” She let her hand
play with one of the large leaves, running her fingers across the small prickly
hairs that covered it. “How did you get into the royal gardens anyway? They are
secured.”
“Ship let me in through one of the empty guest apartments. No
questions asked.”
“Well, if Ship let you in, then I think I can trust you. He
wouldn’t let just anyone into the apartments.”
“See? I’m trustworthy.” He held out his hand toward the
path. “Shall we take a stroll?”
She nodded and walked by his side. “Jess and Eva count you
as a very close friend.”
“You were checking up on me?”
She raised a brow. “What does that mean?”
“It means you’ve been trying to get information about me,
Princess.”
“You are a stranger and I am meeting you alone. I thought I
should find out more about you.”
He laughed.
“You may call me Saia.”
“Eva doesn’t think that’s a good idea.”
She nodded. “The formal names are only used in formal
situations.” She flicked her eyes toward him briefly then back to the path.
“It’s beautiful. Does it have a meaning?”
“Saia means ‘adore’ in my native language.”
He stared at her. “Fitting.”
She averted her eyes. “What does JB mean?”
“JB isn’t my real name. It’s a nickname, my initials.”
“Oh.” She fell silent and then added, “What is your real
name?”
“Justin Blake. But only my grandmother and twin sister used
to call me Justin. I haven’t heard it in so long.”
“What do you wish for me to call you?”
“You can call me JB, or if you prefer, Justin.”
Her cheeks burned and she turned away. “Everyone calls you
JB. If you don’t mind, I think I’ll call you Justin.”
“I’d like that.”
He laughed. The sound couldn’t have been better if it were
coming from one of the mighty Ancients.
“What’s so funny?”
He shrugged. “This…us. If I didn’t know any better, I would
think we were on a date.”
“A date?”
“Males and females from Earth went on dates to get to know
each other better—when they liked each other.”
She dipped her head, trying to hide the grin that covered
her face. “This is not a date,” she said.
He reached for her hand. “It could be if you wanted it to.”
Yes.
His thumb caressed her knuckles. “Would it be so bad for two
people to get to know each other a little more?”
No.
Wait—yes.
Remembrance of Ranuit Pi made the smile drop from her lips.
She looked away.
“I know you’re engaged. I also know you’re Taio’s little
sister. Those are two very good reasons why I should steer clear of you.”
She nodded. “True. So why did you want to meet me?”
He shrugged. “Because I have a habit of doing things that I
shouldn’t.”
“I usually do as I’m told.”
“If I did what I was told, I would have left a long time ago
and missed the opportunity to meet you. Your brother has threatened me more
than once.”
She stopped and turned to look at him. “I’ve never heard
that phrase from anyone before.”
“What? That he’s threatened me?”
“He must find you to be very special.”
“Um, I wouldn’t go that far. But why do you say that?”
“Because he’s threatened you and you still live.”
“Don’t get me wrong, I would never want to tangle with Taio,
but I’ve had my life threatened plenty times before. Hell, before the Galactic
Council absolved us from all our crimes, we had a bounty on our heads. It was
large too. If I could’ve, I would’ve turned Jess in and collected it for
myself.”
Not believing he could even think of doing such a thing,
Saia gasped, but then saw the humor in his smile. She giggled. “You’re joking
with me.”
“Just a little bit. Jess
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