“You’re not listening,” says Caiden as he grips my wrists to keep me from peeling off his towel. We both took hot showers when we returned from the park. “This is definitely more than kissing, and I could get sent back.”

I’m in a thin silk robe I know leaves little to the imagination as it hugs my curves. “How is anyone going to find out? It’s not like my government had time to bug my apartment or anything.”

“Maybe they did when we were at our picnic.”

The smooth fabric of my robe’s tie slips through my hand as I undo it. “You’re such a rule follower they probably aren’t worried.” I shrug out of the garment, and it slithers down to my feet as Caiden’s chest puffs up with a sharp inhale. “But if you’d like to search for them....”

Caiden groans. “You’re going to be the death of me,” He drops his towel too.

I sashay my way to the bed with Caiden close at my heels. The mattress sinks as I sit and then crawl back to lean up on my elbows. “How should we do this?”

Caiden scans my prone body and blows out a mouthful of air. I let out a sigh when he traces an imaginary finger down over my breast. But the crack of what sounds like lightning followed by a cloud of smoke makes me sit up in shock.

The gray mist clears to reveal an older man dressed in the skin-tight clothing of Eroscia with a serious look on his face. He says something I can’t understand nor say. It makes Caiden grab his towel and reply in the same language as he tosses it to me so I can cover up. I catch it midair, and while I can’t figure out the words I sure get the meaning. The angry tone makes me think my alien is in trouble, and what I was trying to get him to do is likely the reason.

“Hey!” The towel is damp on my skin as I clutch it to my chest and scramble up to my knees. “Whatever you’re mad about, it was my fault.”

Metal clicks as what appears to be handcuffs made of a white metal magically snap shut on Caiden’s wrists.

“Hang on a minute, this--” I say before Caiden cuts me off.

“I take full responsibility, sir. She’s just an earth girl who doesn’t know any better.”

My blood begins to boil and I huff, because I can’t believe he just called me stupid. “I’m the one that pushed you into this, Caiden.”

He shakes his head a little, but I ignore his warning as I wrap the towel around my chest and tuck the end under to make it stay. “And of course I knew better.”

“You did?” asks the older man.

A little voice in my head warns me it’s time to shut up, but I don’t listen. “Yes, I did. But it’s a stupid rule. I’m not marrying some guy before I know if he’s any good in bed.”

Strong invisible hands grip my arms, and I stiffen before another pair of handcuffs snap tight around my wrists. “What do you--”

“Silence!” barks out the older man. I’m yanked to my feet by the invisible force and then placed next to Caiden.

The wood floor is cold and hard under my feet as my lower lip begins to tremble with the urge to cry. Sharp pain shoots through it when I bite to keep my tears at bay. Can aliens really arrest me on Earth? Visions of being strapped to a table as needles probe my eyes and make me scream in pain flash in my head. My throat is thick as I gaze at Caiden. Something flickers in his eyes and he says, “Sir. If I may.”

The older man says, “Yes.”

“Mandy is afraid and doesn’t know what’s happening to her.”

The man’s eyes are ice blue and chilling when I look at him. He says, “You will be brought to our prison to be held until our leaders work out your punishment.”

The vision of hard metal bunks and a toilet in a small cell make the floodgates on my tears open up, and I can’t help the sob that comes out. The older man sighs, and his voice softens. “Our prison isn’t nearly as awful as yours are. You won’t be hurt. While this isn’t a serious offense, it’s still something we can’t let go, my dear.”

I swallow down my crying and sniff as I nod in acknowledgment.

The man says, “Someone on earth should be aware of what’s happening. Who should I contact?”

I consider my options to sort out who would be best for the situation before the very friend that got me into this mess pops into my mind. “Lexi Boynton, please.”

The old man nods once before the air around me and Caiden gets thick like fog. My stomach lurches with the sensation of falling. Within seconds I land in a surprisingly soft manner, and a warm surface is under my feet as heat surrounds me. When the mist clears I notice how heavy the air feels and inhale deeply to fill my lungs with oxygen as sweat begins to slick my body with a thin sheen.

I discover Caiden is across from me, and we’re both in a small room with transparent walls. He says, “Decontamination chamber.” He winks at me when my towel is stripped from my body, and I wonder if he did it as I notice his semi-aroused state.

When water blasts at me with what feels like the force of a power washer I scream, and twist and turn as if I can avoid the stinging pain. At the point I’m sure a layer of skin has been peeled away, the spray stops and a door swishes open. Caiden steps into another room so I follow, and when we’re enclosed a strong wind blows as if we’re in a car wash dry cycle. When it stops I ask, “Do they do this to you often?”

“Only when we return to Eroscia from another planet.” He leads us to the next chamber where clothing is set out, and I find a pair of pants that are like running tights and a form-fitting shirt. Even after I dress I feel naked, because no underwear was included and the clothing leaves little to the imagination.

I gaze at the alien across from me as my stomach knots up with nerves. “Caiden?”

He offers me a half smile as the sensation of his finger stroking my cheek gives me a small amount of comfort. “You’ll be fine. Although the food here is really awful.”

“What’s going to happen to me?”

He shrugs. “My guess is they’ll keep you for a little while and then send you back to your planet.”

“And what about you?”

His eyes darken with sadness. “I’ll go back to my boring life and kick myself for losing my earth girl.”

His words do little to make me feel better. Instead the weight of sorrow is on my shoulders too as I realize this might be the last time I’ll ever see him. While I’ve only known Caiden for two days, my attachment feels like years. And my heart feels as if it’s being squeezed too hard. “I’m so sorry, Caiden.”

I step forward in a rush before he can possibly get away and grab onto his shoulders to pull him down for a kiss. The fabric of his shirt is slick in my fingers as I clutch at it and pour myself into our connection with the hope it can keep him from leaving me forever. Caiden drinks me in as if he’s feeling the same way.

A female clearing her throat makes me stop, and I take in a tall, thin woman with facial features that would make a fashion model jealous. She scans my body with her gaze, and I cringe at the scrutiny. “Very nice.” When the woman gets to my eyes she says, “Call me Seline, I’m in charge of your case.” She continues in the Eroscian language before saying in English, “I see your earth match was a good one.”

Caiden says, “Yes ma’am.” He grabs my hand and gazes at me. He says, “I’m in love with her.”

My heart nearly bursts with joy at his statement. And I let a little more of my soul slip into the pools of his blue eyes. I realize that when I do, I seem to fill with a glow that might be part of Caiden in return. A rush of happiness fills me and pushes my fear away. I smile back at him.

“Well,” says the woman. “That explains why you couldn’t keep you hands to yourself, young man. But we have rules for a reason, and the two of you must deal with the consequences.”

I ask, “What exactly are the consequences?”

The woman scans my body again as if I’m a specimen. “Our council has decided on a brief prison term, and you will marry and remain on this planet. You will be the first test subject in the study of Earth and Eroscia breeding.”

Adrenaline spikes in my bloodstream and the urge to run is strong. “Breeding?”

“To bear children,” the woman says patiently as if I don’t understand the word.

I’m about to protest but an invisible hand covers my mouth, and I turn to Caiden to see his warning glare. I bite my lip and nod at the woman instead. But my heartbeat quickens with panic as I think about life on a strange planet as a test subject for aliens. They want me to pump out babies, and bile rises in my throat as I imagine being pregnant for the next two decades. And my children--I don’t want them to live in captivity like lab rats.

Caiden squeezes my hand and whispers. “I don’t regret what we did one bit.”

But I do, and I wonder if there’s any way out.