All in good time. For Amsen Dadelon’s entire life she heard that saying. Too many times her mother would point to her and tell her “things happen all in good time.” Those were words meant to slow her down, make her conform and have her behave.

As the blue glow from Seren illuminated another glorious morning on Tempore, she reached across the bedding to find the smooth skin and hard muscles of a male lying next to her, her own version of the age-old saying came to mind. A good time was had by all.

The male groaned, and she turned over, allowing fingers to do the exploring. Males were nothing if not delicious, all angles and edges, hard and powerful. Her mouth watered and she had to take a taste. Without reservation she leaned over and buried her face in his shoulder. Masculine with undertones of water and spice, his scent encompassed her, and she opened her mouth and traced her tongue down his neck.

He rewarded her attention by combing his fingers through her hair and wrapping an arm around her.

Her bed partner, her location, even how she ended up here was nothing but a blur. In fact, she couldn’t remember anything. For a split second that realization concerned her, but the moment she reached between them and his long erection greeted her, nothing mattered. Her own arousal took over, and as another favorite saying went, there was no better time than the present. She straddled the glorious male and guided him inside her.

Her breath caught. Though her desire made it easy for him to enter her, she still stretched to accommodate him, the fullness welcome.

He moaned and connected their mouths in a kiss, an act normally reserved only for partnerships. Sometimes her males forgot they would never see her again. Amsen was only up for one night and possibly a morning if they were particularly good, like this one. However, her departure was simply a matter of time.

In a slow, sweet tease, she ground against him, circling her hips in a way to ensure her satisfaction grew while she kept him on the edge.

“More.” His voice came out low, full of lust.

She pushed up, braced herself on his knees and gave into his needs by slowly moving up and down. In no way could this be enough for him.

Finally, he pulled her down. His panting breaths brushed against her lips and he took hold of her backside and thrust up into her.

“Oh!” She let out a gasp. He hit her in all the right places.

“Release.” He sped up, held her tighter, and took control. “It’s time.”

She dug her fingers into his shoulders. When she was ready she would release not before, but her muscles throbbed as the heat overtook her.

“Now!” Over and over again he drove into her. “Now! I need to fill you.”

With his blatant words, she was there. As if her body needed to heed his command, she let go, the euphoria she craved surrounded her, clouded her in ecstasy with her climax.

He slammed into her one last time and tensed, his heat radiating through her. Again, he joined their lips in a kiss, opening his mouth and caressing their tongues together as their bodies pulsed in unison

Spent, she collapsed on top of him.

“You are as passionate this morning as you were last night.” Rather than roll away, or have her move to one side, he remained inside her and kept her in his arms. “Our schedule allows for us to stay in the bed chamber a bit longer as today is special.” He brushed his lips against hers once more.

Schedule. The word made her shudder. All Temporans were obsessed with schedules, lists and check off forms. A minute should never be wasted. In all her time, she never spent the entire day with any of her males, and she most certainly never had any of them refer to the act of joining as special. Maybe the night before she imbibed more than she thought and ended up with someone a little different. It was time to vacate, but she had to handle the situation with care, so she slowly slid off to his side. Something about this male was different. Usually, they were the first to want to part.

Before she had the chance to untangle herself from the sheets he gathered her up into his embrace again. “Where are you going, my beauty?”

All right, this was going to be a bit more difficult than she thought, but she had been in worse, like the time the males from planet Mellmall decided they would follow her around and be her pets. Well, actually that was fun, at least for the first few hours. She pushed against his chest. “I need the bath chamber.”

“Do you remember where it is?” He punctuated his statement with another kiss.

If she paused a moment, she would admit there was something about him that made her sort of want to stay. Maybe it was the kissing and that was why it was only reserved for those who were partnered. “Sure.” She managed to get to the edge of the bedding.

“I procured what I thought you would need, but later you can make a list of any additional supplies you require.” His voice strained as he stretched. “I think by the time you return I will need you again. I feel insatiable and I want to explore you. This must be why they call this the Merging Time and there is more flexibility in our schedule.”

All right, she had to get out of here. This male must be delusional. The Merging Time was the reprieve new life partners took after their pledging ceremony. On Tempore, this period was critical as most partnerships were pre-arranged and it gave the two a time to get to know one another on an intimate level. The Merging Time ended with the Union Ceremony, a grand celebration the new partners planned as their first act together. It was all formal and planned—something she hated, but certainly something she would never agree to.

While most everyone was partnered by their thirtieth year, she had managed to buck the system, and she had no plans of entering a partnership anytime soon, if ever. Such a stringent life wasn’t for her, much to her family unit’s dismay. All they wanted was for her to get her life settled, and they kept telling her it was time to arrange her life partnership.

“I’ll be back.” Without making any sudden moves, she unfurled herself from the bedding. Unsure where any of her belongings were, she scanned the area. The bit of Seren light only allowed her to make out the shadows of the furniture in the room.

“Take a step back toward the window.” His tone lowered.

She did as he asked.

“You’re gorgeous in the light,” he whispered. “You’re making it very difficult to stay on task, and we have much to plan.”

Her stomach tumbled. It was always those types of words that got her in these predicaments. Though his silhouette told her the male was built, a perfect specimen, she couldn’t give in again. There were no more tasks she needed to complete with him. Still, she decided to test him. “Maybe we should just remain in the bed chamber all day.” Why did everyone have to be obsessed with the schedule, the time, what they needed to accomplish?

“There’s much to do.” He countered. “There is limited time.”

And there was her answer. Why she even gave him a chance was beyond her and she went to leave.

“Wait.” His demand stopped her from moving.

Hold on, was this a delay when every minute was precious? “What is it?”

“I suppose I can take a second to admire my stunning life partner.” He let out a little growl.

“Life partner?” Though he was willing to spend time looking at her, her chest tightened. This male was deranged. If she had to run out of here without her clothing, she would take the chance.

He laughed. “Clear your head, beauty. We pledged last night, but today we start our lives by planning the perfect Union Ceremony. I must say I knew I was blessed when you were presented to me.”

She froze. Her heart seized. The last thing she remembered was being at home, her mother offering her a cup of ale and talking to her again about finally partnering with someone.

“Now complete your ablutions, I’m already erect, and I need you again,” he said. “That is the best way we can get to know each other and we have a lot to do.”

“We’re partnered?” Her entire body trembled.

“You had the same question when I slipped my cuff on you last night.” Again, he laughed. “But to answer your question, yes.”

Her fingers traveled to her wrist, running over the jewel-encrusted cuff used in the pledging ceremony. This was it, it was official, and her chest tightened as she stared down at the jewelry indicating she belonged to another. While the male did grace her with an impressive piece indeed, her family unit did this to her. They finally bested her.

“I am very pleased you chose me.” He lay back among the bedding. “This is just the beginning of our partnership.”

She rushed to the bath chamber. Choice. That was an odd word, considering hers was taken away and there was no way she could ever tell him. How could she fix this? If she had any task to complete, it was figuring how to get out of this partnership. Somehow she had to get to her family unit before their Merging Time was over, not an easy task since these next few planet revolutions were reserved only for the newest couple.

Only time would tell.