Chapter 4

Diana's eyes fluttered shut as he kissed her, his full lips surprisingly firm against hers, and she felt an electric shock run through her body. Make that more like a lightning bolt, as his touch made every nerve ending in her body come alive and sing with pleasure. Diana wanted to push him away, but her body betrayed her. Melting instead under his sensuous onslaught, her lips parted on a soft sigh to let his alien tongue plunder her mouth. She felt his hands move to grab her around the waist and pull her closer to his body. This close to him, she could feel the hardness of his arousal pulsing against her tummy, making her damp. Diana sighed into his mouth and moved her hands slowly up to grasp his shoulders, then . . .

An amused voice broke the embrace.

"Kor, while I see you are busy, you are being hailed by your mother on the status of your mission. Should I tell her to call back?"

Diana, shocked to discover their kiss had been witnessed, found the strength-barely-to push him away. Kor let her flee to the other side of the room, his face thoughtful and his eyes glowing. Diana, for her part, felt shaky and unfulfilled. Wanting . . .

She rubbed her lips, trying to erase the feelings he'd aroused in her, but her body still pulsed, and she quivered when she looked down his body and saw him in the same state.

Kor smiled at her regretfully. "Your questions and the rest of our discussion will have to wait. I hope you now see that this is what's meant to be. I shall return shortly."

"But . . ." Diana spoke to empty air as Kor left and the door sealed seamlessly shut behind him.

"Arrgh!" she yelled, stomping her feet. She flounced over to the bed and fell on it, her thoughts and emotions a jumbled mess as she fought arousal and irritation in equal measures. How did he manage to get me so hot so quick? I don't even know him.

"Do you require anything?" asked the smooth voice that had interrupted the kiss.

Diana peered around the empty room, looking for the source of the voice but saw nothing. "Who are you? Can you take me home? I think your friend's gone off the deep end," Diana asked, hoping for a way out of this mess.

"I regret that I cannot take you home. But never fear. Your new life will be an enjoyable one with wonders never dreamed of on your planet. As for me, I am Alpha 350, ship computer and the premiere model in artificial intelligence. You may call me Alphie. I can provide you with food, clothing, toiletries, as well as answer some questions you may have on your new life."

Great, a computer. Hopefully this one doesn't go psycho like the one in that sci-fi book. "Okay, I have a question for you. Why me?"

"Why not?" retorted the smart-ass machine.

That's if it's really a machine. Seems to talk pretty human to me.

"Oh, come on. I mean, look at me. I'm not exactly the kind of woman men go all gaga over."

"Please explain. I am not familiar with the term 'gaga.'"

Diana rolled her eyes. "What I meant to say is usually kidnapping for the purpose of marriage happens to pretty, skinny women, not plumpers like me."

"Where Kor comes from, women with girth are considered much more attractive than one who is, as you say, skinny. A too-slim mate is the sign of a poor provider. Was that all you wanted to know?"

Great, a BBW-lovers society, this is getting weirder and weirder. "I have another question. If Kor is an alien, and you're an alien computer, just how is it that I can understand you? Don't tell me English is the language of the universe."

"Of course not." The hidden voice chuckled. "Kor learned your language through an implant. We'll give you one, too, as part of your integration. It will allow you to understand any language in the universe and, where vocally possible, speak it as well."

Diana, while intrigued at the idea of being multilingual, did not like the idea of an implant. It never goes well when they get one in the movies. "We're going to have to talk about that implant idea. Have to say that doesn't sound like something I'm going to enjoy."

"I begin to understand Kor's difficulty."

Diana put her hands on her hips. "Hey, are you implying I'm difficult?"

"Let me phrase this using an expression I discovered when researching your species. If the shoe fits . . ."

"I am not-that is, if the situation were different . . ." Diana sputtered.

"Let me ask you, earthling-"

"Would you stop calling me earthling? My name is Diana." Why she gave him her first name when she'd told Kor to address her formally, she didn't know. Maybe because he's not trying to marry me and get into my pants.

"Diana, then, what exactly do you object to? According to my report, you have no close living family. Very few friends. No current love interest. No pets. You hate your job. You hate your apartment. Your romantic fantasy confessed to an online acquaintance consisted of a tall, dark stranger sweeping you off your feet and taking you away from it all. So let me ask you, what has Kor done that you object to so strenuously?"

Diana just listened, dumbfounded, as the computer recited off facts of her life that made her sound, well, pathetic, and lonely actually. "How do you know all these things?" she whispered, shocked.

"I did my research, of course. The advent of computers and the Internet on your world have made it quite simple for an advanced AI system like myself to find out pretty much anything I need to know."

"Have you told Kor all of this?" she asked, hoping the answer would be no. Her life, or lack of one, was none of Kor's business.

"He never asked," said Alphie sullenly. "But that's beside the point. Let me ask you again. What exactly about his choice in you as a mate do you object to?"

"Well," she stammered, "he didn't ask. He just told me, and he's-he's blue!"

Alphie gave a snort of disgust. How does a computer snort? "I can't believe you're an alienist."

"A what?" she asked, confused.

"Someone who thinks her species is better than all the others. We see that a lot in earthlings."

"But I never said I thought I was better. You're twisting my words. It's just . . . he took me by surprise. I've never seen a blue man before and certainly never imagined marrying one."

"If he weren't blue, would you be reacting like this?"

Diana thought about it. "Actually, yes, I would still act like this because this isn't romantic. When I dreamt of my fantasy man taking me away, it was because of love, not because some busybody told him to. He doesn't even like me, but he wants to marry me 'cause some Oracle says so."

"Romance? Hmmm, I'll have to research that. Let me get back to you. Bye."

"Wait," Diana shouted.

"What?" asked Alphie.

"Before you take off and do computer stuff, could you maybe get me some clothes? I'd rather not wear this sheet all day. And maybe something to eat. I am kind of hungry."

"Of course." And with those words, a drawer popped open, and Diana walked over to it and pulled out an outfit-a very revealing, diaphanous outfit made of draped layers of what seemed to be scarves stitched together.

"You've got to be bloody kidding me," she grumbled, holding up the flimsy cloth.

"It's what the females of his world wear," said Alphie with a snicker. "Talk to you later."

As he said that, another drawer opened in the wall, and Diana peeked in, hoping for more clothes, but, instead, saw a steaming plate of food consisting of a white-sauced pasta with vegetables and garlic toast. Well, at least they're feeding me stuff I recognize, which made her wonder who did the cooking.

Sighing, Diana decided to eat first before tackling the sex kitten outfit. But I swear to God, if Kor laughs when he sees me looking like a giant fluffy marshmallow, I am going to sock him where it hurts.