Alien Tango

living room—I can’t see you naked and not want to make love to you.”
    I spun around and kissed him. “Fine. I can’t see you clothed and not feel the same way.”
    He laughed. “Good to know.” He patted my bottom and then sauntered out with our suitcases. He seemed much more relaxed than when we’d first arrived in our rooms.
    I dressed quickly, brushed my hair, threw everything I could think I might need into my purse, including hairbrush and hairspray, slipped my heels on, and I was ready to go.
    Martini was sitting on the couch, reading something. I’d given the file to Reader, so it wasn’t information about our mission. I sat next to him. “I’m ready. What’s that?”
    He handed it to me. It was the latest “why haven’t you registered yet?” letter about my reunion. Why everyone wanted me to attend this event was beyond me—I’d been on the track team, in the chess club, thanks to Chuckie, and had plenty of friends while I was in high school. It had still been high school, and I hadn’t ever missed it once I was gone.
    Why Martini, of all people, wanted to go was further beyond me. I assumed my mother wanted me to compare my life to my peers, maybe Chuckie wanted to lord success over the creeps who’d made his life hellish and wanted backup for it, but Martini wanting to go was plain weird, wanting to see how the other half lived or not.
    However, I knew my parents did things for each other they wouldn’t have done for themselves—it was part of why they felt they had a great marriage. And Martini never complained about my being a comics geek-girl or a throw-back feminist in an age of celebutants and reality TV. He’d even read the Feminist Manifesto without too much begging on my part.
    “Okay, we’ll go.”
    “Really?” He looked so happy, I just wanted to cuddle him.
    “Yes, really. I’ll make the reservations as soon as we’re back.”
    The intercom went live again. “Oh, Commander Martini? Just wanted you to know the Princess Resort called. Your suite is confirmed.” The Princess Resort was where my reunion was being held.
    Martini tried to look surprised. “The Princess Resort?”
    “Yes,” Gladys said, and I could have sworn she was smirking. “You’re booked there for three nights next month. Under the Desert Sun High School Reunion room block.”
    “Oh, uh, thanks.” He looked both guilty and panicked.
    “So, you made these reservations, when?”
    “Well, you can cancel them twenty-four hours prior. I just figured you’d end up wanting to go and then all the rooms would be gone.” He couldn’t even look at my face.
    Which was okay, because I wasn’t angry. I hated to admit it, but I thought it was kind of cute.
    He picked it up, and looked at me now. “You’re not mad at me?”
    I hugged him. “No, I’m not mad at you. I know how much you want to go. So, we’ll go. Though I don’t know how we can afford a suite at the Princess.”
    “We have plenty of money.” This was true. I had no idea how they got this money, but I’d never seen any A-C or human agent short of cash. Martini gave me money every week, like an allowance, but he never asked how I spent it. Which was a good thing.
    “So, I’ll register when we’re back.” He was quiet. I thought about it. “Okay, what names did you register us under?”
    He sighed. “Katherine Katt and Jeffrey Martini. Not what I wanted but . . . ”
    “But it’s the truth.” And since I didn’t have an engagement, let alone wedding, ring, the far wiser choice. But I knew better than to say so. Martini was ready to get married at the drop of a shoe, but I wasn’t, and more than me, as last night’s dinner conversation had indicated, the rest of the A-Cs weren’t ready to okay our official union. The few who’d been allowed to marry humans had done so as part of a genetics experiment the older generation of A-Cs felt had been a failure. I didn’t, but I hadn’t made the headway within the Pontifex’s office that I’d hoped. Yet.
    I kissed Martini. “It’s okay. I should be mad, but I’m not. Again, because it means so much to you. You’ll regret it, I’m sure, but we’ll go.”
    “Speaking of going, we’d better get up to Launch level.” Martini got up and pulled me to my feet. We each took a bag, and he took my free hand in his, and we went to the elevators.
    I loved being in the elevator with him—we made out the entire way up. I wanted to do a lot more, and I was sure he did as