7

“ Well well well” Shaye said as I walked into my office Monday morning, leering at me from where she was leaning against my desk. “Someone looks like they got some this weekend”

I couldn't help but laugh as she added some corny bow chicka bow bow noises to the cabbage patch dance she was doing. “Are you done?”  

“ in 3..2..1..finished” she said finishing her dance and turning to look at me as I dropped down into my chair.

“Now tell me everything!” She said rubbing her hands together excitedly. I looked at her consideringly there was something I wanted to talk to her about but didnt know how Kale would feel if I mentioned his mating knot to her. It had been quite a surprise when I felt that and while I understood his explanation of it, I still wasn't sure on how I felt about it.  I fanned my face as I thought back to when I first felt it, I definitely wasn't complaining about it though.

“Don't have a hot flash now!” she said rolling her eyes “ I need information! How big is his spaceship?” She held her hands 8 inches apart and raised her eyebrows. I blushed and reached out tugging her hands further apart. “Nnnoooooooo” she breathed. I nodded unable to stop a satisfied grin from crossing my face.

“Wow I figured he would be big, it's not like Kale is a small male but…” a gasp from the doorway interrupted her. We looked up to see Ly’lah standing there with her hand covering her mouth. I frowned over at her, I was pretty easy going and friendly with the others in my department. Still there should have been a knock on the door, it was common courtesy. Plus I was the director what if I was in the middle of a meeting?

Ly’lah” I said gently “it's rude to come into someone's office without knocking”

“Not to mention your boss's office” Shaye grumbled under her breath then stood “ I gotta get going anyways, we’re putting together ideas for a new addition to Bucket List. We’ll have lunch together” she headed out the door tossing me a look over her shoulder that let me know the conversation wasn't finished.

“I'm sorry I should have knocked before coming in but the door was cracked and...where you discussing Mr. Kapena?” Ly’lah asked coming to stand in front of my desk. I raised my eyebrows a little surprised at her boldness. I thought about it and decided to answer, it wasn't like we were keeping it a secret and Kale had asked to officially date before he left Sunday night. “ Yes we were. He and I started dating over the weekend”

She smiled a little stiffly before saying “ That's great. I don't know if you knew but he and I are from the same hale. If you have any questions about being with a Selkrian let me know. I would be glad to help” She nodded at me and turned to go. “Wait I was curious about one thing” I couldn't help feeling that Kale hadn't told me everything about what he kept calling me. Getting the meaning from another Selkrian would clear it up for me. “What does K’la mean.’

She looked at me and hesitated “K’la? Are you sure?” I nodded “ I  think so yes”

“ well it means a bedmate, a lover but a temporary one someone you're not very serious about” I stilled and felt the happy glow from the weekend fade leaving nothing behind but ice.

“Would you date a K’la?” I asked a little hoarsely being to be sure about where I stood. She looked at me and said slowly “ I do not want to cause you any distress… but no. A K’la would be more like a casual relationship”

I nodded and forced a smile “thanks for the translation, did you need anything?”

She shook her head and turned back towards the door “It's not important I'll stop by later” she closed the door behind her. I just sat and stared blankly at the wall, I had told myself not to get hyped by what sounded like an endearment. Human man did it all the time, they would say whatever, do whatever they needed to to get laid. Why should a Selkrian be any different? I put my elbows on my desk and held my forehead. Just because you felt a connection doesn't mean he did I thought sadly to myself.

Heaving a deep sigh I stood up and did an all over shake. I would not let this get me down, I would take it for what it was a great weekend with incredible sex that unfortunately would not happen again. I wasn't into having casual relationships or being an on call lay, if that's what Kale wanted he could just find another earth girl to play with. I nodded my head firmly resolved to keep it strictly professional from here on out and sat back down, ignoring the twinge I felt in my heart.

“Have you talked to him about it?” Shaye asked me over lunch later. I shook my head concentrating on my burger “ He’s been texting me today I haven't responded though”

Shaye sighed looking pensive “ I think you should talk to him about it. I mean didn't he ask you to officially date? And I don't know what your definition is but a one night stand doesn't last a whole weekend”

I looked at her irritably “Sure” I said sarcastically “I'll just go up to him and be like hheeeyyy I know you didn't make me any promises but were you just trying to hit it and quit it? Besides who's to say what he thinks dating is”

She looked off to the side and groaned defeated “Alright I guess you have a point” she looked back at me and said “So what are you going to do?”

I looked down as my phone vibrated and saw it was from Kale, it was the sixth one today I'm not sure what's going on or why your not responding. I hope it wasn't anything that I did. I put my phone face down on the table and looked at Shaye “Just keep it business. It shouldn't be hard to avoid him after all being the CEO should keep him plenty busy.”

I saw I had spoken to soon as a knock came at my door as I was shutting down my computer the end of the day. I looked up as Kale came in and closed the door behind him. He leaned against the door as we stared at each other for a few minutes. I bit my lip as I replayed the weekend in my mind. Not just the sex although that was fantastic but how we'd watched movies and cooked together. The conversations we'd had and the laughter that was shared. It hurt to think that I'd come so close to falling for him and the whole time it was just …. sex.

I smiled at him brightly determined to keep my real feelings hidden, I didn't want to be more of a fool than I already was. “Hello Kale how are you?”

He watched me closely, eyes narrowed “ I would be better Mia if I had heard from you today. Is everything alright?”

I collected my purse from my bottom drawer and got out my keys “ Oh yes everything is fine, I was just super busy today and then Shaye  ambushed me for lunch. Then I had some meetings today, It's just been non-stop” I wanted to get out of this enclosed space but feared I would grab onto him if I moved any closer.

“Ok” he said slowly “how about I pick up some dinner and meet you at your place?”

“Oh no that won't be necessary” I said hastily “ I have plans with Shaye that we made a while ago.”  I had to get out of this conversation, this was awkward and all I wanted was his arms around me again. I started moving towards the door determined to leave. He watched me head towards him, standing straight but making no move from in front of the door. He leaned close to kiss me and I turned so it landed on my cheek.

His jaw clenched “ Are you sure there's nothing wrong?”

I sighed unable to keep this going “ Look Kale I'm sorry I just need some time to take this all in. I need to think about this” I peered up at him miserably and reached around for the door knob. “ I'll call you ok?” He nodded and slowly moved out the way. I opened the door and saw Ly’Lah there with her hand raised to knock.

“Oh!” She lowered her hand startled “I was just going to leave you these policy revisions I finished”  I looked at the stack of papers in her hand and nodded “Just leave them on my desk I'll look over them in the morning” Brushing past her, I hurried for the elevator. Listening to them speak in selk, I stared ahead as the elevator closed. I hadn't lied I did have a date tonight, only it was with my favorite fuzzy robe and a pint of cookie dough ice cream.

Kale

I watched my Ke’Ola leave baffled as to this turn of events. When we parted ways Sunday night it was on good terms. I left her with a blush in her cheeks and a smile on her face looking forward to today when I could see her again.

“Lakai” Ly’lah a Selkrian from my hale I'd known a long time stopped next to me and bowed her head. I had chosen her to help with the human relations department of Totality and with the Hale. She was a no nonsense maiden with a good head on her shoulders and a good grasp of human culture as she had been one of the first with me here on the planet. I murmured a greeting still staring after Mia even though she was long gone. I debated if I should go to her home anyways and press her to find out the real reason she was troubled or give her the time she had asked for. Ly’lah looked to where I was staring and then back towards me, her lips pursed into a thin line.

“You should not be playing with the earth females, Lakai” Ly'lah said disapprovingly. “This one seems to think you are..dating. I don't know why she is thinking that”

I snarled rounding on her quickly “ You will be respectful in how you address me.This is none of your concern. But you will be extra careful on how you speak of my Ke'Ola!”

She lowered her eyes quickly in a sign of submission but then raised them wide eyed “I mean no disrespect but after what she said earlier I thought…” she gasped “ Of course! Ke’Ola not K’la!”

I felt a sense of foreboding come over me “What are you talking about?”

She bowed her head again but said quickly “ I had no idea Lakai when she asked me this earlier. She pronounced it wrong and I told her what it meant and…”

I cut her off impatient “Get to the point, what happened earlier?”

She looked up at me and said simply “ I overheard her and Ms. Gordon talking about you. Ms.Jones told me you were dating and asked me what k’la meant….and I told her”. I looked at her dismayed a k’la was a plaything someone you just wanted to have sex with not a serious relationship, it was basically the earth equivalent of a one night stand. No wonder she was acting strange! She thought I was just playing with her, that I wasn't serious. My jaw firmed, I had to make this right “Call the Hale together, we meet this weekend so I can announce my Ke'Ola , our new Pilia”. I turned away as she nodded and headed toward the elevator, it was time to fix things