Secret Santa Surprise: Book 29 in the Kindred Tales Series - Evangeline Anderson Page 0,7
am not a good judge of human age, I heard her telling our coworker, Sonja, that she is ‘closer to forty than to thirty.’”
“So she’s more than ten cycles our senior?” Strong looked at him in disbelief. “Brother, I’m sorry to kill your dreams, but what in the universe makes you think a beautiful older woman—an Elite, no less—would be interested in two younger males without much status like us?”
“I know it sounds preposterous, but it’s a feeling I get when I’m around her,” Clear said stubbornly. “Her cheeks grow pink and her breathing becomes faster. Her pupils dilate. I think she finds me attractive. And I’m sure she would find you attractive as well, if you’d ever come to meet her. We do have essentially the same facial features, even though our hair and eye coloring is very different.” While Clear had sandy brown hair and green eyes, his twin had black hair and dark blue eyes.
“I don’t know…” Strong shook his head. “I’m afraid you’re just fooling yourself, Brother. Or maybe you’re not—maybe she does find you attractive,” he went on. “But I’m sure the moment she met me, she’d run the other direction from both of us.”
“I’m sure you’d be proven wrong if you’d just come meet her,” Clear said, frowning. “If you’d ever drop by my work, the way I drop by yours. Or, I know…” He brightened. “You can come to our office Christmas party! Families are welcome and best of all, I drew Melanie’s name in the Secret Satan gift-giving ritual.” He frowned. “Or is it Secret Santa? I have such a difficult time remembering…”
“Satan is the evil one in human Christianity,” Strong said. “He is the opposite of their God. Like the Cruel Father is the opposite of the Goddess. Santa, on the other hand—”
“I know what and who each of them are meant to be,” Clear interrupted with a bit of irritation. “I just keep mixing up the names.” He waved a hand, brushing the issue away. “Anyway, it’s not important. What’s important is that I drew Melanie’s name, which is the perfect opportunity both for me to give her a thoughtful gift, and for her to meet my equally thoughtful twin—you.”
“I don’t know…” Strong shook his head doubtfully. “I just think you’re aiming too high, Brother. You might as well ask the Goddess herself to mate with us as to hope a mature, successful Elite would be interested.”
“Strong, please…” Clear knew that his brother wanted to find a mate even more urgently than he did himself. It had been the Dark Twin’s suggestion that they move to the Mother Ship in the first place, where compatible single females were in much higher supply than on Twin Moons or, indeed, any of the Kindred home worlds. But in their six months aboard the ship, he had been disappointed time and again.
Clear was afraid his twin was beginning to despair and think that they would never find a mate. But the Light Twin hadn’t given up hope yet and he had the feeling if Strong would only come and meet Melanie, it would revive his hope as well.
She finds me attractive, I know she does, he thought, remembering her pink cheeks and wide eyes when he’d spoken about two Twin Kindred pleasuring a female. And if she found Clear attractive, she was certain to think the same about Strong. But how could he know for certain unless he could get the two of them together?
“I don’t know,” Strong said again and sighed. “I guess I’ll think about it.” He glanced at the chronometer on his wrist and grimaced. “Time for my next shift. I’ll see you in the morning.” He finished his coffee in a single long gulp and handed the mug to Clear.
“Be well, Brother,” Clear said, nodding.
“Thanks, you too. And…” Strong hesitated. “I hope your meeting with the little Elite goes well,” he said at last, grudgingly. “I’ll stay away from her, at least until your office Christmas party, so you can enjoy your hope for as long as possible.”
Clear shook his head in exasperation.
“Strong—”
“No time to argue now,” his twin interrupted. “I have to get going. See you later.”
And he left, pulling his white lab coat on over his long arms and broad shoulders as he exited their suite.
“If only you would meet her,” Clear muttered in frustration, watching his brother go. “If only you’d meet her, you would see!”