“Sorry,” Harry said, withdrawing his fingers and balling them behind his back. However, he couldn’t help but feel pleased that Adam thought he was endearing. It meant they were friends, right? “Anyway!” he said, ignoring the odd look Adam was giving him. “If you aren’t dating Jake, where’s your second half?”
Adam said, “Nowhere. I’m married to my job I’m afraid.”
“That’s too bad,” Harry said, sad on Adam’s behalf. He knew humans were social beings. “Everyone needs a strong emotional bond.”
Adam gave him an amused look. “You sound like my old grandma. And how many emotional bonds have you had, oh wise one?”
“You’re mocking me.” Harry pouted. “I’ll have you know I already know the person I’m going to be with for the rest of my life.”
Adam’s amused smile slipped off. “That’s a very serious statement coming from an eighteen-year-old,” he said after a moment. “And who’s the lucky girl?”
“Her name is...” Harry hesitated for a moment. He hated lying, but there was no way he could give Adam his bondmate’s real name—Leylen’shni’gul—for the same reason he couldn’t give his. So he chose one that sounded close enough in a Terran language. “Her name is Leyla. We’ve known each other practically all our lives.”
“Wow,” Adam said, a wrinkle appearing on his forehead. “And you love her so much you’re sure you’ll be with her all your life?”
Harry suppressed a sigh. It was very hard to explain how the bond worked to a human.
“We share a special bond,” Harry said tentatively. They did. He and his bondmate had been bonded since they were two years old. “She’s always in my thoughts and I’m in hers.” Harry smiled, pleased that he hadn’t lied once so far. They did have a telepathic connection, though he couldn’t feel it on Earth because of the physical distance between them. “We’re engaged and... will be married in two years,” he added, proud that he’d found human equivalents to the state of his bond.
Adam smiled faintly. “That’s very young to marry.”
Harry shrugged. “Not really. That’s the age people marry back home.”
“And where would that home be?” Adam said. “You haven’t told me where you are from.”
Harry froze for a moment before remembering the advice his best friend had given him: “If they ask, just tell Terrans you’re an alien. They’ll never believe you and will just think you’re being funny.”
Harry said conversationally, “I’m actually an alien from the star system in the Sagittarius constellation.”
“Ah,” Adam said with a smile. “That explains your creepy alien eyes.”
“What! What’s wrong with my eyes?”
Adam shot him a strange look. “They’re dark violet color, Harry. Surely you realize that’s pretty unusual?”
The corners of Harry’s mouth turned down. Why had no one told him that his eyes weren’t very human? He could have worn colored contact lenses. He’d seen an advertisement on the TV.
“Hey,” Adam said, tipping Harry’s face up with his thumb. He was frowning. “Are you upset? Don’t be silly. Your eyes are very beautiful—unusual but beautiful.”
Blushing, Harry smiled at him. “You’re so nice to me! I like you a lot. Would you like to be my friend? I’d love to have you as my friend.”
Adam chuckled. “How are you even real?” he murmured, brushing his thumb over Harry’s cheek. “Yes, I would love to be your friend, love.”
Harry beamed at him, warmth and happiness filling his chest as he looked into Adam’s smiling dark eyes. He missed this—having a connection to another person. It might not be telepathic, as he was used to, but it felt good. For the first time since his arrival on Earth, Harry admitted to himself that he had been a little lonely here. Just a little.
But not anymore.
CHAPTER 2
“Hey,” Helene said, sticking her head into Adam’s office. “I’m about to head out. I’m going to that little Italian place around the corner. “Wanna go with me?”
“Yep,” Jake said. “I’m starving. Missed lunch today.”
“Sorry, can’t,” Adam said, turning off his computer.
Jake snorted. “Adam has a very important meeting at that coffee shop on the other side of the street.”
Adam shot him an unimpressed look and grabbed the box from his desk before heading out.
But Jake was undeterred. “Seriously, man,” he said, catching up to Adam. “Why don’t you just ask the kid out? What’s stopping you? Sure, he’s almost jailbait, but it’s not like it’s illegal or something. I’m already sick of watching you eat him with your eyes. It’s nauseating.”
“I don’t eat him with my eyes,” Adam said.
“Please. I saw you all but drooling the other day when the kid smiled at you. If you were a dog, you would have been wagging your tail and licking all over his face.”
Adam sighed through his gritted teeth. “Let it go, Jake. Harry is a friend, that’s all. Nothing can come out of it.”
“Why not?”
Adam bit out, “Because he’s straight and engaged.”