stated.
“Uh, sorry, what?”
“That’s why I need help choosing a dress. I need something sexy, but not desperate.”
“Seduce him? Are you serious? You don’t even know him.”
“What does that matter? The idea is to fuck him not marry him. I just need to get Commander Al’a on side. Apparently he is very good friends with the Crown Prince.”
“You’ve researched him.”
“Of course.”
“You didn’t ask me to help.” Which was surprising. Mila usually did all the background research.
Aline picked up a red dress and turning to the mirror, held it up against her body. “I don’t need you for everything, Mila. Besides, I couldn’t be bothered listening to your lecture about how this was a bad idea…blah, blah, blah.”
Mila sat back, feeling a bit hurt.
“Look, Mila, you don’t know how these things work. If you want to get anywhere in life as a woman you have to be prepared to sleep with a few people along the way. That’s why I’m an ambassador and you’re just my assistant.”
Only Mila seemed to do the majority of the work.
“Besides, it won’t be much of a hardship to sleep with him. I hear these Zerconian warriors are big all over.”
Do not blush. Do not blush.
“What do you think I should wear?” Aline held up the short, red dress with no sleeves and a tucked in waist. “This?” She grabbed a deep blue dress that fell to the ankle and had a plunging neckline. “Or this?”
“I’m not certain either of those dresses are appropriate.”
Aline frowned down at the dresses. “No, you’re right. I want to make the right first impression.”
“What about this?” Mila went over to the wardrobe and pulled out a slim, black skirt and white, tailored shirt.
“Boring.” Aline grabbed another dress, holding it against her body in front of the mirror. “I think this will work.”
It would. The dress she held was deceptive. It appeared modest, with a high neckline and sleeves, but it hugged Aline in all the right places. And while black washed Mila out, making her look like a vampire’s bride, with Aline’s tanned skin and dark blonde hair, she would look amazing.
“Do you think it is a good idea, letting these Zerconian warriors come here?” Mila stared down at her boring black pants and oversized dark gray shirt. She wished she dared wear something tight fitting like Aline, but she just didn’t have the body to pull it off. She was built like a teenage boy. Slim and curveless.
Aline turned to stare at her. “Why wouldn’t it be a good idea? They’re powerful and rich. And desperate.”
“Desperate for mates for their people. I didn’t think you’d want to be tied down to one man.”
Aline frowned at her. “What are you saying, that I’m a slut?”
“Of course not.” Mila shook her head.
“Then what? What exactly are you saying?”
“It’s just that a lot of women on base are nervous after seeing that vid.” The one showing a bunch of human females locked up in pens while a large, muscular man terrified them.
“Stupid, silly twits, the bunch of them. That was nonsense.”
Well, of course, it was. But Mila could understand why people were nervous. Zerconian males were huge and masculine, kind of intimidating.
Too much male. Not that they’d ever look twice at her.
Mila knew she was boring and drab. And even if she did manage to catch a man’s eye, he usually dumped her once he discovered how klutzy she was. She couldn’t blame them. Having your date trip over nothing in the middle of a restaurant, smash into a waiter holding a tray full of drinks which then tipped onto a large male, staining his white shirt wasn’t exactly a great first date by anyone’s standards.
“You and I know it was fake, and the others probably do as well, deep down. But we know very little about these Zerconians,” Mila pointed out. “For years, they’ve kept mainly to themselves and the unknown makes people nervous. Add that stupid vid to the mix and some