An Alien To Love by Jessica E. Subject Read Free Book Online Page A

clutch on the way out the door, she couldn’t help but smile. She might not be off to meet the man she would marry, but she hoped to end the night completely satisfied.
     
    ***
     
    Galan drummed his fingers against the counter. He hadn’t expected to have such a hard time finding eighteenth century dress, specifically a knee-length justacorps-style coat and breeches. It wasn’t that he couldn’t find any, but none of the costume shops he’d visited had anything in his size. His thighs prevented him from wearing most pants, and the width of his back caused coat after coat to rip in the seams. Did they grow them that small here ?
    At last, he’d found the perfect costume for the ball at a quaint boutique named Connie’s Couture. The elegant black outfit, with red silk shirt and stockings, seemed to have been tailored for him, although he’d never been to this area during his travels.
    Connie remained in the back, completing some last minute adjustments to his clothing, while he ran through his mental list of everything he needed to purchase before he met his date. Flowers, breath mints…what else ?
    A hotel room waited for them at the Castillo Hotel, where the ball would take place, but he planned to take his date elsewhere, if she agreed. Traveling as much as he did, he grew lonely and wanted someone to share the wondrous places he often visited. His brother as his companion wasn’t enough. No, he wanted a woman to settle down with rather than finding a new source of temporary satisfaction at every port.
    During his last stopover, he’d avoided all his and Volan’s usual haunts, instead spending his evenings on the beaches of Somnium, contemplating his life. And his next voyage. A friend of a friend had recommended the 1Night Stand dating service he’d heard about on Earth. Still, he’d had reservations. He wasn’t like any of the men he’d met around the Terran city of Las Vegas. But he’d filled out the forms, and learned yesterday about his date.
    His life had been a scramble since, with no time to inform his brother of his plans. What would Volan think of the arrangement? He’d been quite happy with a variety of women, and never hinted at the need to settle down. Would his brother be respectful of his change in lifestyle? Didn’t matter. He’d already made his decision, so long as his date went well. He needed something different. Maybe his conversion would influence Volan to commit to one woman.
    “All set, Mr. Galan.” Connie rushed from the back room, a black polyester bag across her arm. “I hope you have a wonderful time at the ball tonight and charm the lucky woman you’re going to meet.”
    He smiled, setting additional currency on the counter to compensate the woman for her extra time and attention. Clasping her by the shoulders, he air-kissed her cheeks in the same way she’d greeted him when he arrived. “Thank you, Ms. Connie. I appreciate all your time. Now, I must get going, as I am already very late.”
    She handed him the bag. “Why don’t you change here? The Castillo is a block away, and this way I can see my hard work.”
    He hoped his date would be as sweet as the woman before him. “That would be great. Thank you, again.”
    She ushered him toward a closet-sized room, closing the curtain behind him. She’d already demonstrated how to dress in the period costume, so he donned the outfit in minimal time. The breeches cupped him with precision, as he decided to forgo traditional undergarments. He stared at his reflection. Perhaps he could fit in at the ball, dressed as an eighteenth century Terran, long enough to woo the woman who waited for him.
    Exiting the changing room, Galan stood in the middle of the store, waiting for Connie’s approval. “Well?”
    “If I didn’t have a charming man of my own, I’d hope I was your date for the ball.” She handed him a small plastic container, holding a delicate red rose.
    “What’s this?” He’d expected to buy a bouquet of