“I must say, the city is much more impressive than the view from your home had indicated.” Rajenlif smiled as she gazed up at the buildings that rose up in front of them as they exited Carey Station.

“It is very impressive.” Pryvani agreed, smiling. “It would be even more impressive if you had seen where Avalon had started.”

“Do you ever come down here as yourself, Senator?” Vallero asked curiously as matched her pace with Pryvani’s.

“There was a time when we would come down from the mountain in the flesh in order to help with rebuilding or to bring aid material, but there really hasn’t been any need for that in a long time.” Pryvani replied, shaking her head. “Especially with the development of these mobile projectors. Perhaps someday, when mutual respect between Titans and humans is so commonplace that no one would think twice about it, we won’t feel the need to worry about walking down these streets at our normal size.”

“The streets certainly are wide enough to allow for it.” Antero muttered, gazing at the buildings across the way.

“That’s only true in Oldtown, here.” Pryvani said. “The city has expanded a lot in the past twenty years, and most of the newer construction is a bit less suited to Titans. Ah, there’s President Haerst.”

Standing at the bottom of the steps that lead into the chambers of the council of Avalon was a thin woman with skin that was nearly the same shade as Princess Vallero, and short cropped white hair. She smiled widely as the group of Titans approached.

“Empress Rajenlif.” President Haerst clasped wrists with the monarch. “Allow me to welcome you and your family to Atlantis.”

Rajenlif smiled. “Thank you, I am looking forward to seeing your wonderful city from human eyes.”

“Well then, let’s not waste any time.” President Haerst said, turning towards the capital building.

*.*.*.*.*

Alex stared down at the quarterly sales figures projected on the screen of his pad, trying to keep his eyes from blurring. He’d spent the last ten minutes staring at the same page of data and trying to force it to make sense, which it steadfastly refused to.

They were busy with wedding plans, but that didn’t stop Alex from having a business to run. His thoughts were interrupted as a sudden warm breeze drifted over the back of his neck. A breeze that was almost cinnamon scented.

“Alex…” A low electronic hum whispered behind him. Alex mused that he must be more out of it than he’d thought if Rixie had been able to get the drop on him. “Alex… I wanna play…”

He bit his lip and steeled his nerves. Ninety-nine percent of his brain was screaming at him to jump out of the chair and bury himself between her breasts. The remaining one percent was telling him that he had work to do, and play time would have to wait.

Surprisingly, for Alex, responsibility won out.

“I’d love to play.” Alex said to the giant temptress without looking up from his work. “But I have to finish this.”

Rixie blinked in surprise. She had not been expecting that response at all. Curiously, she watched Alex silently for a moment. He was bent over his pad, his shoulders sagged, and periodically he would run his hands through his hair in a clear gesture of frustration.

The Titan woman felt she had two options at this point, leave Alex to his work like a responsible girlfriend would or recognize that Alex was driving himself too hard and cajole him into taking a probably-much-needed break like a good girlfriend would.

“All right, I guess I can wait.” Rixie sighed. “I’ll just keep you company, okay?”

“That would be nice.” Alex muttered distractedly.

Rixie folded her arms in front of her and rested her chin on them. She leaned forward until there was very little space between her face and where Alex sat. She could see her breath ruffle his hair every time she exhaled.

“Rixie…” Alex sighed.

“Sorry. Sorry.” Rixie said innocently, as she scooted back just a tiny bit. “I won’t breathe so hard.”

“Thank you.”

They sat in silence and Rixie watched Alex try and work. Of course, while her exterior remained placid, devious little gears were turning in her brain.

Gently, she took her smallest finger and traced feather light circles on his back. Alex stiffened under the sudden contact, but eventually relaxed when it became apparent what Rixie was actually doing. This continued for several minutes until Alex seemed to forget about her.

Smiling wickedly, Rixie traced her finger up his back, over his shoulder and down his arm until she carefully pinched his wrist between her finger and thumb. She lifted his arm up and down and slowly turned his wrist, as if attempting to pose him like a doll.

“What are you doing?” Alex asked, exasperatedly.

“Nothing.” Rixie responded in a bored tone, as if this were the most normal thing in the world.

“That’s my arm.” Alex said dully. “I sort of need it.”

“Nah.” Rixie chuckled. “This is your left arm, remember? You’re fine without it.”

Alex, however, was beginning to catch on to her game and was determined not to succumb. So, instead, he resolved to ignore her. Let her play with his appendage, it was fine.

So, Alex turned back to his work, even as the Titan woman who was determined to invade his personal space manipulated his left arm and hand like a toy.

This went on for several minutes, until Rixie suddenly stopped.

Alex smirked. She still had his wrist in her grip, but he was certain she’d given up trying to distract him.

Then, suddenly, the pressure on his wrist was joined by a distinctly wet sensation. Slowly, Alex turned his head to find himself staring at a pair of very familiar red lips, which were currently puckered around his left wrist.

The corners of Rixie’s lips upturned slightly and she chuckled before licking the palm of his hand.

But still Alex was determined to finish his work. Resolutely, he turned back to the screen and tried to focus on the profit and loss statements, margin minus labor and…

There was a loud sucking sound and the wet feeling spread up to his elbow.

Once again, the air around him took on a distinctly cinnamon scent and hot air ruffled the top of his hair. Rixie’s tongue slid across the underside of his forearm in a way that was… that was…

Very. Distracting.

No!

Alex shook his head and bit his lip. He had work to do damn it!

A sucking motion nearly pulled Alex out of his chair and the pressure on his wrist and elbow suddenly released. Strangely, it didn’t occur to Alex to yank his arm away from Rixie’s widening mouth.

A loud slurping sound heralded Rixie’s giant tongue as it slid from behind her teeth. Alex watched, dumbstruck, as it curled underneath his arm and began lapping at the hem of his shirt.

Rixie barely held back the triumphant grin as she felt Alex’s body shudder as she worked her tongue underneath his shirt and up the length of his spine, practically pulling the shirt over his head in the process.

“You’re not going to let up, are you?” Alex asked foggily as his eyes closed and he leaned into her lower lip.

Rixie pulled back, closed her mouth and lowered herself until she was able to look Alex in the eyes.

“Of course I will.” She said softly, and sincerely; “If you really really want me too.”

Alex blinked and shook his head, suddenly disoriented. He sat up and gazed into Rixie’s pale green eyes.

“I… Um…”

“Do you?” Rixie asked as she placed her hand palm side up on the table in front of him.

“I…” Alex looked down at his data pad. The part of him that wanted to work was at point-five percent… and falling.

Rixie waited patiently for him to make up his mind.

“Maybe… maybe I could use a break.” Alex muttered, standing up so fast that his chair fell over backwards.

Rixie chuckled as he stepped into the palm of her hand. She curled her fingers around his body and stood up to her full height.

“We’re not going to get interrupted again, are we?” Alex asked.

“Nope.” Rixie grinned, as she stepped into their bedroom. “Asteria is spending some quality time with Ryan and Thyllia, who are taking her up to Folkvangr station to check out some of the attractions that are being installed.”

“Well.” Alex was in the process of shrugging out of his shirt. “That should be fun for her.”

“Mm.” Rixie agreed before flopping down on their bed. Her hand opened and Alex tumbled out onto her collarbone. He found himself staring down the neck of her loose fitting blouse. There was a dark space between her breasts that looked very warm and inviting. With a smirk, Alex shimmied underneath her clothing.

Rixie shuddered from the ticklish sensation as Alex pulled himself across her skin. She felt a flutter in her stomach as she watched him slide underneath her clothing and climb his way to the top of one of her breasts.

She laid back and closed her eyes and just enjoyed the enthusiasm with which Alex moved across her skin.

“Mm…” Rixie moaned. “Now isn’t this much better than staring at a bunch of spreadsheets?”

“There’s a joke in there about spreading sheets. Or… something, but, um… I can’t really think of it right now.” Alex muttered distractedly as he made his way underneath Rixie’s clothing.

The Titan woman shivered at the feeling of Alex traveling down her torso.

“Spreading legs!” He crowed from somewhere on her pelvis. “That’s the joke!”

Rixie snorted in amusement, but took the hint and shifted to give Alex access to his goal. Little jolts of pleasure traveled up her spine at every touch from her fiancée. Over the years that they’d been together Alex had gotten very good at this and without her even taking off her clothes.

She closed her eyes and allowed the waves of pleasure to wash her away as Alex expertly manipulated her flesh. She lost track of time as she laid back and became swept up in the sensation.

Eventually, she reached the crescendo and her whole body shuddered before she collapsed back onto the bed.

Rixie lay there a moment and waited for her vision to clear. Grinning, she watched as a little moving lump appeared underneath her clothes before Alex climbed out from underneath her waistband and collapsed onto her abdomen right next to her navel.

“Have fun?” Rixie asked.

“Always.” Alex rolled over onto his back and lay on her stomach, feeling the rise and fall of her breathing beneath his body. He didn’t resist in the slightest as Rixie gently pinched his limp body between her fingers and raised him up to dangle in front of one of her pale green eyes.

“Good.” Rixie’s lips curved into a smile before puckering into a kiss which she pressed against his body. “Because I’m not done yet.”

Before Alex could react she slid her tongue underneath his body and drew him halfway into her mouth.

And again Alex found himself at a loss for words.

*.*.*

“I’m not sure this is a good idea Em.” Julie Peterson sighed as she sat in the embarkation lounge of Asimov Station. She, her wife Emily, their three kids, and their spouses were all waiting for the Avalonian cruiser Zeno’s Paradox to dock.

“Of course it is!” Emily insisted. “My brother, who I remind you I thought was dead for decades, is getting married. There’s no possible way I’m missing that!”

“Yes I know… but…” Julie muttered.

“Mom, relax.” Their son Jordan chuckled. “From what I’ve read the Zeno’s Paradox has made dozens of perfectly safe runs between here and Avalon. It’ll be like going on a cruise.”

“That’s not really-”

“Besides;” The Younger daughter added with a grin. “You wouldn’t deprive Alexis of the opportunity to fly in a real spaceship to another planet, now would you?”

“I know you’re trying to goad me, Katniss.” Alexis replied, rolling her eyes. “But… well… yeah.”

“I’m not really worried about the trip, per se.” Julie sighed exasperatedly. “It’s just…”

“Really, we’re lucky that Alex has so much pull with the Avalon government.” Jordan’s wife added, looking up from her phone. “I doubt your average citizen would be able to arrange a trip for their family like this.”

“Good point Elsa.” Jordan agreed. “Of course, from what I gathered the ship was going to be in the system anyway but still.”

“You’re-”

“Attention passengers.” The P.A. system boomed. “The Zeno’s Paradox is fully docked and ready to be boarded.”

“That’s us!” Emily crowed cheerfully as she stood and gathered up her bags. “Let’s get going before they leave without us.”