THE WEDDING THAT ALMOST WASN'T

At the end of Sinbad's Last Voyage, it certainly looked as if our hero was done for. Stricken with mesothelioma asbestosis after being unjustly imprisoned for twelve years in the Toxic Zone (formerly an asbestos waste dump in the Buffalo Commons), Sinbad sh'en Singh at last weakened and asked his beloved Andi to marry him, though their time together would be very brief. Only after giving birth to his son did she agree, and the half-Felidan smuggler went on his last run, promising to "retire" from the Brotherhood of St. Dismas and become an Abider as soon as he came back.

Sinbad's Wife, the second novel in the Adventures of Sinbad series, opens at an unlikely moment--Sinbad's sh'en Singh's Best Man bemoaning the fact that he's once again lost the woman he loves to an alien!

Since the age of five, Eli Nighthorse has loved Andrea Talltrees. He lost her to Tran, thought he was getting a second chance when Andi returned home alone, then saw his hopes dashed to pieces when the feline smuggler reappeared in her life. Now--to add insult to injury--he's been asked to be Best Man at her wedding!

During the knock-down verbal battle of their reconciliation--interrupted by the birth of son Allan--and Andi's meek agreement afterward to marry him, Sin thinks everything is fine. After his final Run and subsequent resignation from the Brotherhood of St. Dismas, however, and his return to the farm to exchange his Winchester handrifle for a pitchfork, Andi does an about face. Now, she doesn't want to get married...no how...not never!

Aware that her own people are shunning her for not only having a child out of wedlock but actually living with the father without marrying him, Sin can't understand her attitude. After all it's not like he doesn't want to marry her--for six months, he's asked her at least once a day and each time, she refuses. He knows everyone blames him, including Eli, who at this point isn't yet his friend, but doesn't bother to correct that assumption because even he can't figure out the reason. Sin's getting sicker and sicker and all he wants before it's too late is to get Andi legally wed and give his son the safety of legitimacy, something he never had, since his own parents' marriage was never recognized by the Federation.

With the Grim Reaper breathing down his neck, Sin devises a desperate plan to get Andi to the church on time...something totally crazy, but the only thing he can think of that will get his stubborn little Terran to say "I do!" before they're saying "Dust to dust, ashes to ashes" over him!

THE EXCERPT:

Upstairs, Andi was taking a shower.
As she turned off the water and stepped out of the stall, she walked directly into a large soft towel which Sin was holding in front of him. Before she realized it, she was enveloped in both the towel and Sin's arms and quickly lifted off the floor and carried to the bed.
Carefully unwrapping the towel from around her, he sat beside her on the bed, drying and kissing each little bit of pale skin as it was uncovered. Andi shivered and put her arms around his neck, pulling his body down to rest against hers.
"Do you love me, Andi?" He kissed her forehead.
She broke off in the middle of a little moan to gasp, "Of course I do, Sin!"
Another kiss, on her throat. He rubbed his cheek against hers. "Say it."
Obediently, she whispered, "I love you, Sin," and entwined the heavy hair in her hands, holding him immobile as she brushed her own lips against his chest.
"Can't live without me?" he persisted, raising himself to stare into her eyes.
"What kind of question is that?" she asked. "You know I can't!" and was startled when he pulled away, rolling over to his side of the bed.
"Good! Because you're going to get a chance to prove it!" There was grim satisfaction in the gravelly voice.
"What do you mean?" Andi put a hand on his shoulder, attempting to pull him back to her.
It was gently but firmly removed.
"I mean--what you just got is all you're getting. Until we settle a few things!" Sin sat up.
For the first time, Andi realize that he was still fully dressed, only his shirt unbuttoned and pulled out of his jeans.
"What do--"
"I never told you why I hated Terran females, did I?" As she shook her head, frowning and wondering what that had to do with his making love to her, he went on, "Because they used me, Andi. Took the pleasure my body could give them but gave me none in return. I was terribly ignorant of any kind of female in those days but it didn't take me long to figure it out!"
Sighing, he brushed the tousled damp hair back from her forehead.
"And now, it looks as if you're doing the same thing." For a moment, the green eyes were frighteningly grave. "Do you really love me, Andi? Or just the physical satisfaction I can give you?"
"I-I...you know I love you!"
"Do I? You won't marry me. You can't even give me a good reason why you won't! I know I love you. Gods knows I must, to put up with that temper of yours and some of the crazy things you've done!"
"Crazy things?" Andi exclaimed. "What crazy things?"
"Think back to the way you acted the night Allan was born and ask me that again!
You say you love me," Sin went on. "Well, you're going to get a chance to prove it! Let's see if our relationship can survive outside this room!" He stood up and walked to the door.
"Where are you going?" Her voice started to tremble.
"Out!" One hand on the doorknob, he looked back. "You told me I could come and go as I pleased. Remember? As long as I came back?"
When he smiled, it was gentle, almost loving.
"Well, I'm going to do just that. I'm going out, but don't worry, I'll be back. Later."
"But what about--" Her voice dropped slightly. "Aren't you going to finish making love to me?"
"Don't you understand?" His voice was patient. "I have finished! From now on, we won't touch until you prove it's me you love and not what I do to you!"
Sin opened the door and went through it.
"Don't wait up!"

But wait up Andi does...night after night after night....

SINBAD'S WIFE, the second novel in the ADVENTURES OF SINBAD, is scheduled for released by Double Dragon Publications this summer.