Jane awakened, stretching her arms slowly and feeling a very solid, very real body beside her. She looked up and met the sparkling eyes of a very content God of Mischief.

"Good morning," Loki smiled as he held her hand on his chest, "Did you sleep peacefully?"

She couldn't contain the perfection of this morning's afterglow. She wanted to. Letting Loki think he was the king of her world for even a fraction of a second was way too long. However, she didn't want to move another muscle to argue, "I would think that since I didn't seem to move all night that would be kind of obvious."

"Doesn't mean I wouldn't like to hear you admit it," Loki teased as he ran his fingers through her hair, "There's nothing shameful about getting what you want, Jane. Or at least, that's what they say. So long as you aren't hurting anyone else," He rolled his eyes, "The usual cliches. The truth is it's perfectly fine for you to admit you have passion for me."

And here was the fraction of a second too long, "Okay, look, last night was," She stopped as she tried to find the right words and found every single one lacking. She frowned slightly as she thought just how over her head she was now, "It was great, okay?"

"Great?" He looked offended.

"It was mind blowing. Better?" She directed to his offended look.

"Not really."

"And just how would you describe it?" She asked, daring him. Which might have been a bad idea, Jane realized only after she'd said it.

Loki smirked his sexy best, "A promising start."

Jane was expecting some overly extravagant word delivered with pompous flourish. She was not expecting that answer.

"What?" She blinked trying to figure him out.

"If you could describe it with three words, I obviously have more work to do," He pressed his lips gently to hers, "Until there are none."

"I was afraid this would happen," Jane sighed. Upon spotting his inquisitive look, she continued, "I knew you would get all arrogant and everything."

"Arrogant? I think the better word is confident. Thank you very much," He replied smartly as he tapped the end of her nose and rolled out of bed.

"Where are you going?" She asked as she rolled into the slightly cooler sheets where he had lain.

Loki smiled as he used magic to clothe himself and glanced over his shoulder at her, "Come with me and see."

Jane eyed him carefully. This was not an ideal situation. He now held every card in the deck and she really sucked at poker to begin with. She propped herself on her elbow while toying with the top hem of the sheet around her, "No."

"Your loss," He stated offhandedly as he continued through a nearby doorway.

She watched the door close behind him. This was a dare. He had thrown down the gauntlet, and it was up to her to decide if she wanted to run with it or not.

Could she? Yes.

Should she? Probably not.

Would she?

She sighed to herself.

Yes, of course she would.

Jane crawled out of bed and found a robe laying on a dresser. She wrapped it around herself and secured the sash as she walked through the door Loki had opened.

Loki sat at breakfast table with an assortment of exotic fruits and lavish pastries before him. He held out his hand and a mug appeared as steam rolled from the top.

Jane's eyes widened at the luscious smell of coffee, "Is that really coffee?"

He nodded silently. He could feel her approach and smiled as he knew he had enticed her successfully.

Jane took the mug from Loki's hand and inhaled the heavenly aroma, "How did you get coffee?"

"Magic," He replied simply, "Breakfast?"

She sank down in a chair at the table and took her first sip of coffee. She savored the rich earthy flavor and smiled, "Magic coffee is good."

Loki grinned slightly, "I only got it here magically. It's not exactly magic coffee."

"It's the first coffee I've had in a week. Believe me, it's magic," She smiled as she took another sip.

"Earth does have its delicacies, I suppose," He stated as he poured himself a glass of juice.

"You're not drinking coffee?" She asked.

"No," He spoke with a half smile, "Coffee and magic do not mix well."

"Why?"

"Caffeine can overexcite."

"It gives you the jitters?"

"Jitters?"

Jane demonstrated with a shake of her hand, "Jitters."

"Not quite like that," Loki replied as he motioned to the table before them, "I promise nothing is poison."

"So what does caffeine do to magic?" She asked as she surveyed the fruit and pastries.

"Magic requires control. If the wielder becomes overexcited..." He trailed off.

"Things go boom?" She questioned with a smile while taking a pastry from a tray.

"Things have a tendency to vanish," He informed her before taking a drink of his juice, "Topaz should be here shortly to begin the wedding preparations."

"What's this wedding supposed to be like?"

"I did not get exact details. However, we will need to remember all the details of the ritual. The spoken words, officiants' movements, any item used in the ritual itself."

"Why?"

"If we are going to have this magic reversed, all the details will be necessary to know how to counter the original spell."

"That makes sense," Jane replied as she looked into her coffee again.

Loki studied her for a moment, "Nervous?"

"Isn't every bride nervous on her wedding day?" She shrugged before sipping her coffee.

He smiled slightly, "I suppose we should discuss what you would want for a wedding."

"Why? This is Sakaar, and the Grandmaster is throwing the wedding for us. At this point, why would what I want matter?"

"We should be afforded some customs of our own," He reasoned, "What would attire for a bride be on Earth?"

"A white dress," Jane smiled as she thought of the dress she had wanted since she was a little girl, "It's traditional."

"Do you have a memory of a style you prefer?"

"Yes, why?"

Before she got the entire question asked, Loki had placed his palm against her forehead and drew the memory from her. An instant later, the dress appeared on a bust several feet away from them.

Loki watched Jane's eyes sparkle with wonder and excitement as she moved towards the dress. He smiled in seeing her joy, "Do you like it?"

"I love it," She smiled as she admired the simple yet elegant dress, "You have to tell me how you did that." He started to speak and she held up her hand to stop him, "Without just saying magic."

"You wouldn't understand."

"Try me."

"The human brain was not meant for such knowledge," He began.

"Say something stupid. Go ahead. Call me a goat," Jane snapped, "Odin did. Go ahead. And then allow me to point out what that would make you after what we did last night."

"Wait," Loki stopped as he watched her grow hostile, "Odin did what?"

"Called me a goat. Well, he might as well have called me a goat. Said I belonged in Asgard like a goat belonged on a banquet table."

"And Thor heard this?" He asked in surprise, guarding a smile.

"Yeah, so?"

"And what did Thor do?"

"Nothing."

"Thor did nothing?!" Loki asked in shock before he reigned in the surprise, "He should have fought for you. If you had been mine, I most certainly would have."

Jane's cheeks flushed slightly at the thought, "Yeah well, any reason to fight would be a good one, huh?"

"How little you know of me yet," He smiled lightly, "It will be interesting to see what you think of me after you hear my thoughts and have my memories."

"Yeah, that part is still scary," She suddenly sank into the chair beside him and grabbed his arm, "You're not going to turn me evil or something, are you?"

Loki smirked, "Evil? No. Mischevious? Perhaps," He leaned in to trace a path along her jawline with his index finger, "Lustful? Most definitely."

"Oh boy," Jane sighed as she met his eyes, "I was right when I said arrogant."

"Arrogance suggests I am over exaggerating. Confidence states that I am certain of my claim. And we both know which one suits the situation best, now don't we?"

She eyed him cautiously as he leaned towards her.

"Have I failed to live up to my words so far?" He asked as he cupped her cheek, drawing her closer.

"No," She whispered before he eased his lips along hers in a gentle yet barely there kiss, "Loki..."

"Hmm?" He questioned while placing whispers of kisses along her jawline.

"I think you've made your point," She sighed as she tilted her neck to give him better access.

"Yes, I have, haven't I?" Loki sat back with a knowing smile.

"This is only going to get worse," Jane spoke aloud, knowing that if he could hear her thoughts right now...the word cocky would be a sad description for the arrogance he would exude.

"Or better," He offered, "Depends on what you want to happen."

"And just what are you hoping will happen?" She asked pointedly.

Loki returned her look, "What are you hoping will happen?"

"I asked first," Jane replied as an unfamiliar sound chimed.

"That should be Topaz," He answered as he refused to break eye contact with her, "Are you going to answer my question?"

"Are you going to answer mine?" She asked in return.

Loki smiled languidly, "It seems we'll both just have to wait to find out." The chime rang again, "Jane, when the ceremony is completed and the spell set in motion, it's going to, no doubt, be disorienting."

"Oh I'm sure," She replied wondering how any of this was even possible.

"You have to focus your mind. Focus on the most joyous moments you can remember. It should make it easier for us to stay centered that way," He warned, "Understand?"

"Joyous moments," Jane nodded as she nervously toyed with the sash of her robe, "Got it."

The chime sounded

"Jane," Loki spoke as he cupped her cheek in his palm, "Don't worry so much. We're going to get through this, and find a way off this planet. I promise you."

Jane smiled at the irony of Loki saving her. Again, "I believe you."

The door opened abruptly. Topaz stepped inside, "It's time. You will come with me. She stays here with an attendant. The Grandmaster has arranged the remainder of your morning before the wedding. Let's get going."

Loki never took his eyes from Jane's. He leaned forward, "The next time I see you," He dropped a gentle kiss upon her lips, "I will call you Wife."

Jane couldn't suppress the blush those particular words had elicited. She gently returned his kiss, "And I will call you Husband."

Topaz cleared her throat roughly.

Loki winked at Jane with a grin before joining Topaz and being led from the room. As they walked away, a woman appeared in the doorway.

"My name is Tamina. I am to be your attendant," The woman spoke as she entered the room the door closed behind her. She spotted the dress Loki had conjured, "This is not the dress The Grandmaster has chosen for you."

"This is a traditional wedding dress on my planet," Jane explained, "Send my thanks to the Grandmaster, but I would really like to wear this dress."

Tamina shrugged as she looked to Jane, "It's your funeral if the Grandmaster isn't pleased. First, a massage to increase magical energies."

Jane frowned, "Is that really necessary?"

"Yes," Tamina answered as she produced a small cube from her pocket and dropped it onto the floor. The cube expanded and folded outward to produce a cushioned massage table, "Disrobe and lie face down."

Jane wanted to argue. This was an uncomfortable situation as it stood. She didn't want to be naked in front of this stranger. And then she sighed. What was getting naked with a masseuse in comparison to what she was going to be doing later in public?

She untied the robe as she walked to follow Tamina's instructions. Dropping the soft material to her hands and catching the remainder as she shrugged out of it, she lay the robe at the end of the table. Jane climbed onto the massage table and lay face down, cushioning her cheeks on the soft pillows of the head rest.

Tamina was at Jane's side in a heartbeat, rubbing oil between her hands before she began massaging Jane's neck.

"Is this your usual job?" Jane asked as she decided making small talk might make this feel a little less awkward.

"Yes," Tamina answered as she continued her work, "I attend to all brides at the request of the Grandmaster."

"Is it steady work?"

"It depends. If we have a succession of love matches, yes. If the reasons behind the wedding are not for love, however," Tamina drew a breath through her teeth in a low whistle, "It can be years before I work again."

"Why?" Jane asked in confusion.

Tamina stopped and pulled back, "Just how much do you know about weddings on Sakaar?"

"I know about the mind sharing thing, and I know about the public consummation," Jane asked as she leaned up on her elbows to see Tamina's concerned face, "Why?"

"The consummation is a test of your bond. If the match is only driven by lust or greed or any other ulterior motive, the Grandmaster will see through it during th consummation. And then if he discovers it is not a true love match, he kills the couple," Tamina announced.

"That's barbaric," Jane spoke before clamping her hand over her mouth, "I'm so sorry. I know you live here, and that's probably not anything out of the ordinary. On my world though, it would be called barbaric."

"Don't apologize. I agree, but who am I to argue? I just do the Grandmaster's bidding," Tamina replies before urging Jane to lie back down so she could continue.

Jane frowned. She needed to tell Loki just how screwed they were. They were doing this to avoid the Grandmaster's sexual advances, not love. How was she going to get word to him before it was too late?

Author's Note: Next Chapter is the wedding and I promise some definite steamy sexy times ahead. Thanks for hanging in there with me guys!!