When Dmitri meets Jay on a dating app, their connection is instant—intense, electric, and deeper than either expected. But Jay isn’t who he claims to be, and when his out-of-this-world secret comes to light, it shatters Dmitri’s understanding of reality.
For Jay’s people, love is considered a dangerous defect—a personality disorder to be cured. But he’s already fallen hard for Dmitri, and walking away isn’t so simple. As their lives entwine—through Dmitri’s career struggles and the shifting responsibilities of caring for his younger brother—Jay hides a devastating truth: his time on Earth is running out.
If he stays, he won’t survive for long. If he leaves, he’s gone forever. And if the extent of their relationship is discovered, they will lose everything, including their memories of each other and Jay’s entire sense of identity
As Jay faces a choice that could cost him his very life, Dmitri must decide whether to fight for a love that might not be allowed to exist. Can they hold on to each other in a world determined to erase them? Or will they be forced to forget everything they’ve built—each other, their love, even who they are.
World Enough and Time is a steamy contemporary sci-fi romance that asks: What would you sacrifice for love?
They had about five minutes before the wedding was set to begin, but Carrie-Anne rarely started anything on time. It was the thing they’d fought about most. He’d be ready to go somewhere, and she would spend another forty-five minutes getting ready, making him wait. He was very happy that part of his life was over.
As people streamed into the ballroom, some of them pausing to look him over before pointedly moving on, he was grateful for Jay’s steady presence beside him. It really would have felt awful to be here alone.
On the far-right side of the ballroom, Dmitri could see that tables and chairs had already been set up for the reception. He wondered who Carrie-Anne had put at his table. He hoped it was someone friendly. Lilac bunting had been draped down both sides of the aisle, and gently glowing fake candles had been placed every ten feet or so. Various varieties of purple flowers had been fixed to the candle stands. In the front of the room was another spray of flowers, in purples and blues, and the two independent candles glowing on either side of the unity candle, which had yet to be lit. The room was gorgeous, the decorations tasteful. It was a huge contrast to his own wedding to Carrie-Anne, which had been in a gazebo at a public park. Carrie-Anne’s dad must have had some investments pay off recently. She certainly couldn’t afford this on a school-teacher’s salary. Of course, Bryan was a firefighter, so… maybe he could.
The minister had just come out from the back of the room, and Vivaldi flowed out of the speakers. The chandelier dimmed, letting everyone know it was time to take their places. Dmitri didn’t know where to look. He was afraid of making eye contact with anyone, so he stared up at the chandelier.
“Dmitri, you made it,” he heard the voice before he saw who was talking, but he would have recognized the tone anywhere.
“Hi, Madison,” Dmitri said.
Carrie-Anne’s oldest sister was standing there in the aisle, in her tight purple cocktail dress. Madison’s husband—Ken? Cooper?—stood next to her with a protective arm around her waist.
“I really didn’t think you’d have the nerve to show up,” she said. She was slurring her words a little. Apparently, she’d been hitting the sauce a bit before the big event, as usual—which was probably why she wasn’t part of the wedding party.
“I’m just here to support Carrie-Anne,” Dmitri said. Madison looked like she was about to say something else, but Jay chose that moment to stand up and extend his hand.
“Hi. I’m Jay,” he said brightly. He shook Madison’s hand, then her husband’s. Madison looked him over, evaluating him the same way Minerva had.
“And who is Jay?” Madison asked Dmitri.
Dmitri took in a breath to answer, but Jay shot him a look and beat him to it. “I’m Dmitri’s boyfriend.”
Madison’s eyes widened, and Dmitri’s did as well, but he covered his shock.
“I didn’t know Dmitri had a boyfriend,” Madison said, coolly.
Dmitri didn’t either, Dmitri thought.
Jay gave him another unreadable look and shrugged.
Madison looked between the two of them again. “Well, today is just full of surprises.”
“Come on Mads, let’s find our seat,” her husband said, and she allowed herself to be led away, shuffling off on unsteady feet.
Jay sat back down, and his eyes found Dmitri’s. “I know I’m not… but I felt like she was ramping up, and I wanted to shut her down.”
Dmitri smiled. “It’s fine. We can go with that story. Just for the day.”
“Just for the day,” Jay said, settling back into his seat. But as the lights flashed again, Dmitri found his fingers tracing the outside of Jay’s knuckle. Jay looked at him, gave him a lopsided smile, and grabbed hold of Dmitri’s hand, holding it tightly in place between them. Dmitri’s heart started to beat faster, and he was grateful for the dim light, because he was certain he was blushing.
Just for the day, he told himself. They would tell everyone this story, and then they would see what happened.
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