Page 10

Chapter Six

N ow that was weird. The way Nerx had looked at her.

Britt had experienced admiration from men.

Yet with Nerx, she didn’t want to punch him in the face.

His gaze had brushed across her body, settled on her face, and gone no farther, as if he’d found heaven.

She snorted at her silly thoughts. Sure, the same man who hated her?

Nope, he’d simply been polite, keeping his attention off her fine assets and on her face.

Respectable and boring of him. She’d like a man to whisk her off her feet, despite her protestations, and show her what it means to be devoured—also known as kissing, naughty whispers, and screaming orgasms. It had been a while since she’d enjoyed any of those.

She studied the tiny room just above the communications room.

It had a sort-of bench carved into the back wall and about a meter of space between that and massive screens.

Stars sped past, none familiar. Not that she knew them well, but Jupiter or Saturn she could recognize.

She stared at the tablet in her hand, her thoughts reeling.

Here in the silence with the vastness of space forming a panoramic view, she struggled to grasp how quickly her life had changed.

Despite it happening in a day, she should’ve been happy. Instead, sadness tugged at her heart.

Earth was behind her. Gone was her solarcycle, irritating job, useless ex-boss, and…

Dad. He wasn’t ‘available’ anymore. She couldn’t visit his memorial plaque to talk to him, to tell him what she’d done or failed to do.

How Mom refused to date, to face her life, to find joy in her old hobbies…

Not anymore with Aldur in the picture. Britt hadn’t seen her mother this lively in a long time.

Yet, Britt’s future wasn’t looking so rosy.

She sucked in a shuddering breath and swept aside an escaped tear.

“Dad, I single-handedly offended an alien species. You always said I was a vortex of disaster waiting to happen. That I’d land myself in a situation I couldn’t escape.

Well, you were right.” Her chuckle cracked.

“At least Mom may have found happily-ever-after. Her shriveled ovaries can attest to that.”

Britt squeezed the tablet, running her thumb across its smooth casing. Something would come up to brighten her existence. Dad would’ve said, “Peanut, don’t sweat the small stuff when the big stuff will need all your focus.”

She laughed, her shoulders shaking even as the tears flowed.

If the small stuff was pissing off an alien man, then she didn’t want to know what the big stuff was.

She gazed at space, clutching the tablet to her chest. A shiver summoned goosebumps along her arms, but she was loath to fetch a jacket. Next time…

With a slow exhale, she activated the tablet and started.

Dear Diary,

You won’t believe what happened today.

What time was it? She’d had dinner already, thanks to Sena. Judging by a steady thrum of exhaustion on the edges of her senses, bedtime would be soon. Shaking her head, she typed:

Got myself fired, and it felt good dong it. Next time, broken finger and all, Kev will think twice about touching women inappropriately. Hell, I should release what security footage I backed up. Might as well save all women from his lecherous advances.

My baby died on me, and I had to push her home. I really need to do some exercise, because, damn, she’s heavy. As I sit here in my private ‘star deck,’ my inner thighs twang. Well, she’s my baby no more.

Regret twitched her fingers. She’d abandoned her solarcycle as if she meant nothing to her. Five minutes would have had her baby safe in the garage. No, she hadn’t given her solarcycle a thought until it was too late.

The real shitty part of my day was pepper-spraying a sexy-as-hell alien commander. Well, he was staring at my house like some stalker.

She’d been saying that repeatedly, and yet, it sounded as if she was trying to convince herself that her actions were justified. Nerx was a big guy; taking him on for someone of her size would’ve been impossible. She’d had no other recourse.

He’s tall, broad-shouldered with a brooding intensity and deep blue eyes.

I can’t seem to hold my tongue when I’m in his presence.

It’s like my inhibitions fly out the window, and I say and do the dumbest things.

Did I mention he’s an Etterian? A supreme commander?

And he hates me? Well, all of that, no doubt because I tazed him and accused him of kidnapping a little girl.

She winced. That did sound bad, but her diary wouldn’t judge her.

I still don’t know how long traveling to his planet will take.

I need to find that out and plan my ‘vacay’ accordingly.

Mom’s probably going to stay in our quarters.

That leaves the rest of this small ship for me, kind of.

There’s Nerx, Lily, Matir, Sena, Aldur, Edon, and the pilot guy.

Dunno his name yet. So not really alone-alone.

She smiled at the stars. This was her haven, thanks to Nerx. It showed he could forgive her for her overreactions. That alone gave her hope her next apology would go well. Stifling a yawn, she hurried to finish her journal entry.

I’ll let you know how tomorrow goes. Let’s pray I don’t say something stupid that requires yet another apology.

I suck at those. Dad said that true repentance means swallowing one’s pride and changing one’s behavior.

Well, I can promise to never pepper spray or taze Nerx again.

That’s as sincere as I get. What more could the man ask for?

PS: Need to find something to do while Mom helps Aldur. I’m no nurse.

She shut off the tablet and slid it onto the bench beside her.

What this place needed was a stash of snacks, a blanket, and a pillow for impromptu naps.

She’d do that tomorrow after she started some sort of exercise regime.

Not that she’d brought gym clothes. Argh.

Sweating like a stuffed pig hadn’t been on her mind when she’d packed.

Groaning, she left her tablet and scampered down the ladder. Only to be faced with a solid door with no handle. When she stroked, punched, tapped the sides, no panel popped open.

She pounded on the bulkhead and waited. Nothing. More pounding left her sobbing, her throat hoarse from screaming, and her fists bruised. She rested her temple on the door, unable to slide down to the grated floor. There was space to stand and nothing more.

Here she’d thought it was sweet of Nerx to show her this spot. When he’d meant to trap her all along.

She climbed up the ladder and settled on the bench. Again a shiver swept through her, forcing her to rub her biceps to generate some heat. She’d have to spend the night here if no one searched for her. Would Mom worry when she didn’t return?

Satisfied that it wouldn’t be long before Aldur found her, she lay on the floor, tucking herself under the bench. She only had to be patient.

The next time she saw Nerx, she’d punch him in his smug face.

N erx scowled at the bulkhead. It had been hours since he’d shown Britta the ladder.

What could the woman be doing for so long?

He’d tucked Lily into bed with a short bedtime story about dinosaurs—fascinating creatures.

Yet sleep had eluded him. Restless, he’d cleansed and returned to the comm.

While he waited for Britta, he’d commanded Ziot to retire.

A quick scan of the console confirmed all was in order.

The sol and sludge storage was as expected.

No approaching ships, hazardous asteroid belts, or comets were near the scimitar.

Abandoning the comm, he opened the bulkhead and climbed up the ladder.

A peek showed the viewing deck empty except for a tablet on the bench.

A faint clatter caught his ears, and he pulled himself onto the deck.

Curled in a shivering ball was Britta. Her teeth chattering must’ve been what he’d heard. He kneeled beside her to stroke her arm, finding her chilled.

“Female,” he growled. “How foolish must you be not to leave?”

She didn’t answer, deeply asleep. He couldn’t carry her down the ladder without banging her head. Opening the hidden panel, he adjusted the temperature of the space to suit her human biology. That would help her later, but for now, she needed warmth.

He should wake her…

Instead, he scooped her into his arms and sat with her on his lap. She moaned, pressing her body to his, her face tucked into the curve of his neck.

Maker.

He shuddered, drawing her closer. To hold her was…

sublime. Despite wanting to rip off her clothes and taste every inch of her, a serenity engulfed his soul.

He could embrace her for an eternity, just to experience this sense of peace she brought to him.

Time slowed as he watched the star-filled display vids.

It had been a while since he’d admired the beauty of space.

He ran his hand up and down her back, the pads of his fingers picking up her delicate muscles and bones. Humans were so fragile. It felt as if he could snap her in two. He gathered her against him, wanting her contours to meld to his. Even as he vowed that nothing would ever harm her.

Her breath huffed. She shifted in his arms then stiffened. As she scrambled off him, she touched parts of his body, summoning a sweet thrill of pleasure.

“You…bastard,” she hissed. “You lured me here with promises of privacy, then locked me in.” She pointed her finger at him, her cheeks a bright peach, while tears shimmered in her eyes.

“I thought…like an idiot, that you were being nice, that we could start over.” She wiped her cheek, grabbed her tablet, and tried to hurry past him.

He caught her wrist and tugged, using her momentum to drive her onto his lap. She squeaked when she sprawled across him, her face in his chest, her knees between his thighs. He wrapped his arms around her, trapping her there.

“I did not lock you in,” he said.

“Right, with no door handle or panel-thingy to let me out?” She leaned back only as far as he’d let her. “I screamed…” She glanced away, hiding her eyes from him.

He pinched her chin between forefinger and thumb and forced her to meet his gaze. “Push on the center of the bulkhead, and it will open.”

“I punched—” She snapped her mouth shut. “Just push?”

He nodded. “The fault does lie with me. I did not ensure you knew how to open it.”

Her shrug was weak. “To you, it’s common sense how your doors work so it wouldn’t have occurred to explain it.”

He tried not to smile. Had she just defended him? Justified his error?

“Um, would you mind releasing me…please?” She jerked her gaze everywhere but at him.

“What if I do mind?” He freed a grin. “You are cold.”

She glanced down but whipped her gaze up. He did the same, then stilled at the sight of her nipples peaking her thin tunic.

“I would like a hot shower and a warm bed. Maybe even a cup of cocoa. Let’s just forget this silly incident.” She pulled away, and he let her.

Down the ladder she went with him close behind her. In the tight space, his chest pressing her back, he waited. His arm twitched with the urge to wrap around her waist and pin her against him. He forced himself not to move.

“Push?” she asked, then pressed the center of the bulkhead. It didn’t move.

“Harder,” he rasped.

With a shove, the bulkhead slid open.

She didn’t step into the passage, nor did he nudge her. Instead, he ran his nose up the nape of her neck, amid her soft curls.

“Let me know if you need…anything,” he said, gripping her elbows to keep her close.

Her breasts rose and fell with every jagged breath as the seconds ticked past. She twisted to meet his gaze, the gray of hers tempestuous. “Thank you.”

Her footsteps thumped along the passage before disappearing into her quarters. He leaned against the ladder while adjusting his pants around his Fuyra-hard malehood. The scent of her hair lingered in his nose. The fleeting taste of her skin tingled his lips.

Alodon’s balls, the Maker has chosen well.

He slid into the pilot’s seat and stared unseeingly at the console. Lock her in? Oh, he wanted to but in his quarters. Why did she always leap to the worst scenario? That, in itself, intrigued him.

He stalked her mother.

He kidnapped children.

He trapped her on purpose.

The phantom sensation of her in his arms tightened his body.

Her curves against his hard edges had been everything he’d hoped for and remembered from the visions.

She hadn’t noticed her backside pressing against his malehood.

Nor had she realized how her fingers had dug into his chest like when she’d accused him of kidnapping.

It was as if she hadn’t considered he’d find her attractive and had been ‘content’ to sit on his lap.

And the way her nipples stretched the fabric of her tunic.

He closed his eyes, recalling from his visions their sweet color against her paler skin tone.

With hours left before Edon’s shift-start, Nerx had time to take care of his morning chore and hopefully ease his throbbing arousal.

Then he would attend to his tasks and perhaps write a poem about Britta and what she was starting to invoke in him.