Page 20 of No Strings Attached (Mated Fates #1)

Bahbi had been surprised how smoothly the first cargo ship receiving had gone and more than a little proud that they had been successful using his idea. They had simply engaged the normal hangar and receiving teams to act business-as-usual during the operation, unloading the cargo and chatting with the ship’s crew about space station gossip, then following the crew to the bunkroom where they were secured, and the situation explained.

Oh sure, it had helped that the hangar and receiving teams knew that the Ophidian was in the hangar, camouflaged and waiting to intervene if there was trouble. Or that Mister Beastly had been waiting just outside the hangar doors, the other side of which Trak stood within easy reach of the door release. Bahbi himself had been waiting in the bunkroom with a shock stick, standing behind the door and allowing all of the crews to file in behind Mister Beastly as he led them through.

As a bonus, the operation had kept his mind from gnawing itself down to nothing, eating from the inside out, by thinking incessantly about Vi…both of his time with her and of his fervent wish for more. He had replayed every word she’d ever said to him, every glance his way, every touch a thousand times, looking for signs and secret meanings. He had also replayed his unsettling conversation with Trak a thousand times, sparking branch upon branch of growing, self-perpetuating doubts like the ever-forking branches of a bing-gi tree.

Of course she had selected him for the honor of mating because she enjoyed his company. He was special to her, had protected her and stood by her, and she had been grateful for that.

Of course she had only mated with him because he was available. There was nothing special about him, he was the same as every other Trallian. If she had fallen down into the pool with Trak, she would have done the same with him.

She had kissed him and slept beside him. Twice! And all of that before she found herself trapped in a cavern full of warm water with him. Her mind had only turned toward mating because she had been with him.

She had been sure to place conditions on their joining, so that Bahbi would not think it meant more than it did. She had made sure that he knew she did not want any strings tied to her, so that he would not expect anything from her afterwards.

But she had said NEXT TIME and meant with him!

But she could have next time with anyone she wanted. Why choose him?

On and on his mind went, grinding his awareness of anything going on outside of that vicious circle to a barely registered periphery. That’s why, during the second cargo ship operation as he stood behind the bunkroom door once again with shock stick in hand, he never saw the danger approach, then overtake him.