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“This is nice, thanks,” I said.

“Not quite a picnic basket at Old Man Falls, but it’ll do,” he said with a wink.

“So, I’m guessing everyone knows about that by now.”

“You weren’t at mess, neither was Shaunie. People put two and two together. Then Dylan, who works in the kitchens, let the cat out of the bag.”

“Oh bugger, this is tuna. Here, you have it. I can’t eat it.”

“Seafood or eggs? Yeah, I know. I got them mixed up. Here you go, Princess, chicken salad.”

“OK, so you heard about that too.” I unwrapped the sandwich slowly, suddenly uncomfortable.

“Don’t start overthinking it,” Slade said. “Single blokes have got nothing much better than to gossip.”

“Yeah, but I don’t even know you, and you’re making custom sandwiches for me based on my dietary preferences.”

“And if one of the girls had done it, what would you say?”

“Thanks.”

“So, what’s the difference?”

“Well…”

“Well, what? It’s different because Nerida doesn’t want to fuck you?

Don’t count on that one, you should see her with a couple of drinks in her.

Her and Stevie… Let’s just say I learned a whole new bag of tricks that night.

Most single guys here are gonna try and get in your pants, that’s a simple fact.

Thing is, what are you going to do about it? ”

“I don’t have to do anything about it, according to Kelly.”

“That’s right, you don’t. But guys…” he reached into the cooler and pulled out some grapes, picking one off and digging his thumbnail into it and quickly pulling the skin off, before offering the green blob to me.

“They’re gonna keep trying to find that currency, that tipping point which turns a no to a yes. ”

“What’s that?” I asked, looking at his hand.

“A peeled grape. They’re always talking about them being the height of luxury in books and films.”

“It looks like snot.”

“Have a taste.”

“Seriously, green blobby snot…”

“Just try it woman! Put it in your mouth and taste. It might be great, or it might be gross. You can always spit it out. Stop thinking so much, and try it.” He rolled to his knees, grape still held outstretched, moving until his hand brushed my lips.

I rolled my eyes and tried to take it from him but he shook his head.

“Uh uh,” he said, and pressed the gelatinous glob to my lips. I opened them and took it.

It just tasted like grape. Watery, sweet and a little weird, as instead of bursting with juice in my mouth, it just got rendered to goo with a few chews. I swallowed it and threw my hands in the air. “What was the big deal?”

His face immediately split into a broad grin. “You took the grape.”

“So?”

“This is how it works here,” he said, shifting over, his grey eyes burning into mine. “Until you high tail it off to the married quarters, locked up tight, every single bloke will be looking for that innocuous thing to get under your skin, to get closer, to find an in.”

“But I don’t have to say yes.”

“If I had said I would have you eating out of my hand when we first got on the quad, you would have said I was dreaming. Yet, here we are.”

“That proves nothing. Eating a grape isn’t the same as having sex. At the risk of sounding terribly provincial, I want to see where things go with Shaun before I start eating other people’s grapes.”

“You will and you should, but it won’t be just him.

No woman here sticks to one guy. Shaun would probably think all his Christmases had come at once, for a while.

Then he’d get paranoid, wondering if today’s the day you’re finally going to succumb, trying to keep up with who the most likely candidates are, and working out their plays before they even make them.

We’re all reconciled to the fact that it's gonna be one girl and multiple guys.”

“Yeah,” I said, “but this is just your play. You want me to focus on your view of things, make me give you a chance to show what you have on offer.”

“I got no problems showing you what I have to offer anytime you like, princess,” he said, getting to his feet and pulling his shirt off in a few quick movements.

Seriously, blokes were like trained strippers here, always on the verge of getting naked.

He dropped the garment to the ground, revealing another well-defined chest. I almost rolled my eyes.

Didn’t anyone have muffin tops here? He was broader and heavier in the shoulder than Shaun, with a smattering of dark hair that trailed down to disappear under his waistband.

When he saw my eyes move his hand went to his fly, but I held my palm out to stop him.

His hand froze, his eyes boring into mine.

He’s right, in a way , I thought. There was a part of me, a selfish, greedy part that I didn’t really like dealing with, that wanted to touch that different but beautiful flesh, despite the fact I still felt the ache inside me from Shaun.

In some way, that was what prompted it. Being drowned in wave after wave of intense pleasure awakened me to the possibility of more.

He was equally compelling physically, but he would be something new again.

He would touch me, caress me, push me in ways Shaun hadn’t.

Ways that may match or transcend the pleasure of last night.

Years ago, I’d watched the movie Alien Resurrection .

It was confusing and weird because I hadn’t seen much of the franchise before, but there was scene where Ripley descends into the Viper’s Nest. She lies there amongst a thrashing, writhing nest of alien monsters, the dark skin pulsating and twitching.

It was both totally repellent and somehow, sexy.

In some ways, that’s what this place felt like, a sea of beautiful male bodies to fall into oblivion with.

“You can touch me if you want,” he said huskily.

“No, I can’t,” I said, putting my hand down. “Not yet.”

He nodded, some of the tension going out of his body.

He shifted his weight, his eyes meeting mine more naturally now.

“You’re right, you know,” he said, his voice a low rasp.

“I am making a play, just like anyone else, but I want to believe it’s a little different.

Guys here, they’ll promise you anything you want, any position, any combination, any kink…

there’ll be someone to give it to you. You can go the route Nerida did and try to exhaust that, but someone will keep on coming up with something new.

But me, I’ll treat you like an adult, Julie, whether you want me to or not.

I won’t bullshit you, won’t try and seduce you with pretty lies, try to keep you from seeing what’s really going on behind the scenes.

There is so much I want to tell you, but I can’t yet.

Just know, if you need the truth, I can give it to you. ”

“At what price?” I asked.

“I already told you, we’re always looking for a way in. That’s mine. So, now that you’ve been able to resist the mesmeric sight of my chest and we didn’t end up as I hoped, rutting in the dirt during work hours, we better get back to it. You OK?”

“Yeah, but I’m going to feel really weird riding on the back of the quad with you.”

“Don’t worry about it, princess. I’ll enjoy it for both of us.”

We ended up going back to the admin sector, and he showed me the basics of quad bike riding so I could take one solo.

He was right, there were guys who appeared outside doors and hanging around in the car park, watching, watching, watching.

Buddy just ran in circles and barked at me.

Some tried to come over and offer advice, but I waved them away.

Slade smiled as I got back on the quad and attempted to follow his instructions better.

His approach was blunt and definitely unique, but for some reason, I liked the lack of bullshit.

While I had no way of verifying this, I felt like I was on more solid ground with him.

I was dripping with sweat by the time he called it a day, putting the bike back in the shed and ignoring Ethan and his crew’s frank interest as I did so.

Slade led me up to the bar in the mess hall, and I sculled the cold beer he put in front of me in two goes.

“Hey, tough day?” I turned to see Shaun standing there, looking a little worried.

“Hot, tiring, illuminating, glad you’re here now.

” I swung my arms around his neck and dropped a kiss on his mouth.

He gave Slade a nod and then turned his attention to me, initiating another kiss and letting it go as deep as it could in polite company.

When I pulled away, I saw every guy in the immediate vicinity had his eyes on us.

I shook my head and took Shaun’s hand as we headed to the tables.

Guys filled all the seats around us in dribs and drabs, and as soon as my plate was put before me, several shot out and tried to take it to go and fill it.

“If you ever want a chance with me, put the plate down now,” I said in a low growl.

The dish clattered on the table untouched.

“Listen to me, and spread this to all your mates, as I will only say it once. Everyone needs to back right off. I’m not interested in anyone trying to push, persuade or seduce me into anything.

If you want my attention, start talking to me like a human being, let me get to know you as work colleagues.

I have no problems separating sex and love, but I don’t like fucking people I don’t like.

Tonight I want to have a nice meal with Shaun, and I don’t want anyone disrespecting him or me by trying to muscle in on that.

Are we clear?” There was a chorus of mumbles and grunts that I figured was as good as I was going to get.

I turned to Shaun, who was smiling, a little surprised. “Do you want to get something to eat?”