Page 34 of Tempting Cargo

“No.”

His voice remained flat. “Even though I can smell it?”

Skyk’s sake. “Then you already know. Something nearly happened and didn’t.”

Of all the evolutionary abilities, being able to scent unsated arousal had to be the most pointless, even if it remained culturally apt.

“Everything’s under control here if you want to go take care of it,” he deadpanned.

As if I could relax on my bed and touch myself, my thoughts consumed with Garrison? His hard body under my hands, his soft lips on mine, hard cock pressing insistently against my cunt, how I’d known with such clarity that I wanted him inside me?

As if I’d touch myself to something I could have had, could be having right now, but instead could only imagine. “I’ll be fine. What news from Hydouis?”

“No news yet, Cap.”

“Kheh. And Anandri?”

“Just that his contact is expecting us. He’ll send some co-ordinates nearer the time.”

“Fine.”

Nothing completed. Outcomes not known. Well, didn’t that just sum up my day?

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Five humans, plenty of gossip

Garrison

IGNORING THE acheof my disappointed dick, I peeled myself off the floor and dressed slowly, trying to make sense of things. One minute Shohari was on top of me, kissing me. The next, I was on my own.

And, damn, that kiss. She’d tasted of heat and spice, and her tongue… holy shit.

I played it all back in my mind, how satisfying her weight on top of me was, how, once we’d found how best to kiss, it was as if she was almost devouring me—in a good way. A very good way.

As she’d rubbed her pussy against me, I’d felt something substantial through her leggings, and I could swear part of her had beenmoving. Rather than being repelled, I was intrigued. Intrigued and aroused.

I licked my lips, trying to get an extra taste of her, but there was only my own skin and the tingle of a memory.

Why had she run?

It would have been easy to assume she didn’t like me or didn’t enjoy what we’d too briefly shared, but I was certain there was more going on.

I smacked the door release button harder than I meant to, and the console beeped an admonishment. I didn’t know enough about her, or her culture, to begin to fathom the reasons.

My mood must have shown because as soon as I entered the cold cavern of the cargo bay, all eyes were on me.

“What’s up?” Zerena said.

I didn’t want to talk about it. My dick was still semi-hard in my stupid trousers—extra tight over Shohari’s shorts—and I couldn’t work out what I was feeling yet myself.

“Come and sit down.” Fenn sat quietly, but the girls fussed around me, mithering me to talk.

It occurred to me, if I was my father, I’d shout at them, put them in their place, refuse to talk. He’d never helped anyone in his life, not even himself. I’d never wanted to be like him, not since I saw him make Mum cry when I was five.

Eventually, when Imani asked if it was the captain, I nodded, grateful to chase away bad memories with something I could answer.

“Good,” Zerena said. “Because the only gossip we’ve had since we got captured was Rayna and co. leaving with the pirates, so we’re due something else, I think.”