Page 53 of Tempting Cargo

Dude. He may have been five percent creepy, but the rest was an equal split between eager puppy and dedicated master of his craft.

I kind of liked him.

After I left the shop, purchases hidden in my satchel and my credits intact, I wandered into the next stall. I rifled through thevarious clothing options that weren’t space leggings and added up my remaining credits.

Turned out, I could get a more comfortable pair of trousers after all.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

Playing pretend

Shohari

THE CANTINA wasso busy I mistook another pair of kri’ith for my crew and headed towards their table.

Paiata caught my eye, waving me over with a mug of keppli ale he’d saved for me, and I stopped myself in time. Garrison and his two remaining humans were already there; the other two must have already been back at the commonhouse that would be their new home.

“We need to introduce the humans to the wide range of beverages at this fine establishment,” Paiata said, and I groaned. He did love a drinking game—probably on account of his being definitely-not-a-pirate in a previous life.

It wasn’t my thing, but I found myself getting more into it than normal. The two smaller humans seemed very susceptible to liquor, so I made sure I drank some of theirs too, Garrison declaring he would drink what he wanted, when he wanted.

Did he take my hand or did I take his? It didn’t matter.

I took a long draw of ale, holding his hand tight under the table as though this was our normal. A bloom of happinessspread in my chest, and if it was pierced by the aged sting of bitter duty, the ale softened it enough it didn’t hurt.

Not enough that nobody noticed.

Garrison’s touch on my arm was gentle. “Are you okay, sweetheart?”

The bloom spread again, coiling seductively downwards. Gods, I liked it when he called me that. He’d said it earlier. When he was inside me.

I squeezed his hand and gave him a smile. Yes, I could pretend for a few days.

As he spoke to Paiata, I took my fill of his round features. His deep brown eyes with their charming mobile hair lines above. And his nose that stuck out. And his soft, soft lips.Skykking gorgeous.

I leaned over, whispering in his ear, “I liked fucking you.”

He brushed a hand over my headspines. “I liked it too.”

A shiver darted down my spine, warming my bones. Under the table, I trailed my fingers up and down his thigh, creeping upwards each time until I was brushing his cock through his delectable trousers. “I want to do it again, Garrison.”

He gently repositioned my hand, murmuring, “I want that too, but not here.”

“Spoilsport.”

“Sweetheart, you’re tipsy.”

“And horny,” I agreed. “Tipsy and horny. We can go back to the ship,mitsha. We’ll be on our own. You can fuck me in the captain’s chair.”

He groaned. “Fuck damn, that sounds hot.”

It really did.

“Food’s here.” Muzati’s voice carried across the whole table, and I realised I was just as hungry as I was horny.

“The stew’s really good,” I told him, patting his thigh, unable to resist a quick kiss. “You’ll have to wait.”

Garrison