Page 31 of Star Mates

“Everybody knows everybody here,” he replied, flashing a rueful grin. “Good thing he’s a great navigator.”

“When is your next run?”

He shrugged. “Not sure. Next week, I think.”

“You’ll be careful?”

He stopped and turned her to face him. “Of course.” He slid a hand under her chin. “I know we’ve just met but…I think I have something to come back to. Do I have something to come back to, Emmarie?”

They had only each other about a week, but in a world that had been turned upside down, he made her feel safe and secure. Were they real feelings or was she transferring some of her fear into what she felt toward him? She wasn’t sure, but she wanted to find out.

Ever so slowly, she nodded. He bent his head and kissed her, softly at first, just a mere brushing of his lips over hers. He didn’t pressure her for anything but as he pulled back, Emmarie grabbed the back of his head and opened her lips under his.

The kiss was not sweet. It was heart pounding and life changing. It was raw and passionate. It was so potent, it scared her. Emmarie pulled back, breaking the connection. They stared at one another, his breathing coming out shallow and labored.

“Did I startle you?”

“No,” she said. “Yes. The emotions are…a little scary.”

He ran a tender finger down her cheek. “I’d never do anything to hurt you.”

“You say that now, but you can’t predict the future.”

“True. But I know my feelings, Emmarie.”

“But how can we have these feelings after only a week? I don’t want to mistake lust for….”

“For love?” he asked softly.

“That word should never be spoken lightly,” she told him.

“I agree. But I’ve never felt like this before.”

“Neither have I,” she admitted. “I just want to make sure this is real, and not me reaching for a knight in shining armor.”

“I don’t know what that means, but I get the context.”

Raiden pulled her into a hug and leaned his forehead against hers.

“I’m sorry this happened to you,” he murmured. “But I’m not sorry for meeting you.”

He kissed the tip of her nose and then secured her arm through his, continuing their walk in the night.

****

Logan stepped from the shadow of a building to watch Emmarie be led away by Pell Raiden. Anger burned deep inside. He hadn’t asked to be brought here, to this god-forsaken corner of the universe, abandoned by the only person who could possibly understand what losing home felt like. And now that she was in lust with the yahoo captain, she seemed to have completely forgotten that they have a real planet to get back to.

Emmarie was blinded by a good-looking rebel but once she got past the sexual blinders then he knew she would be just as eager to get back home as he. He couldn’t let her forget where they came from, or how he saved her from her cryo chamber.

He wouldn’t let her.

---