Page 5 of Prospecting

Covering her, he resisted the temptation of her body. He rose from the bed, pulled on a pair of pants. He would work on his plan, check their course and make them food.

Cade sat in the pilot’s seat doing exactly as he planned. Yet every time she moved, he hoped she woke, hoped she would be ready for more. He reminded himself she needed eight hours of sleep. She was exhausted when he put her to bed. He needed to give her time to rest.

He heard her move, turned to look and knocked a button. Her com with her family replayed. He watched her talk to her parents, heard their conversation, and wondered if the girl in the back was her sister. What was the story behind the need for money?

He couldn’t help himself. He watched it several times all the while keeping an ear out for her. He watched Sheridan, saw her fear and relief. He knew women were sold. The child may have been the reason. Some guys wanted only boys. Cade scowled, he hated the trade. It was legal. If her husband or mate was in debt or simply didn’t want her anymore, he could sell her and the baby depending on the marriage agreement. Staring over his shoulder, he realized the only reason Sheridan took this position was to save her sister and niece from slavery. Something in him changed.

He turned back to his screen, started typing. It took him a long while to negotiate and maneuver but after nearly two hours he had things aligned the way he wanted them. The next step, take care of Sheridan. He treated her as a sex toy, a delicious, willing, and sensual sex toy but he was wrong to treat her like a sex toy.

Looking into her background, he discovered she’d been registered for school. She withdrew and was refunded credits. He knew where those credits went. His scowl deepened. Why hadn’t the parents done more? It didn’t matter. He had that end taken care of. He knew what he must do.

***

Sheridan shifted, realized she was alone in the bed. Something smelled really good. Her body ached, her mind cleared the more she woke up.

“Hi,” Cade said. He held two plates in his hands. “A couple of things. If you don’t want to spend the next three months constantly on my cock, cover up. You really arouse me when you’re naked.”

Sheridan looked down, saw the sheet around her waist. “I’ll remember that,” she said. She grabbed his t-shirt at the end of the bed and slipped it on.

Cade wanted to tackle her. His t-shirt on her did things to him. He cleared his throat. “You’re incredibly sexy,” he said.

She blushed, a pretty flush of pink across her high cheekbones. “You don’t have to say stuff like that,” she said.

“Here,” he said shoving the plate into her hands. “Eat. I’m standing here and eating. I will do my best not to tackle you and have my way.”

“Okay,” Sheridan said. “It’s why I’m on your ship.”

“No. well, yes but not like I’ve treated you,” Cade said. “My only excuse is I’ve spent a lot of time with a sex bot prospecting in unexplored space. My hormones reacted to a beautiful and willing partner in a very strong way. I didn’t realize until after I put you to bed exhausted. I’m sorry. It’s no excuse. I should have remembered you weren’t a bot and were an actual person.”

“I remind you of your sex bot,” Sheridan said raising her eyebrow.

“God no,” Cade said. He sat on the far corner of the bed needing to be near her. “By the end of my last mission, the sex bot was headless and malfunctioning. YOU. Real person you. Set me off. I can’t get enough of you. I see you and wham I’m hard. I smell you, wham I’m hard. I touch you…”

“Wham you’re hard,” Sheridan finished for him.

“Yeah,” Cade said. He started to move closer and stopped himself. “Shit. I don’t know what it is. I don’t want you to feel like you’re not a person. You’re very important to me.”

“It’s my job,” Sheridan said. She scooped up more of the stew he cooked and ate it.

“I know but not to be taken advantage of as I did,” Cade said. “Again, I’m sorry. I’ll work on controlling my desire for constant penetration and orgasms.”

“What changed,” Sheridan asked.

“What do you mean,” Cade asked not wanting to talk about why he was keeping his hands to himself.

“The first five hours was all about you getting off,” Sheridan said. “I was informed this was likely to happen. After my shower, I …” Embarrassment stopped her words.

“Pheromones,” Cade said realizing their five-hour session had been the turning point for him. He didn’t explain all of it. “Honestly, I didn’t think it would happen. I’m only part Sinivite.”

“Oh, so I don’t really, I’m not... I guess,” Sheridan looked away more embarrassed.

He smiled, confessed. “Sinivite men have a way of attracting their mate. If I touch a dozen other women, it has no affect them. My mate has her pleasure heightened every time.”

“Mate,” Sheridan asked. “What exactly does that mean?”

“Damned if I know,” Cade said. “I looked it up in the records. I found little information and few details. My old man is not big on conversation so haven’t a clue.” He stared at her, lied to her. He knew. She was his mate, his life partner. He needed to figure out how to draw her to him without the damn pheromones.

“Is it always so… intense,” she asked.

---