Page 14 of A Delicate Conquest

What was he turning into, some sort of pervert?

“Leave it with me,” he snapped, turning back to his work.

“Uh, Sir…”

“What is it?”

“Are you… all right?”

Mavrel closed his eyes and sighed. “I’m all right, Junik. Don’t worry about the shoe. I’ll sort it out. You may return to your regular duties. I’ll comm you when it’s ready.”

“Understood.” Junik kept his voice cautiously neutral. “I’ll be back in a short while, then.”

Mavrel waited until Junik left the room.

Then, he allowed himself a moment of pure and utter madness before he became alarmed by his increasing arousal, for which there would be no relief.

That’s when he remembered the little experimental vial full of nanites Zharek had given him. This very substance was supposed to suppress his olfactory system and prevent him from experiencingthis.

He hadn’t expected to need it so soon, but who could have predicted Junik would bring him something of hers—something that carried her scent so powerfully?

She’s here…

On this very station.

Right here. Right now.

He could just… go to her.

But hecouldn’t.

Not yet. He wasn’t ready.

Mavrel reached into his pocket. His fingers slid around the cool metal of the vial.

Without thinking, he retrieved the cursed thing and pressed it against his neck.

The tiny needle shot out, piercing his skin, the pain momentarily taking his arousal to a new level.

The drug entered his system.

His eyes shot open.

His nostrils flared.

His heartbeat accelerated, his heart almost pounding through his ribcage.

The pain in his temples became excruciating.

And… his cock went as hard as fucking Callidum.

Almost immediately, Mavrel understood what had happened.

Zharek hadn’t given him an olfactory inhibitor—quite the opposite. Whatever was in that vial had heightenedeverything.

And the effect was so powerful he couldn’t fight it.

That devious, scheming, meddling bastard.

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