Page 18 of Shielded Heart

If you need anything, Samantha, do not hesitate to contact me.

She looked down at her holocom.

Anything.

Had Alkorin meant it?

No, she couldn’t bother him. He hadn’t really meant for her to call him for anything, it was nothing more than politeness. Just an attempt to make her feel a little better before he moved on with his life.

You’re beautiful, Samantha, and I find myself eager to be in your company.

Those words replayed over and over inside her head, with one sticking out more than the rest.

Beautiful.

But I’m not. I’m not…beautiful.

And yet the way he’d looked at her as he said italmostmade her believe it was true.

After a final glance at the front door, Samantha turned toward the rest of her apartment. It was a simple unit, with the living room, bedroom, and kitchen contained within one space. Only the bathroom was a separate room.

Sam was exhausted, but she was also starving. She walked to the kitchen and opened a cupboard, pulling out a wrapped food tray. Placing the tray on the counter, she stared down at it for a few seconds before releasing a sigh.

“So much for the food Sarai gave me,” she muttered, but her lips tilted up into a smirk as she recalled the bits of vegetable clinging to Rakkob’s eyebrows. “Serves him right.”

She unwrapped the tray, slid it into the heating unit, and started the device. As she waited for the food, her eyes strayed again to her holocom. Turning her arm, she brushed a finger along the inside of her wrist. She could almost imagine the feel of Alkorin’s touch.

The heating unit beeped, snapping her back to reality.

Stop it! Stop doing this to yourself.

She removed the food tray, sat down at the small table, and stared blankly at the floor as the food cooled. Once she was sure it wouldn’t scald her mouth, she ate; she barely tasted anything.

Several times, she caught herself glancing at her holocom. It was as though the device called to her subconscious.

No, it wasn’t the holocom.Hecalled to her. The alien with hypnotic, glowing eyes—three eyes, how crazy was that?—horns, a tail, and one hell of a sexy body.

“And what would I say? Oh, hi, remember me? The pathetic human who cried all over your masculine chest?”

Samantha huffed and shoved the half-eaten tray away. Scooting her chair back, she stood and walked to the bathroom. She stripped along the way, tossing her filthy, grease-spattered clothing onto the floor.

She stopped in the bathroom doorway and looked back at her discarded clothes. Her fingers twitched with the urge to pick them up. The mess was so minor, so insignificant, but it would have been a massive issue while she was with James.

Locking her legs in place, she drew in a deep breath. She didn’t have to pick them up now. This washerlife.Shewas in control, not him. If she wanted to leave her dirty shirt on the floor for a day, a week, for the whole damned year, it washerchoice.

Samantha faced forward, entered the bathroom, and took a hot shower, relishing the soothing feel of the water over her aching body. Her mind summoned images of Alkorin every time she saw the holocom on her wrist.

While she’d worked with Sarai, she’d been too distracted to think about him, but now, with nothing else to occupy her thoughts…he wasallshe could think about. Worse, her body reacted to those mental images; the memory of his touch, however innocent it may have been, created a new ache inside her.

After her shower, she hurriedly dried off, threw on an oversized shirt, brushed her hair, and checked her palms. Looking at her hands now, no one ever could’ve guessed they’d been scraped to all hell the day before. As basic as this apartment was, the first-aid kit contained some pretty amazing supplies. Too bad there wasn’t a full-body salve she could slather on to heal her numerous bruises.

Sam exited the bathroom, turned down the lights, and crawled into bed. Once she’d settled down, she stared up at the ceiling. Despite weariness creeping in from all sides, she lay awake and restless for some time. Eventually, she turned onto her side and stretched, extending one arm in front of her.

Her eyes fell on the holocom, and she frowned.

What if he reallyhadbeen serious about her calling if she needed anything? Wouldn’t it be stupidnotto take him up on that offer? Rakkob wasn’t going to leave her alone; if anything, he wasmorelikely to seek her out and harass her. She’d gone well beyond ignoring him, now. She’d smashed greasy food into his face.

What would it hurt to call Alkorin? The worst he could do was say he didn’t remember her.

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