Page 17 of Her Alien Soldier
“I thought you swore off that feelings shit.”
“I did.”
“And yet,” Julia said with another laugh. “You two looked like you were ready to devour each other.”
“Attraction and horniness.”
“Which are both feelings.”
“Not deep ones.”
“Sure, sure. I always look at random hot men like I’m a breath from climbing them and calling them ‘daddy,’” she said with a laugh, and Maggie rolled her eyes, turning away to look at the supplies behind the bar.
“Is there anything I should restock?” she asked, and that only made Julia laugh harder.
“No, I did it already. Like I said, quiet night.”
“Thanks. Bitch,” Maggie muttered, and Julia grinned, hugging her from the side and resting her head against Maggie’s.
“You’re welcome, bitch,” Julia said. “You know I can’t help messing with you. I’m just surprised. We’ve known each other for years and I’ve never seen you act like that with anyone.”
“Thanks. I hate it.”
Julia squeezed her then let go. “You know, there's nothing wrong with scratching an itch.”
Maggie sighed. “If I could just do that, it would make life easier. I would have scratched that itch already. He has to focus on his mission. And.. right now I’m almost grateful nothing has happened. I don’t think this would be a casual fling for me, and he’s leaving as soon as he’s able to. It’s a bad combination.”
Julia’s mouth dropped open. “It’s worse than I realized. Mags, you’re not the insta-love type.”
“I’m not. And I don’t think it’s love. But it would be easy to get attached to him, and then it would hurt when he left. And I really like not hurting.”
Julia hugged her again. “Yeah. I don’t want you to go through that again either.”
Julia had been by her side during the unraveling of her last relationship. She’d had a front row seat to the ugly crying, and the anger, and the depression and irritation at herself for not seeing what was right in front of her.
“We’ll find ways to distract you until he’s gone,” Julia said, and Maggie smiled at her, even as she knew distraction wouldn’t be enough. It was still worth a try, though, and she’d do what she could to avoid feeling like shit when he left.
Julia left a few minutes later, and Maggie took a deep breath. She mixed a few drinks, chatted up a group of Calarissian businessmen, then finally sucked it up and looked toward where Xarek and the Bellarian were playing.
The second she looked at him Xarek looked up, his dark gaze meeting hers, and she felt her stomach twist, her entire body heat.
He could do that to her with a look. She was an idiot for thinking she’d get through it unscathed if she was perched on his lap all the time.
But she’d do it. The Bellarian was doing his part, even if whether he could be trusted or not remained to be seen. She’d do hers, too.
And get through it and go back to her normal life when he left.
Easy.
Chapter Seven
The Bellarian finally left, smirking at Xarek and vowing to seek him out again for another game. He was ready to stop hours ago, when Maggie first arrived for her shift. He had been envisioning since the night before how this would go.
He could not get her out of his mind. Not after having her warm, curvy form on his lap, smelling her, seeing the way he affected her.
It had taken everything in him not to tear that flimsy little top off of her and devour her plump breasts with their hard nipples right then and there. And the hours since had done little to quell his need.
He watched her, timing it perfectly. She walked past him after her break, and when she did, he reached out and pulled her onto his lap, nearly growling at her gasp as he grabbed her. She looked up at him, blushing, chuckling a little breathlessly.
