Page 16 of Her Alien Soldier
Maggie laughed softly, and Julia watched the two aliens for a while longer. “They keep ordering drinks though. And the Bellarian is a great tipper,” she says. “They both are, but he’s going a little above and beyond.”
“He spends enough time playing here. He probably recognizes you.”
Julia nodded, and Maggie hid a smirk. Her friend couldn’t seem to take her eyes off the Bellarian. “Anyway,” she said after a moment, pulling her gaze away from the singer again. “It should be a quiet day today, hopefully. That Izar family reunion ended, so at least our ears get a break,” she said, and Magge laughed. A loud, exuberant Izar family had been there for the last two days. They were nice, but holy crap their high-pitched voices had Maggie’s ears in agony by the end of each shift.
Julia was about to say something else, when she looked behind Maggie, then tilted her head, indicating that Maggie should turn around. When she did, Xarek was there, looking at her.
“Maggie,” he said in greeting.
“Xarek,” she responded. “Having fun?”
“I would not go that far. How are you today?”
She smiled, willing herself not to blush. Horny. She was horny, damn it. Her vibrator hadn’t quite been enough, though she’d tried valiantly. “I’m doing well. How are you?”
“Honestly?”
“Yes.”
“Feeling like a damn fool. I could have been with you and instead I have been playing cards with this kalar’s ass all night.”
She couldn’t help laughing at the deadpan way he said it, feeling a little bit of the irritation leave her. “But you were able to focus on your mission a little better.” She leaned on her elbows, looking at him. “If you were with me, you would forget it. At least for a little while.”
He clenched his jaw, and she got more than a little thrill out of the way his gaze heated. Was it mean to tease him, knowing he was as horny as she was? Yes. Did she care? Not a damn bit.
“I was able to focus on a contact that never showed,” he muttered.
She shook her head, and couldn't help reaching across the bar and patting his big hand. When she did, he turned his hand over and laced his big, beefy fingers with her smaller ones. She brushed her thumb along his, and watched him take a deep breath.
“I should get back before he cheats. Bastard,” he muttered, making no movement to pull his hand away. Instead, he rubbed his thumb along hers, then gently trailed it along the back of her hand.
“Probably,” she said softly, looking up to find his gaze on her, those intense dark eyes still holding every bit of need they held for her in her quarters.
“Did you rest well?” he asked, and she shrugged.
“Eventually.”
“I am–”
“Don’t apologize, Xarek. We got sidetracked. The goal still stands, and I plan to spend some time on your lap during and after my shift.”
She couldn’t miss the quiet groan, the muttered curse beneath his breath. “I will prepare myself.”
“How?” she asked with a smile.
“An icy shower and thinking of not-sexy things,” he answered, and she laughed. There was that small upward curve of the sides of his mouth, and she felt that little thrill again, that she’d heard that deep, warm, rumbling laugh when so few here had.
She sighed. “Julia is about to leave. I need to talk to her a bit. And you should get back to your game,” she reminded him.
“Yes. I should,” he said, slowly pulling his hand away, lingering in the touch as long as he could before finally sliding his fingers away from hers. “I will try not to kill him during your shift.”
“Thank you. I’d rather not have that mess to deal with,” she said with a laugh. The corners of his mouth quirked up for a moment and he gave her a small nod before turning away and heading back to his table. The Bellarian raised a glass to her, and she waved at him before turning to Julia, who was looking at her with a smirk.
“What?”
“What?” Julia mimicked, then laughed. “Holy shit, the tension!” she said, fanning herself. “You like him!”
Maggie smacked her arm, rolling her eyes.
