Page 8 of The Explorer
“Sure, all the fucking time.” Rolling my eyes, I picked up my shirt from the floor.
“I knew it.” Aubri threw my pillow at me and got out of bed too. We hadn’t come to Old Europe with any clothes since we never intended to stay for more than a day.
At least Victor had arranged for tooth cleaners to be sent over last night.
Aubri had slept in her t-shirt, panties, and socks. Now that she was up, she moved around without pants like it was the most natural thing. It should be, because we had known each other our entire lives and I’d seen her in a bikini many times. But the fact that we were unsupervised made this situation very different.
“You’re not wearing a bra.” The filter in my brain wasn’t awake yet and my thoughts spilled out.
Aubri turned. “So? Does it bother you?”
“No, but…”
Her right eyebrow rose as she waited for me to elaborate.
“Just don’t walk around like that when we’re with Banni and the other crew members.”
“Why? You think I can’t protect myself?”
I popped in a tooth cleaner and threw the packet to her. “I know you’re strong, Aubri. You’re the best female fighter I’ve ever met, but you can’t deny that we men have an advantage in size and strength.”
“I’m tall.”
“You’re six feet and taller than most men, but still, Banni looks like he could take you down if he wanted to.”
Aubri had just opened her mouth and put a tooth cleaner in when my words made her scrunch up her face. “He couldn’t!”
“All I’m saying is that you should watch how you dress around men you don’t know. You have to consider what signals you’re sending.”
In ten fast steps, Aubri came to stand right in front of me. With fire in her eyes, she stabbed her finger through the air. “I refuse to live my life in fear of what signals I might send. If you men could have it your way, you’d have us women cover ourselves so as not to attract attention. That’s not fucking happening. I’m not hiding my hair, my body, or my brain by playing small so that men don’t feel threatened by my words or tempted by my body. This is 2465 in case you haven’t noticed.”
“I’m just trying to protect you,” I argued.
“Don’t. After twenty-seven years of men protecting me, I can tell you that protection feels a lot like control.”
“You think I’m controlling you?” My tone was incredulous. With a snort, I squeezed the shirt I was still holding in my hand. “I’m sorry, grasshopper, but the man who can control you hasn’t been born yet. Keeping you safe from yourself is a full-time job in itself. Sometimes I feel sorry for the man you marry.”
Her chin rose in a challenging stare. “How so?”
“Because the poor bastard will see your femininity and beauty and think you’re everything he ever imagined in a woman. Imagine his surprise when he realizes that you’re one of the boys.”
“That’s right.” Aubri pressed the tip of her index finger into my chest. “And if he doesn’t respect a no, I’ll show him that my body is mine.”
I looked down at her because despite Aubri’s height of six feet, there was still eight inches between us.
“You think you could manage a large Nman like me if he was determined to have you?”
Taking a small step back she spread her hands from her body a little. “I know I can. Want me to show you?”
“Come on, Aubri. Don’t be stupid. We’ve wrestled many times and you know I can dominate you with my size and strength.”
“I was younger then.” Using her hands, she gestured for me to make a move.
“I’m not going to wrestle you in here, but you need to listen to me when I tell you to not walk around in a t-shirt without a bra. Tomorrow we’re leaving with Banni and his two men. If they all team up together and I’m not around, you wouldn’t stand a chance. Those Explorers we met weren’t weak Motlander men. They were fit and well-muscled, Aubri, you saw that yourself.”
There was mischief in her eyes as she gestured again. “Come on, Indy. Attack me and let me show you that you have nothing to worry about. If I can fend you off, I can fend any of them off.”
Throwing my shirt down on the bed, I accepted the challenge with a cocky grin. “Okay. If that’s what it takes to make you take my warnings seriously. This won’t take lo...”
