Page 50 of Master
So, I did.
“I had some money saved from my part-time job… enough to get a small apartment. After that, I did any job I could find, but it was never enough to pay the rent. I wanted more. I wanted to go to college. I wanted to be a teacher. I wanted more than struggling all my life, and… at the time, it seemed like the only option.”
“What did?” His warm breath stirred the hair at my temple like a caress.
“I was a…." The words fumbled in my brain and mouth, wrestling with the shame that would keep them buried.
“I was a dancer.” I finally managed.
"You are an excellent dancer," Tarook proclaimed like he was head judge on America's Got Talent.
“You’re sweet, but you need to understand that the type of dancing I did…” I sucked in a deep breath, forcing the words from my lips. “I took my clothes off for money.”
Tarook cocked his head slightly, his expression unreadable. "Like the dancers on the Hartouk Lenaii?”
“Kind of,” I confessed, then wanting to make sure he knew, no matter how our first meeting may have gone, I was never a whore. “I never let any of the customers touch me. I never sold myself. It was a means to an end, and I hated every single moment. Tonight, when we were dancing, I saw some men watching me, and it reminded me of…." The bone-deep shudder silenced me.
“Do you want me to kill the men who offended you tonight?” He offered.
Good Lord, he's serious. "That's so sweet of you to offer, but no.”
Tarook cupped my face between his palms, thumbs stroking over my cheeks to capture any residual moisture.
“You must have been very wealthy on Earth,” he murmured.
“Why do you say that?”
Tarook gave me a look of confusion at having to explain. “You took your clothes off for money. Your body is exquisite. Remember, I have seen it.”
The waggle of his eyebrows wasn't flirty or lecherous, just to emphasize the fact that he had, indeed, seen me naked. I managed a weak laugh. Tarook folded me into an embrace, resting his cheek on my head.
He felt so good… so muscular and strong. It felt like nothing could hurt me as long as I remained in his arms. The heavy thud under my ear echoed my own heartbeat, and for the first time since the aliens took me from that lonely spot on the Appalachian Trail, I felt at peace.
“Are you disappointed in me?” I asked after a moment.
"No. Why would I be?"
“On Earth… being a stripper, well, it's a shameful profession," I admitted. "Not even my friends know about it.”
“I am honored you trust me with this knowledge.”
"I do trust you," I whispered.
Tarook placed a fingertip under my chin and lifted my gaze to his. He lowered his head, looking every bit like he planned to kiss me, but stopped, laying his forehead against mine with a heavy, contented sigh.
Despite the sweetness of the gesture, I found myself aggravated. I wanted him to kiss me. I wanted him. I'd wanted him since he stepped into my room on the Hartouk Lenaii. I'd always wanted him, and I was tired of fighting it.
I let my hands slide up his chest and over his shoulders, building my nerve to kiss him. A faint rumble hit my ears. At first, I thought it was the roar of blood rushing through my veins, heated with desire. The sound drew closer, and I hesitated, wondering if it was the Bardaga landing. The flash of excitement waned quickly. Yes, the Bardaga meant I would see Emmy andDaisy, but it also meant time with Tarook, just the two of us, would end.
Please don’t let it be the Bardaga.
Not yet.
Chapter 12
Tarook
In the time it took me to draw breath, the perfect moment of holding Clara in my arms, knowing she wanted me changed… to horror.
