Page 14 of Star Protectors (My Alien Mates 3)

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"For the record,you should be resting," I told J'avet. "I'm mentioning it in case later someone thinks you weren't told."

"Noted," J'avet said. "Consider your ass covered."

"Hey," I protested. "I'm not just trying to cover my ass." I also knew he wouldn't listen anyway, even if I insisted.

"Did you say it because you care?" He glanced at me over his shoulder.

"Hells no," I said lightly. "You're still an asshole." I placed another can of food into the locker at the side of the pod.

"Glad we cleared that up." He went back to tapping at the pod controls.

I turned back and frowned at the back of his head for a while. The doctor had removed the healing shell that morning, and murmured sounds of approval.

"Come back each day so I can check your progress." Barek gave J'avet a nod and moved away, to see another patient.

Apparently J'avet took that as permission to leave the station after only two days.

"The doctor is going to be pissed," I pointed out. I closed the locker door, leaned against it and crossed my arms.

"You surprise me." J'avet glanced up. "I thought you would be the one pushing to leave."

I shifted from foot to foot. "The sooner we go, the better. But if you drop dead from that head wound, you'll be no use to us, or the others." That included the whole crew of the Chimera, not just the guys. A few hundred of various species, although only two apart from Slek were Freytauri.

"Then it's your job to make sure that doesn't happen," he concluded.

"I can check your wound, but you're not going to listen when I tell you to rest." I cocked my head and gave him a challenging look.

He smirked. "Of course not. I haven't listened to you yet. Why would I start now?"

I shook my head. "You're such an ass."

"You're such a pain in my neck," he retorted.

"It's not my fault you can't recognise awesomeness when you see it," I joked.

"Of course I can," he said. He looked so smug I wanted to sock his arm.

"Well then," I said with a sniff. "You could show more appreciation for it."

He shook his head and stood. For a moment I thought he was leaving the pod. Instead, he moved like a flash of lightning.

Before I could take a breath, he had me pressed against the locker with the full length of his body. His nose was a finger width from mine. His breath brushed my lips.

"Is this what you had in mind?" He curled his fingers in my hair and pressed his mouth hard against mine.

I could only respond with a moan. I had imagined what it would be like to kiss him, but this was more than I could have expected. His lips were firm, demanding, like a lifetime of pent up desire that needed release.

His tongue traced my lips and slipped inside my mouth when I opened for him.

He broke off the kiss, gave me a scorching look and moved back into trail heated kisses down my cheek and neck.

"Edie," he said, his mouth muffled by my skin. "I want you."

"Mmm. I want you too." As frustrating as he was, the attraction was undeniable. The guys had all given me their permission to explore relationships with other guys, including each other and J'avet. Zarex, in particular, encouraged it. He always said he couldn't fulfil all my needs, so I should have more guys in my life to cover every angle, so to speak.

J'avet—well, he gave me a challenge. I never knew what he would do or say next. Someday I might have to choose a guy, but we had to get the others back first.

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