AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I should despise her ability to bring my beast to heel with a single command, yet I remain transfixed despite my disdain for authority. Being told what to do has never been my style.
With a soft chuckle, I settle down beside her, drawn in by her infectious enthusiasm. The scent of the food tantalizes my senses, and I'm tempted to dive into the feast laid out before us but watching her enjoy the vhit fruit with such delight, I find myself unable to look away.
As I reach for a piece of grilled meat, our fingers brush momentarily, sending a jolt of electricity through me. Even though we come from different worlds, there's an undeniable connection between us, one that goes beyond words or actions.
TASHA
"Why can't you just take me back to Crao?" I glare at Qhix and tug at his hand that just covered my mouth.
"Not so loud," Qhix whispers close to my ear. "Behtu will hear you."
I cannot resist the magnetic pull toward Qhix, no matter how hard I try. Even the hot caress of his breath against my ear sets my body ablaze and turns my knees to jelly. His spicy musk surrounds me, clouding my senses and confusing my thoughts. Amid the frustration and anxiety of wanting to be reunited with my friends, our passionate connection intensifies into a blazing inferno, melting my inhibitions and threatening to consume me.
I shake off his hand and take a step back before I do something that can't be undone. "So what if Behtu hears me?"
"Crao is a long way from where we are, and the rillium Behtu lent me won't get us there," Qhix harshly whispers, taking a step forward to cup my shoulders. "If Behtu knew the Ziarian's stole my ship and held me captive, he would exact revenge."
I move out of his grasp and cross the small medical bay, needing some distance between us so I can think clearly. "Sounds to me like you're making up excuses not to take me home. First you had to go to Natari 5, and now you don't have enough fuel to take me to Crao."
Each second in Qhix's presence is a relentless battle between my rationality and carnal desires. His beguiling charm clouds my common sense, leaving me to wonder whether I can trust my own judgment.
"An enemy to one is an enemy to all," he vehemently states. "It's the creed all Star Mavericks live by."
"You're serious?"
"If Behtu finds out what the Ziarians did to me, he will go after them and exact revenge. It's a Maverick's vow, Tasha, our solemn declaration to each other. If one of us is wronged, then all of us are wronged." Qhix's eyes bore into mine, searching for understanding.
"You can't expect me to just abandon my friends, Qhix." Anger and frustration well within me.
"I'm not asking you to." I allow Qhix to come closer, hypnotized by his softening gaze. "All I'm asking is for a little of your patience and time to obtain the rillium I need to return you home."
I bite my lip, torn between my niggling doubts and wanting to trust him. He reaches out a hand, his fingertips feathering down my cheek, and I can't help but lean into his touch. The warmth of his skin against mine is intoxicating, and for a moment, all reservations fade into the background.
"I want to believe you," I murmur, lost in the wake of sensations he weaves.
Qhix's frosty gaze burns with a tenderness that strips me bare. "I promise you, Tasha, I will reunite you with your friends. But right now, we need to travel to my hideaway for the rillium needed to make the return journey. I cannot ask Behtu to borrow more without raising his suspicions."
I hesitate, my mind warring with so many conflicting emotions. Trusting Qhix feels like stepping into the unknown, yet his sivot's body heat had kept me from freezing to death until Behtu arrived. Even though he was wronged by the Ziarians, he is willing to keep quiet to save them from retaliation.
"All right," I finally yield. "I'll trust you, but this had better not be a trick—" my words are cut short as Qhix dips his head to the hollow of my throat. Trails of heat follow the brush of his lips. My breath hitches with the unfurling of something torrid and wild in the heart of my core.
With a predatory growl, Qhix’s skilled hands trace the curve of my waist, crushing me against his muscled frame. His lips sear a path to my ear where he murmurs a sweet promise. "I'm sorry it won't happen as quickly as you'd like, but I swear to you, Tasha. I will return you to your friends."
A low moan slips from my lips—part surrender, part craving. His touch is a potent combination of danger and desire that leaves me reeling.
I should question the undeniable chemistry blazing between us, the pull growing stronger with each passing moment. It would be effortless to succumb to desire, to indulge the burning ache consuming my core. But what if sex with Qhix isn't that simple? Could slaking my lust form a bond that would tie us together for life?
And isn’t that what I wanted? What sparked my jealousy of the other girls? Hadn't the emptiness I felt in my soul driven me to explore the strange attraction I felt for Qhix the very second I laid eyes on him?
I turn my head just as Qhix's lips descend over mine. I know the taste of him will scatter all reasonable thoughts and I'll be left clinging to his heavy shoulders, wet and aching for more. And he did promise to seduce me, more exact, he promised to tame me. I couldn't let that happen if I wanted to keep my wits about me.
"Let's not wear out our welcome. I'm sure Behtu is ready to be rid of us," I say, my words breathier than I would like. I try to play it cool and casually pat Qhix on the chest before quickly moving out of his reach.
Qhix's eyes darken with disappointment and longing as I pull away. He allows me the space I need, though his presence fills the small room, making him hard to resist.
We only have the pile of clothes we shed to pack, so we're ready to go in no time. Together, we leave the medic bay, Qhix leading me through the winding corridors of the sleek spacecraft until we reach the command deck.
Behtu turns from where he stands before a domed window encapsulating a breathtaking view of the cosmos. Stars twinkle in the velvety blackness, their beauty underscored by the faint glow of distant nebulae.
