His Fire Maiden - Michelle M. Pillow Page 0,23

stoic. He filled up the space, intimidatingly so. A small thrill worked over her, filled with a very feminine awareness.

That was something she didn’t want to deal with either.

“Gil is being managed,” she stated, drawing her mind back to the business at hand. “I contacted Quazer ground, but your friends only spent that one night in the Glamour District before they left the next day. A computer error corrupted their registered travel log.”

The side of Dev’s mouth twitched up a small degree.

“I suspected that wasn’t an error,” Violette said in response to the look. “Without it, we have no way of tracking your ship. Unless you know where it’s going?”

Dev’s expression blanked. “It’s hard to say.”

Violette nodded. “There are a couple of fueling docks in this part of the X quadrant, but not much else. Unless you insist, I wouldn’t recommend you staying behind at any of them. Travel options off the docks are limited, and the accommodations are lacking in everything but space pests.”

“What are you offering as an alternative?” The deep, rich tone of his voice gave nothing away.

“I didn’t order you brought here, but I am responsible for what happens on this vessel. We’ll try to find your ship for you and arrange a meeting—”

“So I can lead you to them?” he inserted.

“Or we can leave you on a planet of your choosing as we fly past. I don’t need your help tracking Josselyn. I’ll find her.”

He stayed quiet.

“Our next stop is to meet up with an HIA ship for a liaison with the Federation.” Actually, it was only an offer to join some unit heads in a toast to her father. She didn’t have to be there.

Dev didn’t move.

“HIA. Human Intelligence Agency,” Violette explained.

Dev’s brow lifted. She couldn’t tell if he was insulted or amused.

“Of course, you know what it is,” she said under her breath. “I have no intention of turning you over as a space pirate. However, if you feel it is too much of a risk to—”

“Who said I was a pirate?” He took a step toward her. The small space felt nearly claustrophobic with him so near. It required sheer will to stand her ground against his menacing figure.

“Your docking reports gave it away.” She wished her voice sounded stronger.

“Perhaps we just like our privacy. Perhaps we were worried that someone in a yellow ship would come looking for one of our crewmen. Perhaps this is all an elaborate game set up by you and your crew to either lull me or scare me into some kind of confession. I wouldn’t tell you how to find my ship if I even knew where it was. I won’t help you find your sister. If Josselyn wishes to seek you out that is her business.”

Her eyes inadvertently went to his mouth. She liked the way his lips moved. They were firm, the texture of them begging to be touched. “That is not what I was doing.”

“Then perhaps your agenda is political, or religious, or mercenary? You seek to gain my compliance by speaking to me in your soft, feminine way, batting your bewitching eyes and smiling your little seductive smiles. You saw what I was when we landed at Rifflen, and you think to sell me to the highest bidder. You would not be the first to try.”

“I do not traffic in…” Her words trailed off. Did he call her bewitching and seductive? “You think I look feminine?”

At that, his guard slipped. Black eyes traveled down her body and back up again. The dark gaze lingered on her hips and breasts a little too long. She felt the tingling warmth of desire erupt between her thighs. The sensation curled around her, flooding her body with the kind of desperate hormonal reaction that would be hard to fight.

“You know the effect you have on men,” he stated. It wasn’t a question.

“Are you saying I have an effect on you?” She swayed toward him. Her legs shook. This wasn’t supposed to be happening.

“Are you trying to get me to confess attraction?” he countered.

Was she? Violette didn’t know how to answer that. Well, if she were honest with herself, the truth was she didn’t want to think about the answer. “Are you confessing attraction?”

“Are you inviting attraction?”

“Perhaps I should…” Violette glanced at the door. She had to get control of her emotions. “This is my room. If you like, you can stay in here—”

A low growl sounded as he shot forward. Before she could even end her