a bit of shooting.”
“Why do you say that?”
He nodded at her hands clasped on her lap. “You have calluses on your palm and fingers.”
She squeezed her hands tighter. “How do you know?”
“I felt them straight away when we shook hands.”
“That’s what you were doing. I thought you were—”She trailed off, sounding almost disappointed.
Rico grinned. “Holding your hand? I was doing that as well, querida.”
She ignored the endearment and shrugged again. “I’ve been well-trained. I’m good.”
“I bet you are.” He tapped the seat beside him. “Why don’t you come and sit next to me and tell me what else you’re good at?”
Her gaze shot from the seat, to him, and back again. “I’m quite comfortable here, thank you.” Reaching out, she picked up her glass, swallowed the liquid in one gulp, and coughed. “Wow.” She picked up the silver flask, poured herself another measure. “Whiskey? From Earth? Another hobby of yours—the study of ancient human beverages?”
“Something like that,” he murmured, watching in amusement as she swallowed the second glassful. To someone not used to alcohol it could be potent stuff. He sat back and sipped his own drink, anticipating the exact moment the alcohol hit her bloodstream. She rose unsteadily to her feet, her gaze narrowing on the flask as if it were a gas grenade, primed and ready to explode. “Have you drugged me?”
“Not exactly.”
Her brow furrowed. “What does not exactly mean?” She reached out a hand and rested it on the desk, swaying a tad leeward. “I feel a little odd.”
Very few people had encountered alcohol—it had been banned in the early twenty-first century as detrimental to human life. Still, he’d never seen quite such a dramatic effect before. But then, he normally drank with Tannis, who could drink even him under the table. He got up and strode to where Skylar stood. She didn’t protest as he lifted her in his arms and carried her to the bed. He sat down, settling her in his lap. The curve of her bottom pressed against his groin, and he rested his back against the wall, savoring the feel of her, hard yet soft in all the interesting places.
“Lie still,” he murmured. “You’ll feel better in a minute.”
She opened her eyes and blinked up at him. “What have you done to me?”
“Nothing on purpose. Don’t worry, the effect will pass.”
“It’s quite nice. I close my eyes and the world spins.”
“Haven’t you ever taken recreational drugs?”
She shook her head. “Never. My family would not have approved, and once I was in the army, they were banned. ”
“Well your family isn’t here now.”
“No, they’re not.” She sighed and wriggled against him. He was sure it was unintentional, but his body responded, his hips lifting.
She was drunk.
A better man wouldn’t take advantage of that fact. Sometimes he was inordinately pleased he was not a better man. He ran a finger under her chin, raised her head, and kissed her. Skylar didn’t move as he slipped his tongue between her lips. She tasted of whiskey and something else, something unique, but as divine as he’d expected, and he leisurely stroked his tongue along the length of hers, feeling her shiver in his arms.
She wriggled again, and this time he suspected it was intentional. Shifting in his arms, she straddled him, a knee on either side of his hips, pressing herself down, rubbing against him until his cock ached with need.
He instinctively pushed up against her, and she moaned low in her throat.
At the throaty purr, desire burned in his belly, his gums ached. He wanted nothing more than to toss her on her back and take her in every way possible, but something held him back. Some crazy need to know this wasn’t entirely because of the alcohol she had consumed. He went still as shock hit him in the gut.
What a goddamn stupid time to develop a conscience.
She scattered small kisses across his face and throat, her fingers biting into his shoulders. It took her a minute to realize he wasn’t responding, and then she drew back from him. “You’ve stopped.”
Rico studied her. Her cheeks were flushed and a small pulse throbbed in her throat, but her eyes were clear. “How do you feel?”
She sat back on her heels, a confused frown furrowing her brow as she considered her answer. Her gaze wandered over him, and a slow smile spread across her face. “I feel wonderful.”
Chapter Six
His eyes widened in surprise at her answer.
She’d shocked him. Good!
But the truth was, she did feel wonderful.