Sir. His eyes closed briefly and wondered how the hell he was going to get through the rest of this meeting if she kept calling him that.
“If you expect me to lay explosives before the mission to free your man, a ventilation shaft will be my only way inside,” she reasoned. “It might be better if I get in there and make sure the shaft and ducts are clear. It would be a disaster if I find out too late that I can’t get my explosives where they need to be.”
He quashed the immediate urge to reject her suggestion. His intense and unexpected attraction to her clouded his thoughts. She’s not yours. She’s an asset. Use her.
That was the problem. He wanted to use her assets but not in any way that the Shadow Force or his superiors would approve. He wanted to tie her up, take her back with him and keep her safe in his quarters. He wanted to hold her on his lap and comb his fingers through her dark hair while plundering her mouth. He wanted to hear her call him sir while begging him to let her come.
The loudest stomach growl he had ever heard interrupted his filthy thoughts. Across from him, Brook glanced down with embarrassment. “Sorry, I didn’t have dinner tonight.”
He frowned. “If you need to cook, don’t let me keep you from eating.”
Not even the dim light of the lamps could hide the deepening flush of embarrassment on her face. “There’s nothing to eat.” She lifted her gaze to his. “I ran out of scrip two days ago.”
“What is scrip?”
“It’s the payment we get for working in the mines. You can only spend it at the company store. The prices are outrageous, but we can’t get supplies anywhere else on the mountain. I wasn’t able to catch any fish this morning, and my traps were empty.” She shrugged as if it were a common occurrence. “Just a few days of bad luck, but I’m sure tomorrow will be better.”
Unwilling to let her starve even a minute longer, he reached for his pack and unzipped the long pouch on the side. He pulled out the emergency rations and piled them on the table. “This is enough food to last someone your size at least two weeks. You rehydrate them with water. That’s all you need.” He grabbed another handful of supplies from the pouch. “These packets are drinks. You pour them into a large glass of water. They’re flavored like fruit, and they provide vitamins and electrolytes and other things you need.”
She tried to push it back toward him. “I can’t take your food.”
He placed his hands over hers, feeling the soft heat of her under his fingers. He fought the strong desire to stroke her skin. “I’ll refill my pack when I get back to my ship. You need these.”
She hesitated before finally nodding. “Thank you, sir.”
"You’re welcome, Brook.” At the sound of his deep, husky reply, she lowered her gaze. It was a naturally submissive pose that inflamed his alpha instincts and set his body on fire. Want. Need. Take.
She stood up to make herself a meal, and it broke the spell. She rummaged around behind him and returned to the table with utensils, a bowl, another glass jar and the pitcher of water. Taking her seat, she asked excitedly, “Which should I try first?”
Amused by her enthusiasm for rations, he picked through them until he found the one he wanted. “This is my favorite.”
As he handed it over, their fingers touched, and her eyes shot to his, widening briefly as if she felt the same spark. She took the packet and set about making her first ration meal. When it started to bubble in the bowl, she almost bounced in her seat. “This is amazing!”
Had he ever been so pure? Even after everything life had done to beat her down, she seemed to embrace new and interesting experiences. Compared to her, he was a bitter asshole—and he didn’t like that realization.
“It’s a chemical reaction.”
“I know,” she murmured, her eyes fixed on the bowl. “I’ve just never seen it with food.”
“But you’ve seen it in the mines?”
“Some of the sprays used to clean the ore and prep the walls for explosives bubble.” She poked at the hot reconstituted dish of protein and vegetables in a tangy sauce. She brought her finger to her mouth and tentatively flicked her tongue at it. “Oh! This is delicious!”