triggering the door sensor or the cameras. Maybe it was time to contact the company to have them check the system.
Sulen stopped at her desk, tugged her around to the side and wrapped his arms about her waist. A nervous laugh slipped free as Amelie caught his forearms to maintain her balance. “Sulen, what are you doing?”
His expression was remote, but his eyes were not. The green orbs were darker than usual. He slid one hand to the back of her head and held Amelie in place for a kiss that burned from the moment his mouth touched hers.
The unrelenting dreams of the night before roared to life. At last, the arousal and desire brewing in her core had a target. Amelie groaned deep in her throat and drove her tongue between his parted lips. Sulen’s taste was heady and shot swirls of lust to her lower half.
She wrapped one leg around his hip, grinding in an effort to get as close as possible to him. Their clothes prevented her from getting any true friction but the press of his thick erection against her side left her breathless and she broke the kiss on a gasp.
No longer stern, his features were flushed and reflected the same need she struggled with. The corner of Sulen’s mouth curled up, his eyes bright and twinkling. “I wasn’t expecting to be greeted like that.”
Twinges of embarrassment had Amelie dropping her leg on a half-chuckle. “I don’t know what came over me.”
He squeezed her before letting her go. “I enjoyed it.”
“Same.” She laughed again. Amelie was blown away by how strong her feelings were for Sulen. Even now, her heart still slammed in her chest in excitement. Clearing her throat, she asked, “Did you have any trouble with Fleur?”
Her daughter had been going to the learning academy for over a year now and loved seeing her friends and the teachers daily but there were the occasional off days where she decided to launch a mutiny and wouldn’t cross the door to enter without a lot of cajoling from Amelie.
“It went fine. She agreed to let go of my shirt and go in if I promised to tell you she wanted curlies for dinner.”
Amelie snorted and they wore matching smiles at Fleur’s negotiating skills. “I can do that.”
Expression shifting, Sulen said, “I did manage a very nice conversation with Madame Tessa and stressed the importance of Fleur being safe under their care. Since I’ll be away I assured her I’d be upset if something happened to her while I’m gone.”
Amelie could only imagine how that went. Better yet, she preferred not to speculate. His comment did remind her that he was leaving and she’d pushed the thought to the back of her mind all day to avoid facing how upset the thought actually left her.
“When do you have to leave?” It was already late afternoon and she’d be closing the store soon.
“Not until late. I’ll be on the last shuttle out. Before I left, I wanted you to meet some people I know.”
Disappointment returned at his words. Amelie wanted to beg him not to leave but they were both too mature for such behavior. Not when she knew how much was required to run her own business. Her brows furrowed. His presence on this colony when Scarlett had treated him was for injuries sustained doing his job. She had no clue what he did but the idea of Sulen being in danger twisted her in knots. “What is your work?”
“He hasn’t told you? Sulen, how shocking. Your supposed bond mate should at least know what you do, among other things.”
The masculine voice was dark and iced over in a layer of frost. Amelie turned and saw two strangers walking toward them through the front entrance. A man in all black with dark-hair and swirling silver eyes along with a petite woman who didn’t reach his shoulders. Her hair was brown and her matching eyes were narrowed on the man accompanying her as she glared at him but he didn’t glance down to acknowledge her look.
“How does everyone come in here without the sensors going off?!” Amelie asked in genuine confusion. “Do I need to comm my security company and complain?”
“Sulen probably keeps a disrupter in his pocket like Garik does,” the woman answered once they were near. She elbowed the man at her side fiercely. “I’m Saedra and this is my bond mate, Garik.”
Amelie gave them both a stilted smile, unsure how she was supposed to