himself off.
Vax laughed, but the statement reminded him of how he’d been Bacoj’s prisoner earlier. His shafts did more than twitch. Ugh, why did the man have to be so perfect? If Bacoj didn’t put clothes on soon, Vax would ask for another round…and he was already sore enough.
Still, it seemed wrong not to go to him and run his hands all over that gorgeous physique. He had it bad for the Dramok, all right.
Vax forced himself to examine the cylinder instead. “This looks interesting. What is it?”
“That wonderful device is what won me a place in that engineering school I’ve been trying to get into forever.” For an instant, Bacoj’s expression turned morose, but he shook it off. “It’s a hovering search drone. It has long-range scanners to detect life underground or deep within rubble. It uses five different search protocols instead of the usual two. I figured out how to compartmentalize the various resources so they don’t interfere with each other, the way they would if built into the current drone models. The trick was keeping the device light enough to hover without shuttle-sized jets.”
“That could do a lot of good, especially in the empire’s mines.”
“I was inspired when there was a cave-in at the Hodwer Caverns a few years ago. Too many people died, not because they were injured, but because rescuers couldn’t get to them quick enough.”
Vax smiled at the excitement in his tone, the expression of near-adoration as Bacoj studied the prototype. He was one smart Dramok. Destined for big things, Vax was sure. Sexy as hell. Not to mention, Bacoj would be a terrific clan leader once he a gained more self-confidence.
The determination to keep all distractions from Vax’s career goals had already been jettisoned. His new goal of keeping Bacoj around until after he’d opened his restaurant in the distant future was crumbling. He wanted this man for his own. Not in a few years, but now.
Infatuation. That’s all it is. Yet Vax had to admit that maybe Bacoj was too good to pass up, even for a lifelong dream.
* * * *
Bacoj sat stiffly in the lobby area of Nepor Resort, waiting for Vax to join him. He tried not to shift too much in a chair that probably cost more than his shuttle. He wished he could pretend to be at ease in the opulent surroundings, reminding himself his parent clan could easily afford to vacation there. However, as dignified and image-conscious as Felac was, she had little use for grandeur for grandeur’s sake. In most respects, she was very down-to-earth. As a young woman, she’d insisted she’d only clan with men who shared her view that there was nothing more indecorous than flaunting one’s financial worth.
Bacoj agreed with her on that, though he had little financial worth to flaunt at this stage of his life. Being surrounded by luxury that was more about form than function left him uncomfortable. Especially since he was determined to make his own way, with the least amount of financial help from his parents as possible. He’d struggled with that when Felac purchased him a shuttle a couple years ago, but he’d needed it to get to work. Accepting the gift had been a necessary evil in gaining eventual independence. At least they’d agreed on him choosing a reliable secondhand vehicle, so the expense hadn’t been outrageous.
He glanced around at the fine upholstered chairs, the Joshadan-crafted tables, marble firepits, fountains hand carved by masters, and the lavishly dressed men and women who floated among the extravagance without a second glance. He recognized a few faces. Actors in the popular drama vids, sports stars, major political figures—the cream of the Kalquorian crop, along with dignitaries from other worlds. Living lives he couldn’t imagine.
Not that I’m jealous. If I could base a career on inventing new devices helpful to the empire, even if it meant remaining in my tiny apartment, I’d be perfectly content.
He wondered if he’d have the opportunity to continue working on his projects while serving the military. Surely he’d have the downtime to pursue his goals. The trick would be finding materials and workspace. That search drone was close to being as perfect as he could make it. There had to be a way…
At last he saw Vax approaching from the long hall that led to the rear of the main building, where the resort’s offices were. Relieved, Bacoj stood and waited for him.
Vax’s smile wasn’t his usual easy beam. It was too tight,