floor. Straightening, she turned, hoping he couldn't see how exposed she felt when her gaze locked with his. But before she could say anything, Taarig reached up and touched his link.
"Alright." His gaze still locked with hers, and she felt a sick sense of déja vu. "I'm on my way."
"The door automatically opens when you approach." She made sure her voice stayed level, that it revealed none of the hurt churning up inside her, but when she would have moved around him, he blocked her way.
"I do need to leave, but not just yet." Leaning down, he gently captured her lips for a long, soft, drawn-out kiss. "I don't want there to be any misunderstandings between us, Cali," he continued once he finally released her lips. "That transmission was real. If I had my way, I'd be carrying you into your resting chamber and fucking you for the remainder of the rest cycle."
Cali's breath caught because that was what she wanted too. Yet she couldn't let him know that because if she did, he could hurt her.
"Who said I would have let you?" she asked, raising an eyebrow at him.
"I do," he growled, tucking his cock back into his pants. Grabbing a thin throw from a nearby chair, he gently wrapped it around her shoulders. "I want you to have third meal with me, with us, in our private dining area."
"Don't you think you should check with the Commander first?" she asked, pulling the ends of the throw together as she walked around him. She knew the 'private dining area' Taarig was referring to was Jamis’s private living area. It was where they always took their meal with a female when they shared her.
"No," he told her, adjusting the rest of his uniform. He knew Jamis wanted to fuck Cali again as badly as he already did. "So, third meal tomorrow?"
"I can't," she told him, leaning over to pick up her tattered clothing. "I work tomorrow."
Taarig's cock hardened so fast at that tantalizing view she didn't seem to realize she was giving him that it took him a moment to realize she'd said no.
When was the last time a female had said no to a meal with him and Jamis?
"You're the owner," he said. "Surely, you can reschedule your hours."
"I can," she turned to give him a hard look, "but I won't. I realize I'm just some lowly bar owner to you, but I have people that depend on me, and I take that responsibility just as seriously as you do, Sub Commander."
Taarig suddenly realized just how badly he'd overstepped. Ruk, he hadn't meant to imply… he was immediately in front of her.
"I'm sorry," he said, shocking himself. When was the last time he'd said that? "I didn't mean it that way. Tell me when you're available to have third meal with us, and I'll make sure our schedule is clear."
Cali couldn't stop her mouth from dropping open. She'd never heard of Jamis and Taarig arranging their schedule to accommodate a female. Not even for the initial encounter. They didn't have to.
"When, Cali?" he asked; using a gentle finger under her chin, he closed her mouth.
"Three days," she found herself telling him.
"Then I'll see you in three standard-days." Leaning down, he gave her one final, hard kiss then forced himself to move away from her.
"Take the first passage on the right," she told him and watched him disappear down it. Moving to the chair where Taarig had gotten the throw from, she collapsed down into it. What in the name of the Gods had just happened?
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
"Mae, there's a problem at the large viewport table," Ujana said as she set her tray down on the bar two days later.
"What kind of problem?" Mae asked as she finished mixing the orders before her.
"A male is trying to buy a drink for Vaine Masala."
"You know the policy, Ujana."
"I do, and I told him she is on the restricted list, but he is getting aggressive about it."
"Tell him to come to the bar," Cali said, moving behind Mae to get a bottle. "I'll deal with him."
Ujana nodded and walked away.
"I'm the one that's supposed to deal with problem customers." Mae ignored the customer, trying to give her his order, to confront Cali.
Cali had watched as day-by-day, Mae's confidence in her abilities to manage The Brink had grown, but there were still times, like right now, when all that confidence turned to stardust.