shower before the water turned cold, though she took her time finding loose pants, underclothes, and shirt from the duffel bag. Nerves attacked her once more before she opened the door, though, since she didn’t know if she could face Nokx again. There was something about being barefoot in a male’s space that felt far more intimate than even being in his shower.
What happened after dessert was gone, anyway? It was past the standard nighttime on the ship, which meant going to sleep. In a bed. In the bed, since there was only one. The smallish couch he sat on wasn’t long enough for her to stretch out on, which meant she could sleep sitting up, sleep on the floor, or crawl into the bed next to Nokx. And none of those seemed like a great idea.
She definitely wasn’t charming enough to convince him to sleep on the floor and leave her the bed.
EJ peeked out and scanned the room before she let the door open all the way. Nokx still occupied the couch, though his head was tilted back and his mouth hung open. A snore escaped with a rattle in his chest, and his hands clenched briefly where they rested on his knees. He slept hard, chest rising deeply and evenly, and EJ just watched him for quite some time. If it hadn’t been for the cake igniting a clawing desire in her guts, she would have slipped into the corridor or maybe just claimed the bed for herself.
He looked rather enticing, if she was being honest. Broad and strong. His scales created a slight friction against her skin, just the right amount of texture that it made her shiver in anticipation. She’d felt safe with him, sitting in his lap in the mess hall. He’d rubbed her back and held her waist, and had been gentle despite his strength. She could almost imagine straddling him on that little couch, planting her hands against his chest, and kissing him. Maybe more. Maybe finding out exactly what those robes were hiding. She’d definitely caught him watching her ass and gazing at her breasts, and maybe his hands had been a little free when he helped retie those robes around her. Despite rejecting her initial proposition, he seemed into it. Did she want to try it out? At least then she’d have a good memory to take with her if that bastard captain sent her back to the gen ship.
But first... EJ grinned. Chocolate cake. Then kissing him would be even sweeter. And she hated sharing dessert.
As it was, she crept closer a step at a time, moving as quietly as she could and using every trick in the Information Ministry handbook, until she was in grasping distance of the plate. EJ held her breath and leeeeeeaned to pick it up, trying to keep an eye on him and stay out of his reach at the same time, and she’d just managed to pick up the plate when Nokx snapped to life. One massive hand crushed around her wrist, the other arm immediately encircled her waist, and his legs scissor-closed around hers as he growled and his teeth snapped near her throat.
She squeaked, staring at his blazing silver eyes from just an inch away, and almost dropped the cake. As good as it looked, she wasn’t ready to die for dessert. “I’m sorry! You can have it. It’s all yours.”
Nokx stared at her and no recognition filtered across his expression. His grip tightened and her bones creaked, and EJ figured her luck had completely run out.
Chapter 10
Nokx
Nokx did his best to ignore his thoughts as they drifted to what the Earther looked like under his robes, what her skin felt like wet and slippery with soap, whether her intriguing curves were as soft and delectable as he imagined them. He had to adjust several times as he stared at the door to the water closet and debated servicing himself quickly just to get his mind under control. He resisted the urge, as it would no doubt have dismayed the Earther if she stepped out of the shower and discovered him with his hand inside his robes.
Nokx shook his head and closed his eyes, leaning back against the smooth wall behind the couch. It was torture having her there. Which no doubt Faros knew, given his own mate and her proclivities. The captain enjoyed discomfiting others, so Nokx shouldn’t have been surprised, but there could have been an underlying message. Some