about to let herself in when she heard him calling her name from the front of the ship.
“Penelope? Can I talk to you?” his deep voice asked.
Penny felt her heart skip a beat. She told herself sternly that it was probably nothing but she couldn’t help the flutter in her stomach as she walked quickly towards the front of the ship.
“Yes?” she asked, coming to stand beside the captain’s chair.
V’rex had been staring down at the gleaming instrument panel but when he looked up, he sucked in his breath and she saw his pale gold eyes rake over her body, taking in the way the black towel-dress draped around her curves.
“Gods, you look…rested,” he said hesitantly, at last but Penny had an idea that “rested” wasn’t the word he’d been about to speak. Had he been going to tell her she was beautiful? Could it be that he still wanted her?
No, don’t be silly! she told herself, but she couldn’t help the little candle flame of hope that flickered to life in her heart.
“Thank you,” she said, giving him a small smile. “I’ve been, uh, enjoying your bathroom.” (Which was true, if by “enjoying” she meant “crying her eyes out.”) “Your ship is so luxurious,” she added.
“Won it from a minor lordling on Telex Five in a hand of Double-Blind Jowzer,” he said briefly. “He was a fucking lousy card player but he had good taste.”
“He, uh, certainly did.” Penny looked appreciatively around the plush cabin and nodded politely. “Um…was there a reason you wanted to see me?” she asked at last.
“Oh, right.” V’rex cleared his throat. “Actually, there was. I, uh…” He cleared his throat again. “I was thinking that it’s been a long time since…since your breasts were drained of nectar. And I thought…you might be in pain.”
“Oh…” Penny’s heart sank. She wished desperately that she did need his help. It would have given them an excuse to be together. But she didn’t have a single drop of nectar left in her breasts, so there was no excuse to ask him to suck them.
“Well?” V’rex raised his eyebrows inquiringly.
“I…I don’t know why, but the, uh, nectar dried up,” Penny said in a low voice. “I don’t have the, uh, other problem either. I haven’t had either one since we first went into the jungle, I don’t think. Maybe…” she cleared her throat. “Maybe being away from the air inside the atmosphere bubble has negated the effects of the Mother’s Milk.”
“Really? Not a drop of nectar left?” V’rex gave her a skeptical frown. “You wouldn’t just be saying that because you’re embarrassed, would you? I don’t want you to be in pain, just because we’re Foresworn, Penelope.”
“No, honestly—look.” Penny opened the front of her towel, baring her breasts for him as she had so often in the past few weeks. But this time she felt her heart thumping against her ribs as never before.
Maybe looking at her bare breasts would stir the big Hybrid. Maybe he would decide that he did want her after all and that they ought to be together. Maybe—
“Gods.” V’rex’s deep voice was hoarse and he looked away from her breasts quickly. “I see you’re telling the truth,” he said shortly. “Thank you for telling me so I don’t…don’t have to worry.” He cleared his throat again, still looking fixedly at the control panel instead of Penelope’s exposed chest. “As I told you before, I replicated you some clothes. Please let me know if they fit. If not, I can always make you something else.”
“Oh…” Penny felt crushed but she tried not to let it show in her voice. “Okay, thank you,” she said and tried to smile—not that he was looking at her. Quickly she wrapped the towel around herself again. “Thank you for…for offering to help,” she said in a low voice, and then ran back to her bedroom as quickly as she could.
Ninety-Two
Gods! Both of V’s hands had tightened into fists as he fought with himself—fought to keep from cupping her full, naked breasts in his hands and sucking her ripe pink nipples as he so often had in the past solar month.
She’s not yours anymore—she doesn’t need you to do that anymore, whispered a stern voice in his head. And if you start, do you think you’ll be able to stop with just sucking her breasts?
V knew he wouldn’t. He wanted her too badly—wanted to bond her to him too desperately. But he had to remember that he had Foresworn her—had