Page 32 of On a Rogue Planet
Her nervous question knocked Xander back to reality.
“You do look like a pleasure worker.”
She winced. “Thanks. That fills me with confidence.”
“I prefer you in your cargo pants.” And he realized he did. He particularly liked the way her pants hugged the line of her bottom.
Something in her face softened.
He continued, “You cannot go out looking like that.” Especially not on a wild, rough, pit-fighting world where men fought for women and bartered them like possessions.
Everything soft in her face fled. “Hey, tough guy.” She snapped her fingers. “I’m supposed to look like a pleasure worker. Besides, this outfit is way less revealing than most I’ve found on the vids. You know, naked seems to be popular.”
Xander’s jaw tightened to the point of pain. He wasn’t having her naked. No way.
Suddenly he realized Malin had gone silent. And was staring. At him. “Malin?”
“You…you…” She shook herself. “You look…so different.”
He couldn’t argue with her.
Her gaze skimmed over him, lingering on his new temp tattoos over his chest. Xander had an insane and completely unfamiliar urge to waste energy on the inefficient pastime of fidgeting.
She moved closer, studying Eos’s artwork. So close he could feel her warm breath against his skin. Instantly, he felt his body respond.
He’d never had so little control over himself in his life.
Her hand moved, like she was going to trace the tattoos. Before it reached him, it dropped away.
“Malin…you may touch me.” Even to Xander, his voice sounded strangled.
“Why would I want to do that?” Her voice was tart.
“Your hormone levels have increased, and you appear to want to touch me. Earlier you wanted to kiss me.”
Her eyes narrowed. “Are you completely clueless?”
“No. I have very high intelligence coupled with advanced implants that?—”
“Xander. Shut up.” She was shaking her head. “Kissing. Touching. That’s not going to happen.”
It really was better that they didn’t indulge this need. He had to focus on his mission.
But with her standing there, all smooth, creamy skin and smoky eyes, he was unable to stop himself. “I want to kiss you.”
She hissed in a breath. “Listen, tough guy, earlier you told everyone you don’t feel anything for me. That isn’t conducive to making a woman interested in kissing.”
He processed that. “I’m sorry. I have no experience with dealing with women in a…personal way.”
“Wait, what?” Her eyes widened. “Are you a virgin?”
“No.”
“But you said?—”
“As part of my CenSec training, I was required to have sexual intercourse with a female CenSec. To experience the act and catalogue the experience.”
Malin’s mouth dropped open. “They make you have sex?”
