Page 55 of In a Dangerous Orbit
“Welcome home, Prime Saros,” the computer chimed. The door opened.
He waved Xenia inside. Lights clicked on automatically, bathing the space in a golden glow. It was all glass, metal, and warm woods.
She stared at the floor. “Real wood?”
“Yes. Imported from Rahon III.”
Beautiful and expensive. She’d always wanted a real wood floor. There was something so welcoming and comforting about it.
He gestured to the stairs. “I’ll show you to the guest bathroom and find you something to wear.”
“And you’ll find that medscope.”
“Yes, Dr. Alexander.”
She lifted the Sync they’d found. “We need to charge this first.”
“Right.” He led her over to an office off the entry. It was done in more of the warm wood and accented in blue. The window gave a lovely view of the gardens of the neighboring academy.
The office smelled like him. It looked like him. She stroked a finger over the leather chair then set the Sync down on the charging pad on the desk.
Next, he led her upstairs and to a bathroom as big as the bedroom in her apartment. It was done in cream tiles with a huge soaking tub, giant shower stall with about a thousand jets, and a full-body-sized air dryer.
He tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. “Get freshened up. I’ll see you soon. Very soon.” Then he was gone.
Butterflies winged through her belly. She was going to do this. Get naked and have sex with Axton Saros. Then she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror above the vanity and her eyes widened.
She looked like she’d been rolling around in black dirt. Her hair was a mess, and her uniform was ripped and covered in burn marks. At least the ultra-tough, high-tech fabric had protected her skin. She had a few tiny burns on her hands, but nothing as bad as Axton’s. She scowled. He’d played the hero and tried to protect her from the explosions.
She pulled her scorch blade out of her boot and set it beside the sink. Then she wasted no time stripping her clothes off and getting in the luxurious shower. Soon steam billowed in the bathroom and she relished the sensation of the hot water pounding her skin. As she got some soap from the dispenser onthe wall and washed her hair, she knew she should be angry about the fact he’d risked himself to protect her, a CenSec.
But some feminine part of her liked it. No one had ever tried to protect her before.
She heard the bathroom door open. Then silence.
Her heartbeat was loud in her ears. “Axton?”
“I brought you something to wear.” His voice sounded the tiniest bit strangled. “I don’t have anything that would fit you, but this’ll keep you covered for the moment.”
“Thank you.” There was a lot of steam in the room, and he was just a vague outline. She suspected that was all he could see of her as well. Despite her brazen words earlier, she was a bit nervous now.
She wasn’t technically a virgin, but she was close enough. She didn’t know the first thing about seducing a man, especially one who’d been linked to some of the most beautiful women on the planet, hell, in the star system. Women far less enhanced than she was, women who’d had sex numerous times.
Not knowing what to do, she lifted her arms and washed out the last of the soap from her hair.
She heard a noise she thought might have been a groan. That made her pause. Was just looking at her turning him on?
“How much can you see?” she asked.
“Enough,” he growled.
Some playful, teasing side of her rose up. A side she’d never known existed.
She squirted some more soap into her palm and then stroked it over her arms. She felt the intensity of his gaze like a laser beam. Gathering her courage, moved her hands down and cupped her breasts. She swirled her hands over them, felt her nipples pebble.
“Xenia?” Another growl.
“Yes?”
