Page 24 of Loaned to the Leonid Knight

Oh, he could pounce in a heartbeat if she wanted him to.

“You’re just a big sweetie. Sweetest person I’ve ever met. I’m... I’m going to miss you when this is over.”

“I know,” his words tumbled out eagerly, “I was thinking the same thing. I would... If you were going to live in this galaxy, have you given thought to where you’d like to stay?”

“Not really. I don’t know much about anything outside of Sapien-Three. I just know this is better,” Sasha gave another laugh, this one dry, and to Gideon’s horror, he found that it had the same effect.

Everything she did had the same effect. Sasha was charming and witty. Vivacious. It was like she washed off years of rigidity and deference with mere hours of friendliness, peeling off coats of armor and loneliness, exposing the soul he buried underneath orders and suits.

“If we are successful, I will have money to live elsewhere. I wish to leave the Leonid System. There are still ancient prejudices in some parts of that world, and I want to be rid of them. What is more—I don’t want to succeed too swiftly, if you will forgive me, my Queen, for saying something that sounds insulting at first—”

“You would never insult me,” Sasha soothed, her hand on his arm, fingers sinking into his fur and staying there.

“You know me well, so quickly. And that... That is why I don’t wantthisventure to succeed too quickly. If I am successful, I fear my employer will want me to return to him. Then I’ll... I’ll have to leave this place.”And you.

“Well, no deal. I’ll tell him I need you with me. I heard— well, um, it might not be true in my case, but pregnant Queens need lots of male attention from their partners. Even though I’m guessing it won’t happen with me, it’ll be something that he can’t argue with. Anyway, you’re the best part of being on this ship,” Sasha beamed at him.

He was tempted to pull his arm away. She didn’t realize that her little touches were setting him on fire.

“On the other hand... I guess we’d better try sooner rather than later, so he doesn’t accuse you of not doing your duty. My records, which I guess he’ll have some sort of access to, would show I entered a ‘fertile window.’”

“Yes, but your comfort level is what determines our pace, not some injectionorFarhet’s wishes. When I... when I am paid what I’m owed, I was thinking that I might even like to try the Lynxian System. I hear there is a big population of —”

“Felid and human couples? Hybrid cubs?” Sasha nodded. “I thought about that, too. Maybe it’s a ‘settle down, find a happily ever place.’”

“You would have a thousand suitors,” Gideon said quickly, cursing himself for the way his throat and chest tightened at the thought of losing her to another.

She isn’t mine. Never was. She was, if anyone’s, Farhet’s. She was essentially loaned to me.

“I wouldn’t necessarily like that. Although,” Sasha rubbed the back of her neck, looking distinctly uncomfortable now, “if they were here now, maybe that would be different. Oooh,” shelet out a long breath and bent over, bracing her hands on the edge of the table in the corner of her quarters. “It’s really, really hot.”

“The terraformed bay was excessively warm, I’m sure, to keep the vegetables and fruits growing.”

“Yeah. That could be it. Or it could be the hormones kicking in.”

“Ah. Yes. That. Well, like I said, we could easily delay trying for this cycle. I am not impatient for the physical aspect of our mission.”

“I’m glad, because there’s no way you’re going to fit, and how do Layla and Wendy have babies if their husbands are freaking tanks?” Her tone was suddenly a frustrated whine.

Gideon rushed to the sink area and pulled one of the biodegradable cloths from the cabinet beside it. “Here, my Queen, you are feverish. It’s the hormones, I’m sure. A-and I’m sure,” he stammered, “that those couples had many hours of loving practice. I’m sure that Talos and Rupex are good men, men who didn’t hurt their wives with any overzealous attempts to force things to fit.”

Sasha nodded, head lolling back as Gideon pressed the cold towel to her forehead, then her neck. “You take such good care of me.”

“I am here to serve.”

“I want to serve you, too. I’m not used to having people take care of me. I was going to be a medic, you know?”

“I know. You will easily get a job in the Lynxian System. It’s not a terribly wealthy area, but there is plenty of work in mining and ranching communities.”

“You sound like you looked the place up,” Sasha chuckled, bending down, letting her long hair fall forward so she could scoop it up again, twisting it so it was off her neck.

Gideon kept dabbing the cold towel along her neck and the area of exposed shoulders he could see. He tried not to stare at the rest of her body as she bent and twisted, a sheen of sweat breaking out on her skin. Every time he was close to her, her sweet scent tortured him. When he was this close, and she was shimmering with perspiration, he was almost out of his mind with the urge to lick her neck and rub the small, shapely hips, as if he could keep the scent and feel of her with him forever if her grabbed enough of it now.

But he was used to depriving himself of the things he wanted most—or having others do it for him.

His priority was never his own wants, but others, and it wasn’t out of duty that he was eager to help Sasha.

Taking care of herisall I want. She is my little Queen. At least for now.