Page 24 of Badass Alien Boss

“A little less.”

“The storm could last anywhere from fifteen minutes to four or five hours. So, we could be here four hours or eight.”

“Eighthours? We could be stuckovernight?”

“Potentially. Could be less.” The worst solar storm on record bombarded the planet for ten hours, but that was way before his time. Before his parents’ time. However, old-timers still reminisced about the Great Solar Storm. “Here.” He handed her a box.

“At least we have food. And the company is good.” She grinned.

“The company is excellent.” He smiled back, not the least bit upset at the prospect of several hours of uninterrupted time with her.

The data tab light flattered her already-pretty features, making her gaze seem softer, her full mouth fuller, her creamyskin smoother. Tendrils of soft, flyway hair framing her cheeks tempted him to brush it away.

He was getting hard again.

As usual, the meal tasted delicious. Besides the food, Mama had included water and an alcoholic beverage. To weaken his defenses? He wouldn’t put it past her. She never missed a beat, always thinking two steps ahead. It had made her a fearsome defense minister—and a formidable matchmaker.

“I guess we needed silverware after all,” Michaela commented.

“Don’t tell Mama. She’s too sure of herself as it is. It will only give her more ammunition.”

Mama could try to pair them up, but they were two comets on different trajectories. While their orbits had intersected for a moment in time, they were destined to diverge. He would settle into some kind of gainful occupation on Luturna, and she would follow her dreams back to Earth.

“Does sitting on the floor bother you?” she asked.

“Not yet.” Would it bother her to be saddled with a man who limped? Who could never be what he had once been?

They ate in silence for a few minutes.

“I’m not leaving Luturna until I figure out what’s going on,” she said out of the blue.

“What if you don’t figure it out before your term ends?”

“I’ll stay until I do—or I’m confident you’re safe and nobody is coming for you. I have an investment in you.”

Was it wrong to hope it took her a long, long time? “And what if you figure it out tomorrow?”

“That would be an amazing feat!” She chuckled. “If I solve the mystery before my stint is up, I’d still stay the full term.”

Five-and-a-half months didn’t seem long enough. She liked him—he knew that, but he was also aware of her true motivationfor staying. “Of course. You still want to get your full salary for your future investigations firm.”

“For you. I made a commitment.”

“Your commitment is to GAL Friday.”

She stopped eating. “That sounds like you would like me to leave sooner.”

“No, no, not at all. I like working with you.” He’d given her the wrong idea.

“Good, because I like being with you, too.”

Being? Not working butbeing. His heart skipped a beat at her choice of words. Still, the money had to be an influencing factor. He recalled the financials. “Most agencies don’t pay as well as GAL Friday,” he commented. None, actually. Not for her kind of work.

“I wouldn’t know. It’s the only temp agency I’ve worked with.”

If he had any idea how much Korsan had agreed to pay GAL Friday for bodyguard services when Michaela first came aboard, he would have fought to the ends of the universe to fire her. He would havequitbefore he allowed his brother to pay such an exorbitant fee for any service, let alone one he hadn’t wanted.

Now, he’d pay any amount to keep her. But those were feelings talking, not his business head. A top-notch investigator, she was more thorough and perceptive than the authorities had been. However,objectively, the best investigator in the entire galaxy wouldn’t be worth GAL Friday’s fees.