Page 57 of Badass Alien Boss
Her passion-soaked gaze met his. “I love you,” she said.
“I love you.”
They kissed, open-mouthed, sloppy, wet, perfect, continuing to hold hands as hips moved in sync. When she came, exquisite pleasure contorted her face, and only then did he surrender to the ecstasy.
It was, he realized later, the first time he’d ever made love.
Afterward, they lay limbs entwined, hands stroking, occasionally kissing, speaking little. No words seemed necessary.
“Pinch me,” she said after a long while.
“What? Why would I do that?”
“Because I’ve never been this happy. Pinch me so I know it’s real.”
“It’s real.” He rubbed his cheek against the top of her head. He’d never felt so content, so complete, so excited for the future. Not even in the space force. Serving his planet had given him tremendous satisfaction and pride, but she brought him contentment and peace.
Finding love, finding her, had shifted his priorities. He couldn’t wait to leave Luturna and get started on their life together. He’d do what he could to help his brother, but when her term with GAL Friday ended, he’d go to Earth and never look back.
At the thought of Korsan, a wisp of significance tickled his consciousness and then evaporated. He cocked his head, trying to retrieve it.
“What is it?” she asked.
“Nothing. I had a thought. But it’s gone.”
She chuckled. “I hate it when that happens. It will come to you at 2 a.m.” She patted her mouth as she yawned. “Sorry.” She rubbed the side of her nose.
“No problem.” He yawned, too, and they laughed.
They held each other until they drifted to sleep.
* * * *
His eyes popped open as he jolted awake, the elusive wisp solidified.
Korsan never said hewasn’tlaundering money.
Michaela uttered a little gaspy-snort in her sleep. Careful not to disturb her, he eased out of bed.
Too wired now to sleep, he pulled on a robe and padded into the sitting room. City lights spilled into the space, reducing night to dusk. He paced as he replayed his brother’s words.
“I can’t believe you would accuse me of money laundering.”
“This is outrageous.”
“I’m stunned you would accuse me.”
Not a single denial. Only faux outrage. Not once did he utter the words, “I’m not laundering money,” or “I didn’t do it.”
“I swear on our parents’ ashes—”
What do you swear? You didn’t finish the sentence!
Like a slick politician, his brother had played him. He wasn’t sending them off planet to investigate, but to get rid of them. The trip was a boondoggle to prevent further digging into company finances.
He’d wanted to believe his brother so much, he’d heard what he wanted to hear.I should have let Michaela go with me to speak to him.Less emotionally invested, she would have caught on right away.
The anecdote from childhood had been an interesting subconscious slip, an admission of how he used to lie and trick him.Nothing’s changed.Korsan was still lying and manipulating.
