Nerus smiled. “I’m sure they don’t mind having a pretty female around a little longer. If you need anything before Yiri gets there, have them call me.”
I passed the frame back to the tech and crossed my arms over my chest.Business. What business was more important than picking up hisAneahfrom an intergalactic voyage? I cameall this wayfor him, and he can’t even take the day off work to meet me? Seriously?
“Can you believe this guy, Mr. Darcy?” I huffed. “The audacity of males on any planet is astounding.”
“Can I get you anything else, Miss Keaton?” the tech asked, hovering nervously nearby. “Another coffee?”
“I could go for a whiskey, actually,” I said. “Do you have that?”
“Oh, yes,” he nodded. “How do you like it?”
“Neat.”
He disappeared into the vessel and returned a few minutes later with a crystal glass of warm, honeyed liquid. I thanked him and took a big sip.Perfect. The whiskey scorched its way down my throat on the first sip, and warmed me to my toes each time after. Or maybe that was my annoyance keeping me warm, because I waited another full half hour for my tardy would-be husband to show his face.
His unfortunately very handsome face.
“Cora!” his deep voice called across the secure BMM area. My head whipped around, my eyes zeroing in on him before I could control my reaction. But I clamped down hard on that instinctive eagerness and scowled at him, not bothering to stand from the comfortable chair I was seated in with Mr. Darcy.
Yiri’s brows pinched. Security stopped him, demanding to see his credentials, but he kept his eyes on me the whole time. Eyes that were darker and more full of dangerous promises than any camera could ever capture. He was imposing, both inexpression and stature. He was almost a head taller than most of the transport techs, and he looked a hell of a lot meaner. I’d been surrounded by the most polite and pleasant-natured males I’d ever met from Earth to this very spot, but several yards away, an absolute beast of a male was all but snorting and hoofing at the ground, about to charge me.
And I was mad at him. I wasnotturned on. Not even a little bit.
The tech who gave me his jacket and waited on me hand and foot while Yiri took care of hisbusinessapproached me again, a tentative expression on his face. “Miss Keaton, Mr. Ahlon has arrived.”
“Oh, I’m aware of his Majesty’s presence,” I said, not taking my narrowed eyes offMr. Ahlon.
“Would you like me to gather your things?” the tech asked.
I had no idea if he should or not. Most of my luggage was sitting at my feet on a little cart, but I had a few things strewn around me like my e-reader, some lip balm, and a comfort blanket I’d brought from home.
“I will do that,” Yiri said, joining us. His gaze flickered downward from my face for the first time, taking in the coat I wore. He immediately started taking off his own. “Who’s fucking clothes are you wearing,Aneah?”
The tech sucked in a breath at the word. “She was cold, Mr. Ahlon. I just wanted her to be comfortable. I had no idea.”
Yiri made a gravelly, growling sound. “Take it off.”
“Excuse me?”
He held out his coat and jerked his chin at the one I still wore. “Take. It.Off.”
“It’scold,Yiri!”
“You’ll wear mine,” he said, shaking his coat impatiently.
“You can’t just leave me waiting here on this abominable snow planet without any seasonal gear and expect me to turn mynose up when someone is kind enough to offer me something warm.”
“Miss Keaton, please,” the tech said, quiet pleading in his voice. “I had no idea, or I would have….”
“You would have let her freeze?” Yiri asked sharply.
“No!” the tech backpedaled. “No! She could have waited in the vessel. Or I could have brought her blankets. Anything else?”
“Why didn’t you?” Yiri demanded. “Now my mate smells like another male.”
“Stop it,” I said, tucking Mr. Darcy into his carrier and shucking off the borrowed coat. I handed it over to the anxious tech, who was now a much paler shade of pink than before. “Thank you.”
Before I could even turn around, Yiri was wrapping his coat around my shoulders and pulling it closed. It was far warmer than the other one, toasty with his body heat, but I wasn’t going to admit that to him.
