Braxis angled to the left of the galley, opened a door, and led me into another room. I squinted against the sudden glare.
“Lower light to 20 percent,” Braxis commanded.
The light faded to a more comfortable level. I stopped and stared. Ahead of us was a rectangular space filled to overflowing with plants. The air was humid and warm but comfortable and the sudden relief from the noise of the rec room added to that comfort. Sweet citrus scents competed with lush berry aromas and the green tang of herbs. Fruit trees loomed over tiers of vegetables and bushes full of berries while large pots held mountains of herbs. None of the plants were merely for show, they all produced food of some sort, but they were also beautiful, and just standing among them gave me a measure of peace.
“I didn't know this was here,” I murmured as I stepped forward, across the tiled floor and away from him.
“He didn't show you?”
“No, he didn't,” I admitted as I drew a hand across some basil, then cupped my palm over my nose and breathed deeply.
Braxis stepped past me and I caught the corner of his grin. He liked the fact that he had shown me something Malik hadn't—and on Mal's own ship no less. Well, let him have the small victory; we'd see how far it got him.
Braxis plucked a berry from a bush and popped it into his mouth, glancing at me out of the corner of his eye. He picked a few more berries and held them out to me. I took one. As I chewed, his stare dropped to my lips and lingered there.
“These are my favorite,” he murmured as he watched me.
“They're very good,” I noted crisply and moved past him. “Mellow and sweet.”
“They grow all over Reaksar,” his voice was closer than I expected.
I turned to find Braxis mere inches away. His hand reached out and I forced myself to stand my ground. Our bargain gave him touching rights but I refused to let it intimidate me. His thumb brushed the juice from my lips and then lifted to his mouth. He licked it away as he watched me intensely.
“What are you doing?” I asked dryly.
“Touching you as is my right.”
I lifted my chin and stared him down. He started to lower his mouth to mine and I turned my head away.
“Kissing is not part of the agreement.” I slipped away from him.
“Do you truly find me so repulsive?” Braxis asked softly.
There was something in his tone that struck me—something vulnerable that had me answering him with the truth. “I find what you'redoingto me repulsive and you find me—the woman I am—repulsive. But I think we can agree that neither of us finds the other physically repellent.” I paused to look him over. “Quite the contrary which is a pity.”
“You'd rather we not be attracted to each other?” Braxis cocked his head at me.
“Of course. If we weren't, I wouldn't be here.”
“Ah,” he said softly and edged closer. “So, you blame your imprisonment on lust.”
“Completely.”
His head lowered again. I stepped back but my calf hit a shelf of plants. Braxis crowded me and I leaned away. His hands slid around my back to support me and the scent of crushed herbs rose around us. I looked up into his brutal face and saw something much softer than I'd expected. His full lips parted on a deep breath.
“Kiss me, Amara,” Braxis whispered.
“No.”
“Just one kiss.” He closed his eyes and brushed his lips across mine.
The hair of his short beard tickled me and I shivered. I pressed my hands against his chest and pushed but he didn't budge.
“One kiss and I won't ask any further intimacies of you today,” he bargained.
I swallowed past the dryness in my throat. “No. I'm not doing this with you.”
“Not even to be free of your obligations for today?” He cajoled.
