“Don’t frown so, babe,” Rourk interrupted her thoughts, just short of grinning. “Your new stats will list you as breached and a member of no less than four Stress Clinics.”
She blushed. She couldn’t help it. She didn’t have many close friends like Rourk, but those few she did have found it a source of amusement how she felt about sex-sharing, especially since they knew she was all for it, that it was only the choice in partners that was giving her trouble.
Fortunately, Martha came back on line then, before she really got to brooding about it. “Everything’s taken care of, kiddo.” Martha was using her sexy, purring voice for Rourk’s benefit. “You’re now Tamber De Oss, a World Discoverers Pilot with Explorations. I suppose you’d like a World Discoverers craft now?”
“That would be nice,” Tedra replied dryly. “And if it wouldn’t be too much trouble, you might hook up with Supply’s computers and requisition enough supplies for a lengthy voyage.”
“No problem, doll. Anything else?”
“Yes, I want—”
Rourk’s tap on her shoulder cut her off. “You—ah—better do something quick about your friend there. I’ll tell Martha what else you need.”
Tedra was already rushing across the room to drop down beside the warrior, who was starting to make waking noises. Damn, he hadn’t been out very long. “Ask Martha to find that agent and have it delivered,” she called over her shoulder, fighting off the hand that came immediately to her when she spoke. “Easy, baby.” She pried his fingers from her hair and leaned forward to whisper by his ear, “You’re drunk. Too much good Antury wine. But you’re having a great time.”
He must have thought so, for his head turned and his mouth caught hers just as her fingers went to his neck. Swirls of want and need denied too long came rushing to the surface, almost making Tedra forget to apply the pressure that would put him out again. But she did apply it. Her lips clung to his a moment more before his head fell to the side.
Tedra sat back on her heels, sighing as she stared at him. His hair was short and as black as her original color. His eyes were a lovely amber. She didn’t think she’d ever seen a man put together quite so nicely— well, except maybe his taller friend. It was a farden shame they had to be her enemies.
She’d been able to take this one down, but would it have been so easy if she hadn’t caught him by surprise? She ran a hand down his meaty arm, rock hard even in total relaxation. If those arms had wrapped around her in combat, she might have found herself on a ship headed for enslavement. He’d tried to get her on that ship. After he was finished with her, he would have tried again. She wondered how many other women were being stolen in that way.
“Too bad, sweetcakes.” She patted his cheek in regret. “But I don’t care for slavery, no matter how good-looking the master is. We’d have ended up killing each other.”
“What’s that?” Rourk asked behind her.
“Nothing. Are you sure he won’t remember anything after you give him the agent?”
“Not a thing. And he’ll have a sore head to assure him he imbibed too much, if his loss of memory doesn’t.”
“There was another warrior with him when they stopped me. He’s likely to remind Kowan—”
“Then why don’t you scratch him or something so he’ll have a reason towishhe could remember?”
Tedra grinned and leaned forward again, putting her lips to the sleeping warrior’s throat. When she finished, there was a small bruise of the like she had often seen on Rourk’s neck after Xeta had shared sex with him.
“That ought to make him swear off intoxicants for a good while,” Rourk said. “Are you sure you don’t want to be breached before you lose yourself in space?”
She glanced up and was shocked to see that he was serious. “Rourk!”
“Sorry,” he said, flushing. “I’ve just never seen you looking so soft.”
Had kissing the warrior done that to her? She was annoyed, thoroughly. After all, the farden slime had wanted to make a slave of her.
She got to her feet abruptly, grouching, “You picked a fine time to remember I’m a woman.”
He chuckled, now that the Sec was back. “I guess the timing is kind of lousy.”
“Did you get me a World Discoverer?”
“No, but I got you a priority rating, so you’ll have no trouble clearing port.”
“And just what, then, am I going to clear port in? What other single-pilot, long-distance craft—”
“I had to take what was available, Tedra. The Discoverers are all off planet or in repair. I got you a Transport Rover instead. It’ll go just as far as a Discoverer, even farther, and faster, too. It’s just bigger.”
“One hell of alotbigger, Rourk. How am I supposed to pilot a craft that large? I don’t know the first think about Rovers. My studies, short as they were, were on Discoverers.”
“Not to worry.” He grinned. “Tell her, Martha.”
