She looked up, her golden eyes shadowed.
Yeah, the Doc had everything. She didn’t need a rogue treasure hunter anymore.
She didn’t need him.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Eos sat on the bunk in her cabin, theMona Lisaa heavy load in her hands.
She thumbed the protective casing, staring at the woman’s enigmatic face. No record existed of who she was, just that her portrait had become one of Earth’s most famous paintings.
Had she ever felt torn in so many different directions?
Eos had promised Dathan this piece of painting, but holding it in her hands made her question everything. She’d had a private call with theOdysseyto talk to Diego, and knew wonderful things waited for her back at the Institute.
He’d spoken with headquarters. They were going to offer her Head of Terran Expeditions. Her dream job.
She hoped her mother was proud of her.
She turned the fragment over in her hands. Everything she’d ever wanted was waiting for her to reach out and take it.
But maybe she wanted something different.
The door chimed.
“Come in.” She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.
The door opened and Dathan stood in the doorway, one shoulder pressed to the jamb. “We’re about to dock with theOdyssey. I’m guessing you’re eager to get back to the Institute.”
Ask me to stay. She wanted to scream the words.
But something in his roguish smile warned her that the carefree adventurer was back.
She was in love with Dathan Phoenix, galactic treasure hunter. Her heart gave two hard thumps. A part of her hungered for a life with him—adventure, travel, expeditions to the outer reaches. She didn’t want to go back to the stuffy corridors of the Institute, waiting for the next time they doubted her. She didn’t want to walk back into her empty apartment.
“Dathan—”
“It’s been a hell of an adventure, Doc.” He strode forward now, his blue-green eyes bright. “I certainly won’t forget it in a hurry. In fact, I was thinking I might hit the beaches of Duna for a bit to recover.”
She dragged in a breath and decided to take the biggest risk she ever had. “Dathan, I want to stay. I’m in love with you.”
His stride faltered for a second, but his smile never did. “Come on, Doc. This rusty old boat and a drafty moon can’t be much of an attraction for you.”
She lifted her chin. “It’s you I want, not your damn moon or ship.”
He paused in front of her. “We had a good time?—”
She rose. “Don’t you dare give me the damn speech you give all the women you push out of your bed after a casual hookup.”
One brow rose. “Why not?”
Eos slammed a hand against his chest. “Don’t you lump me with all of them. You’re in love with me, dammit!”
All she could hear was her ragged breathing. She swore she saw something move through his eyes, but he turned away.
“You have a fancy new job to go back to. Your mother would be proud.”
“Dathan, please, look at me.”
