He glanced at the ceiling—which was dumb because Tower was all around. “Tower, I don’t suppose I could have a sleeping bag and pillow. I’m gonna camp out in the hall as a precaution.”
Tower did him one better. A cot appeared.
“Dude, if I could give you a review, it would be five out of five stars.”
The cot proved more comfortable than expected, and Grayson fell asleep and didn’t wake until Leila’s door opened and she squeaked, “Grayson, don’t tell me you slept here all night?”
He stretched and gave her a grin. “Wanted to make sure I wasn’t late for our breakfast date.”
CHAPTER 10
Leila didn’t knowhow to feel about Grayson. After her less-than-positive experience with the opposite sex—those treating women as chattel with no rights and arranging a marriage for her with someone decades older, which led to her fleeing—she’d never expected to find herself interested in the company of a man, let alone a warrior.
Yet, since meeting Grayson, she’d discovered enjoyment in his company. He didn’t make untoward comments or advances. He admired her work. Also proved very nice to look at—stirring feelings she’d not experienced since college, the place where she’d first tasted freedom. While abroad studying, she’d discovered a culture where women could make their own choices. Could take lovers. Could chart their own path. Returning home had been jarring, as her newfound independence got torn away.
Rebelling resulted in beatings. Speaking out led to more bruises and restriction in her movement. The diploma she’d worked hard for didn’t matter because it was decided that, as a woman, her only purpose was to wed and bear children.
Tower offered her a way out. A chance for freedom. Yet, she never shook the fear it would be torn away. She kept herselfapart from everyone. After all, if her own family could betray her, then who could she trust?
But everything changed when Grayson came along. His smiles and presence roused the woman in her. Their interactions made her recognize her loneliness, and she suddenly craved companionship. Wouldn’t it be nice to have someone to share her day with? A person who made her feel special and protected? A lover to satisfy her neglected needs?
It hadn’t been until after her dinner with Grayson, a decision made on the spur of the moment, that she’d realized she might be ready to allow someone into her life. Not just anyone, though. Grayson. However, that didn’t mean he wanted the same thing. He’d been nothing but a gentleman. Could it be the attraction was only one-sided? After all, there’d been a moment after he’d walked her to the door where he could have attempted a good-night kiss, but he didn’t even lean in close. However, he’d readily agreed to meet for breakfast.
It only occurred to her later that she’d not asked what time, not that time always had meaning in Tower, a place that seemed to abide by its own clock. The next morning, while she showered and dressed, she debated what to do. Brazenly show up at his door? Wait and see if he knocked at hers?
Rather than choose, she decided to check on her lab, only upon opening her door, who lay across the front of it? The object of her thoughts.
“Grayson, don’t tell me you slept here all night?” He obviously had, judging by the cot and the tousled hair, not to mention the same clothes he’d worn the night before.
“Wanted to make sure I wasn’t late for our breakfast date.” Said with an impish grin.
“I didn’t need you to stand guard,” she chided, even as she couldn’t help a spurt of pleasure.
“Wasn’t comfortable leaving you alone on this floor, knowing how unpredictable those aliens are.”
“Speaking of which, I should take a peek and see if they behaved overnight.”
Upon entering the lab, everything seemed in order, nothing broken and the door to the secure chamber remained sealed. However, a peek through the window had her gasping.
“It escaped the cage.”
“Did it cut through the bars with its teeth?” Grayson queried.
“Seems most likely.” The bars had definitely been cut somehow and then bent, allowing it to squeeze out. “It ate my other samples.” Small ones, at least, meaning Blue only grew a fraction. As if sensing her stare, it glared at her from the rear corner.
“Think it can chew its way through the walls or door?”
She bit her lower lip. “I would have said no before seeing it could gnaw through metal.”
“We’re going to need a different containment unit,” he murmured. “Tower, can you provide us with a bullet-proof glass box? And since you can’t see Blue, you’ll want it to go from mid room to ceiling, wall to wall, and even the floor.”
In the blink of an eye, the busted cage disappeared, replaced with a new container that filled the rear half of the room, and despite Tower not detecting Blue, the alien ended up inside it.
The critter lost its mind and battered against the clear surface before attempting to claw and even drag its teeth, to no avail. It didn’t even leave a scratch.
“That’s brilliant,” she exclaimed.
“You’ll need Tower to provide an access hatch when you need to take more samples, or feed it, but I wouldn’t recommend leaving it in place when done.”
