Ria the Rebellious was asleep again, curled on her side as if she didn’t have a care in the world. He reached out to wake her, but stopped. He wasn’t quite ready to let her go. He studied her face, the riotous blue streaks in her thick dark hair, and smiled as he wondered what her mother would think of the pop of color. She’d likely be livid.
Sensual exhaustion had forced them to recreate only a condensed version of the night before. Afterward, they’d both fallen asleep.
He hadn’t mentioned he knew who she was. He had no regrets, but eventually she was going to have to go back to the cruise liner. When was it scheduled to leave? A couple of hours? He couldn’t remember and his focus drifted again.
He pulled a stray lock of blue away from her cheek and tucked the strand behind her ear. She sighed. He moved closer, kissing her cheek. She was so soft, so sweet, so addictive. He kissed the corner of her mouth and she stirred. He brushed her lips with his in a light kiss meant to wake her gently. Then he did it again. The second time, she kissed him back.
Cam whispered, “Hey, you need to wake up.”But I hate to let you go.
She cleared her throat and said softly, “I don’t want to. Snuggle with me instead.” The robust urge to do just as she said filled his body, but his mind told him to cool it. She needed to go back. Her mother was worried. Axel was upset. She’d broken the cardinal rule of travel to Earth, and maybe more than just the one. He could shackle her right now to force her cooperation. Hmm. That vision faded to a private place in his mind.
“Believe me, I want to snuggle with you more than anything, but you truly have to go back.”
“Back? What do you mean? Back where? I want to stay here with you.”
Cam hesitated.I want you to stay here with me, too.He forcefully shook off his desire. “I mean back to the spaceship. You weren’t supposed to leave the basement facility without written permission. And you don’t have either a note or a get-out-of-jail-free card.”
Ria stiffened like her whole body had been zapped with lightning. Her eyes flew open and her lovely face looked stricken.
It was a bit embarrassing to realize he’d found her only by accident. He’d tried to read her thoughts last night and couldn’t. That should have been a giant red flag. His ability to see into the minds of humans was greater than average. His inability to read her thoughts were because she was an Alpha and not because he’d had too much to drink. He should have realized. Security and watching out for trouble was his job, after all, even when he was off duty.
She cleared her throat and tried to brazen it out. “What makes you think I’m from—what did you call it?—a spaceship? Or that I don’t have permission to go wherever I want?” She laughed as if a lack of permission to roam the wilds of Earth was the most ridiculous thing she’d ever heard.
“Because the call I got earlier was in reference to you. I had to go because I’m the chief security officer for the Big Bang Truck Stop way station here on Earth. A passenger was missing from theRoyal Caldera Forte. Your mother showed me your picture.
“You, my sweet, rebellious Ria, are blatantly defying the rules of the way station by roaming off the grounds without prior permission. You especially were not authorized to be at that human karaoke bar. I have the authority to put you in the brig and shackle you if you resist.”
Ria sat up. She couldn’t have looked more horrified if she woke to find a crust-fish in bed with her. “Oh my gosh. You’re anAlpha?”
“Yes. And so are you.”
“How is that possible? You were in an earthling bar!” she said, her tone accusatory.
“So were you!” he accused right back. “Illegally, I might add. I live here. I can go where I want.” His presence at the bar wasn’t exactly sanctioned, but it wasn’t against any rules. In theory.
Her gaze roamed his body for a few seconds. Under her breath, she said, “Of course you’re built like an Alpha. Youareone.” She shook her head again. “How could I have been so fooled? Wait. What did you say about a brig and a shackle?”
“Never mind that for now.” He wasn’t planning on shackling her or putting her in jail.Am I? No. Stop it.“Why were you even off the ship in the first place?”
Ria’s expression remained stunned. She stared like she hadn’t seen him before and offered, “I was exploring?”
He huffed. “Oh? Illegally exploring, though, right?”
Her eyes narrowed and the rebellious smile that had snared his attention last night resurfaced. “But that’s the best kind.” Her head tilted to one side. “Do you doeverythingyou’re told to do?”
Cam didn’t even have to think about it. “Yes. Of course.”
She scanned him from hairline to chin and then from shoulders to knees. “I should have known you weren’t an earthling.”
Cam smiled at her defiant attitude. “Why is that?”
One shoulder lifted. “Well, besides your very Alpha build, I’m usually better at reading people.” She tapped one side of her head with a knowing smile. The first thing Alphas learned about humans was their susceptibility to gentle mindreading and sometimes persuasion.
“Me, too,” he admitted.
“Is that so?”
“Yep.”
