“Of course it would mean something to me!” The words came out raw and angry. “I love you, you idiot!”
He went absolutely still, watching her. “What did you say?”
“I love you.” She wiped at her eyes with the back of her hand, furious at herself and at him. “I love you, you stupid idiot of an alien. It’s stupid and I shouldn’t… I mean what kind of sensible woman falls in love with her bloody alien kidnapper? It’s been two days. Less than two days. This doesn’t happen in two days. This doesn’t?—“
He moved quicker than she could finish the sentence. One second she was standing there, crying and ranting, and the next his good arm was around her waist and he was pulling her against him. Close enough to feel his heat through the borrowed shirt, close enough to feel his heart hammering against her chest.
“Shut up,” he said, and bent his head to kiss her.
His mouth was warm and demanding. She made a sound against his lips, surprise or surrender or something in between, she wasn’t sure. His arm tightened around her, pulling her even closer.
Oh god. He could kiss.
His tongue swept into her mouth and her train of thought scattered, her hands fisting in the front of his ruined uniform jacket, her whole body pressed against his.
When he pulled back, they were both breathing hard. He rested his forehead against hers, eyes closed and his arm locked around her waist like he was afraid she’d disappear if he let go.
“Say it again,” he demanded in a rough growl.
“I love you.”
The smile that spread across his face was worth every terrifying moment of the past two days.
The console behind them chirped. Without letting her go, Thyaar reached out and hit a button.
“Vett’an here.”
The voice that came through the speakers was male and military-crisp. “Sub-Commander. The C’Vaal have cut and run, including the ship that was attached to your hull. Do you require assistance?”
Thyaar lifted his head and looked around the bridge. At the bodies, the ruined consoles and at Barnaby, who had reclaimed the pilot’s chair and was curled up asleep as if he hadn’t just helped take down half a pirate boarding party.
He chuckled.
“We’re fine,” he said. “But our engines are damaged. We’re not going anywhere under our own power.”
“We can send over external drive units and provide an escort to your destination. Configuration will take approximately six hours.”
Six hours.
Thyaar looked down at her. His eyes were warm, and his wicked smile made her butterflies riot in her stomach.
“Six hours,” he said, “is absolutely fine.”
10
His eyes went dark with hunger. A delicious shiver rolled down her spine as her pulse kicked up into something that had nothing to do with pirates or near-death experiences.
"Six hours," he said again, and this time it was a promise.
Before she could respond, he scooped her up. One arm hooked under her knees while the other braced her back. She squeaked and wrapped her arms around his neck as she was pressed against his chest. He stood, carrying her off the bridge like she weighed nothing.
"Thyaar—"
"Amelia." His voice dropped into something rough and low as he looked deep into her eyes. "I’ve wanted you… needed you since you broke my nose with that bat. I am not waiting another second. Not for anything."
Well. Okay then.
She bit her lip as he carried her down the corridor toward the bedroom. It was still half-jammed from where she'd broken the lock panel, but he shouldered through the gap without slowing. He didn’t stop until they reached the edge of the bed, looking down at her with an expression that made her breath catch.
