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“I’ll leave you to it.” Angel headed to the door. “Don’t do anything too strenuous, or you’ll open up the bite.” She grinned at Ash.

“I won’t move,” he said, his attention on Georgia. He was stunned she was here. Any clinical setting set her teeth on edge, and she always made excuses to avoid routine physical exams.

“How’s the arm feeling?” Georgia said.

“Like it’s been bitten by a pissed-off skink.”

A tight smile crossed her face as her gaze went around the room. Her face paled, and she sucked in a deep breath.

Sympathy hit Ash square in the gut. This must be torture for her. Although Georgia never talked about her time as a Siblet captive, everyone had heard the rumors. She’d spent six weeks recovering after being rescued from those bastards and most of it in a place like this. Being here must bring back dark memories.

Ash gave a slight shake of his head. If he ever got his hands on the aliens who treated her like a disposable lab experiment, he’d tear them to pieces. His blood heated, and a low growl rumbled in his chest.

“Is everything good with you?” Georgia said, concern crossing her face. “Are you in pain?”

He gestured her to come closer. “No, it’s not that. Thanks for coming to see me. I keep telling Angel I’m good to leave, but she’s not listening.”

Georgia edged closer to the bed, her hands clasped so tightly her knuckles were white. “I’ll see if I can pull a few strings and get you out of here.”

“Thanks. That would be great. I’m too busy to be in a sick bed.”

She looked away. “I... errr... didn’t mean to yell when I saw you injured. I just... you make me angry.”

“I get it. You don’t want anything to mess with the mission. It won’t. I’m already fifty percent healed. Give it another day, and I’ll be as good as new.”

“Sure. We can’t let anything get in the way of the mission.” Her tongue flicked across her lips, and she swallowed.

Ash forced himself to keep his undamaged arm by his side and not reach for her. He longed to tell her everything was fine, and nothing bad would happen while she was here, but she’d only pull back.

Ash gritted his teeth. What the hell was he doing? He knew how things played out with Georgia. She was too spiky and always pushed him away when he tried for anything more than a fast screw beneath the sheets.

He focused on his injury, giving himself a second to get his dumb feelings under control. But he couldn’t help how she made him feel. And he knew there was much more to Georgia than her aloofness and work obsession. She was clever, hard-working, and sexy.

Ash repressed the urge to growl again. It was time to get over this. Their relationship, such as it was, was going nowhere. He had to accept that, but he didn’t want to.

“Have you had any updates on our mission from Cleo?” Since he couldn’t find a solution to the hot, tempting problem standing in front of him, he’d move to a safer topic.

“Nothing new,” she said. “And I’ve pushed back our schedule twenty-four hours with Cleo. Will that give you enough time to recover?”

He masked his surprise. “You can guarantee it. And I could have gone at the planned time. I know Cleo needs us to move quickly.”

Georgia paced slowly around the room. “You could sit this one out if you’re still injured. I don’t mind doing this on my own.”

“You’d probably prefer that.” His tone was sharp. “I got the impression from your conversation with Cleo that you’re looking to work solo in the future.”

She lifted one shoulder. “Maybe. I don’t know. It seems easier if I work alone. I only have my back to watch.”

“Or leave exposed.”

She shrugged again.

“That’s not happening. I’m coming with you on this mission and on all future missions. Are we clear on that?”

Her gaze flashed to his, but she looked away just as fast so he couldn’t get a read on her expression. “Sure. We’ll go together. Cleo wants that, anyway. And she’s the boss.”

He grunted. Georgia may try, but she wasn’t getting rid of him. She was his partner, and he was sticking around, even if she only wanted him for one thing.

And he’d find the chink in her armor. There must be a way through the barricades to get to her softness and learn all about his feisty human partner.

What he’d do after that, he wasn’t sure. Ash wasn’t a forever kind of guy. He didn’t plan for forever when the next day could get you killed. It had happened to his younger sister, and it could easily happen to anyone he cared about.

But with Georgia, maybe there was a solution.