Page 19

She hesitated, then nodded. “We didn’t come for a fight. But before we leave, we do a quick fly-by over the location signal. We could get useful pictures of their activities.”

Hunter remained beside her as they jogged along, resisting the urge to tell her to pick up the pace. His senses were on high alert, waiting to see any Siblet.

“How we doing? Any signs of trouble?” Cleo asked.

“No problems so far.” He glanced at her. “You’re smiling. You like being hunted by Siblet and scaly things that want to kill us?”

“Not so much. But I forgot how much I enjoyed being off the ship.”

“Even though we’re being chased?”

“Even then. It’s so good to be out in the field.”

Hunter glanced over his shoulder and scowled as he got his first glimpse of a Siblet. And he wasn’t on his own.

“We need to hide.” He pointed at a metal shed. “That looks like a power relay site. We can wait them out.”

“Where are they?”

“They’re coming from behind us. A whole troop.”

They raced to the metal shed, and Hunter broke the lock on the door, and pushed Cleo inside after checking the place was empty. There was an energy hum in the air, and the structure was jammed full of equipment, so there was barely enough space for them both to stand.

Hunter kept the door open a crack while standing behind Cleo as he waited to see the Siblet go past.

His cock hardened as she brushed up against his back, and her sweet scent overwhelmed him. Hunter closed his eyes for a second and breathed in deep.

“Um... are you okay back there?” Cleo whispered.

“Just perfect.”

“You know, I can feel you pressed up against me.”

There was no point in him hiding his arousal, not when there was no room to move. And he didn’t want to. Cleo knew how hot she made him. “There’s nothing wrong with that. I desire you. You’re a smart, beautiful woman, and I want you in my bed every night, naked and climaxing on top of me.”

Cleo sucked in a breath. “I... um... I... focus on the Siblet.”

“I’m doing that. I can watch those jerks and have fantasies about you. Apexians are multi-taskers.”

“Hunter.” She breathed out his name, sending a flash of desire through him. “Now’s not the time.”

“If you tell me you’re not interested, I’ll back off. Tell me I was a mistake.” He whispered the words in her ear, detecting a faint shudder run through her body.

Cleo didn’t move away. She leaned back. But she was silent for a long time as they watched the troop of Siblet.

Hunter counted thirty of them, all of them armed.

“It wasn’t a mistake,” Cleo said. “But I didn’t know what the future held for us.”

“I know what it holds for us. You’re my mate. We’re meant to be together.”

She stiffened against him, but made no move to pull away. “You make it sound like we have no option but to be together.”

“Maybe we don’t.” He kissed her neck, and her body shuddered.

If Cleo didn’t react to his touch every time they got close, Hunter would believe he was imagining the attraction was one-sided. He’d back off for good if that was the case. But she desired him. Her head might be rationalizing the fuck out of this tricky situation, but her body knew exactly where it wanted to be.

“You’re killing me,” she whispered.