Dating Outside Your DNA (5 page)

But it had her. More than she wanted to even think about. How

could she enjoy when a man held her close, and hate him at the

same time?

She moved away from the fireplace and stood in front of the window, staring at the blackness outside. She didn't need any more heat.

God, what was she doing here? If she was home, she'd take a walk to ease the restlessness growing inside her. She was even more restricted than before. Roan would probably get pissed if she even suggested going for a walk.

Anger flared inside her, but just as quickly was gone. She wanted to become a part of this elite force more than anything. If she went against Roan's demands, he would tell Joe about her non -compliance and it would all be over, then where would she be?

For a brief moment, headlights illuminated the trees. Cole and  Frances were leaving for the evening. She was alone with Roan, and she was very aware of his presence. She might not like him that

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much but she couldn't stop the quickening of her pulse. There was  just enough Nerakian blood flowing through her veins that her lust  was strong, and enough Earth blood to be really pissed at him, all at  the same time.

"We'll start early in the morning," he said, breaking the silence

of the room.

She looked at him, then turned back to the window. "I always wake early." There was something peaceful about walking through the woods in the early morning when the dew kissed the earth. When

the sun broke through the trees, the ground shimmered like

diamonds.

Aasera had said there were lots of gems on Nerak. Diamonds as big as her thumb. Emeralds, rubies...stones that sparkled in the light of the bright sunshine. Someday she would like to go there.

Not that she thought that would ever really happen. She would probably be an outcast--not an earthling, not Nerakian. She wasn't quite sure exactly who she was.

Now she was getting maudlin. She knew who she was. She just wasn't sure exactly where s he fit in. She was a square peg trying to fit into a round hole.

"Do you play chess?" Roan asked.

"No," she said without looking at him. They'd already played

enough games for one day.

"Checkers?"

"No." She glanced at him.

He stood and again she marve led at just how tall he was. If he

ever came to her mother's home he would have to duck just to get

past the door. Not that she thought he'd ever visit.

"I noticed some board games when I was looking around

earlier."

He went to a cabinet and opened it. There were stacks of boxed games. They seemed out of place here.

"I told you that I don't know how to play either of those games."

What? Now he was trying to be Mr. Nice Guy?

"Then it's time you learned. I'll take it easy on you. We'll start off

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with checkers."

"Easy on me?" She was very smart and learned quickly. No one

had to take it easy on her. But it still didn't mean she wanted to learn

what would probably prove to be a very boring game.

He dragged his chair over to the coffee table and sat down,

removing the board from the box. When he had it set up, he looked at  her. "It's kind of hard to play from over there. Unless you have elastic  arms or something."

"No, my arms don't stretch." Ass.

"Then let's play."

She frowned. It wasn't as though she had plans for tonight,  unless she wanted to meditate in her room. She'd never enjoyed  sitting in a corner with her legs crossed, thinking about absolutely  nothing.

Okay, she'd play his stupid game. She dragged the other chair  over, sitting across from him.

"You're black and I'm red," he said.

"Why do I have to be black?" Her favorite color was red, not  black.

He turned the board so that the red disks faced her. "Okay, you're red. Better?"

She shrugged. It hadn't mattered that much, but since there

was a  choice, she'd rather be red. Roan probably thought she was

spoiled and had to have her way. Not that she cared what he thought.

"The object of the game is to win my black pieces by moving

around the board."

"How do I win them?" She stared at the board.

He quickly explained the rules which sounded simple enough.

"You move first," he said.

It was probably a trick. If she moved first, he would take her red game piece. "No, you move first."

"Whatever." He moved out. "Your turn."

He hadn't left himself unprotected so she couldn't steal his checker. She moved hers, he moved one of his, she moved hers, he moved his, then she moved again. He jumped two of her checkers

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and scooped them up. She frowned when she looked at him. "You  took my checkers."

He raised  his eyebrows. "That
 
is
 
the object of the game."

It might be the object of the game but she didn't have any of

his. She was losing and it didn't sit very well with her.

She moved again, careful to protect her red pieces this time. He  moved, leaving a checker vulnerable. She jumped him, gloating when  she picked up his black chip. As she had first thought, this was a  simple game and she did catch on fast. She made a production out of  setting his chip on her side.

He jumped the piece that she'd used to take his, then had the  nerve to gloat.

That hadn't been very nice.

"Your turn," he told her.

She glared at him. "I know." Leaning forward, she stared at the  game board, calculating her next move. Five minutes later, she  moved. He quickly followed her chip with his black one.

So, that was his strategy. He was trying to trap her. She studied  the board, then moved a checker three rows over. He advanced  another square. She moved in for the kill and jumped his. He jumped  both hers.

"King me," he said.

Her frown deepened. That's exactly what she'd like to do! But  instead of turning violent, she placed one of her hard earned black  chips on top of his. Then she studied the board again. She wanted a  king. And why did they call it king, anyway. She'd call hers queens.

Roan watched Lyraka as she gazed intently at the board.  Amazing how much you could learn from someone just playing a  board game. She hated losing and didn't easily give up. No, she  studied each one of his moves, weighed the risks, then moved her  piece. She wouldn't win this game, but he had no doubt she would be  winning before the night was over. He liked the way she thought out  what she was going to do before she did it, rather than blindly rushing  in.

She jumped three of his black pieces. He sat forward. How had

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she done that? He scanned the board. Did she maneuver him into

position, or had it just been dumb luck? He looked at her. She  smirked. For a moment, he forgot all about the game as he got lost in  her eyes. When she turned her attention to taki ng his three checkers,  the spell was broken.

"Good move," he told her.

"Yes, I know."

"Your modesty is admirable."

She laughed. The sound washed over him, touching him,  caressing him. Was tempting men beyond reason another of her  gifts?

"I won your pi eces fair and square because I outthought you."

"You think so?"

"I know so."

He rested his elbows on his knees and studied every angle of the board. She would be a good opponent.

"Are you going to move or do you give up?" she said, breaking his concentration.

"What?"

"You've been studying the board for ten minutes."

He glanced at the clock on the wall. Actually, it had only been  nine. He looked back at the board again, then made his move.

She studied the board, then moved. He only took a few minutes this time. She was falling into his trap just as he planned. She moved.  He moved. One more and he'd have her. She jumped the rest of his  checkers and scooped them off the board.

How the hell had she done that? He looked at the board and

immediately realized where he'd made a wrong move. Again he had

to wonder if it had been skill or luck.

"You're not very good at checkers, are you?" she gloated.

"You got lucky."

"Sore loser?"

"You won't win the next one."

Five games later, and nearing eleven on the wall clock, Lyraka

had won three out of five games. Maybe it hadn't been dumb luck.

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She was pretty good at figuring out her opponent's strategy.

She stood, stretching her arms above her head, revealing an expanse of creamy skin and a sexy little belly button. The only things going through his mind were how soft her skin actually felt, and how it was all he could do to restrain himself from pulling her into his lap and kissing her into submission.

"I'm beat," she said. "It's been a long day, and you did say we'd start at six."

He wouldn't tell her he'd already started his evaluation of her with the games of checkers they'd played. There were more ways to see how a person ticked than answering silly questions on a form some doctor made up when he was bored and didn't have anything better to do. No, Roan had his own way of doing things.

"Yes, six. I'll see you in the morning," he said.

She nodded as she headed for the stairs. Man, she had a nice walk. There was just enough sway in her hips to heat his blood. Her tight jeans hugged her ass in a way that made him almost jealous.

Damn, how the hell did Joe expect him to stay here in an isolated building, alone at night, with a woman who looked hot and sexy, and not touch her? Especially now that he knew she wasn't repulsed by him. The situation was almost impossible. If it wasn't for the fact that Joe had promised to let him return to active duty, Roan would have insisted someone else train Lyraka.

His problem wasn't that he wanted to make love to her, that

was pretty much inevitable. No, his problem was not knowing how  long he could survive until he did sleep with her.

Things were going to get complicated.

He put away the game board and the checkers, then went to

the front door and stepped out. The night air  was cool and crisp. So  different from the city noises. A coyote howled, a deeply mournful  sound. Roan took a couple of deep breaths, then went back inside  and locked the door before going up to his room to get ready for bed.

He wore pajama bottoms, but that was all, and only because of  Lyraka just in case something happened and he had to hurry from the  room. He didn't want to send her into shock.

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He picked up the manila envelope Joe had given him and dumped out the papers. There weren't that many. He began to read.

Joe mentioned her speed, but that was all. Apparently, he didn't know she could blend in with her surroundings. He flipped through the pages, skimming mostly, then replaced the papers and placed the envelope on his dresser.

Lyraka had lived at an artist colony all her life, been home schooled by an over protective mother-- hell, Lyraka was probably a virgin. Oh, yeah, now he felt a hell of a lot better.

God, he was in such deep shit. A Nerakian virgin. If her powers were strengthened because she was of mixed blood, what happened when she made love? He'd heard all sorts of locker room tales. Some

of the men had actually been leery of repeating the experience. He

hadn't paid a lot of attention to their stories. Now, he kind of wished

he'd listened a little more carefully.

Had he awakened Lyraka's sexual drive?

He dragged his fingers through his hair. Man, coming on to her

in the woods had been low. Her Nerakian side had been hot and

bothered in record time. Crap, not one day had passed and he'd

already made a mess of things.

He sat on the side of his bed. Heat washed over him. He'd

enjoyed kissing her, and it had been nice the way her breast had fit  perfectly in the palm of his hand.

Go to sleep, Roan. Forget about her.

The little voice inside  his head was right. He didn't want to get  mixed up with a Nerakian, even if she was half earthling. They only  spelled trouble as far as he was concerned.

He switched off the light, then lay back in the bed and closed

his eyes, but sleep was a long time co ming. When he did finally fall  asleep, he dreamt of Lyraka and her naked body pressed against his,  her hands roaming over his naked skin, drawing him closer before  spreading her thighs in open invitation.