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He wanted to possess this woman. That knowledge shook Orion to his antigravity boots. He curled his fingers into fists to keep from touching her and did something he never thought he’d do in front of a woman; he took a defensive step back. Her hand fell away and the instantaneous loss he felt crushed his insides. Something was wrong. There was something unnatural about this moment, this woman. The need was too great, almost overpowering. This was more than a simple urge to join.

“I said you could walk me to my door, but you aren’t coming in. I don’t know you and I certainly don’t make a habit of inviting strange men into my room.”

The thrill he felt over her admission shocked Orion. He shouldn’t be so pleased that she didn’t freely welcome men into her body, but he was. He fought to clear his head. He must stop these foolish thoughts. He was on a mission. “I am Orion from Zaron,” he repeated like a battle mantra more for himself than for her.

“Yeah, yeah, so you’ve said, but that doesn’t make us friends.” She leaned closer, beckoning him with her finger. “I’ll let you in on a little secret,” she spoke in a low voice. “I’ve never heard of Zaron and neither has anyone else. You may want to try making the name more realistic sounding next time.”

Just because this primitive planet never heard of Zaron, did not mean it didn’t exist. He struggled with his anger. A muscle ticked in his cheek as he spoke through clenched teeth. “We must talk.”

“We can talk like this.” Her hands went to a silver clip on the front of her covering. It slid down with a hiss. The material surrounding her small frame fell open, exposing a black outfit that hugged her curves like a second skin and caressed her abundant thighs. A citrus scent filled the air. He realized the delicate fragrance emanated from Brigit.

Orion’s mouth went dry as she stepped out of the material and stood before him with her hands resting at her sides. For a full second he couldn’t think, his mind spun, he couldn’t even breathe as his gaze swept her body. It was as if the Goddess herself struck him about the head. Perhaps he’d developed space sickness during his journey. Could that explain his symptoms? Finally Orion found his voice, “I bear messages from Jac and Queen Rachel.”

Brigit’s mouth dropped open. For a moment she remained speechless. “Why didn’t you say so in the first place? Come inside.” She reached for the front of his spacesuit, sank her finger into the lightweight material and pulled him through the doorway.

Orion didn’t argue. He took the opportunity offered and stepped into her quarters. The room seemed to shrink with the soft click of the door closing behind him. The beige walls pressed in from all sides. He battled the urge to wrench the door open and take a deep breath. His nostrils flared as he inhaled her sweet scent, the aroma intoxicating, reminiscent of ripe Zaronian fruit.

He watched Brigit bend over and pick up her dragon outfit to lay it on the gold-covered sleep paddock located in the center of the room. Jac and Rachel called it a bed. Pillows fell in disarray, some lying on the richly carpeted floor, while others teetered on the paddock’s ledge. Part of the gold material had been peeled back, exposing twisted white sheets. Had she lain there with another? No! She’d told him none were welcome. Perhaps he’d be the exception. He grinned.

Orion’s gaze slid from the bed to Brigit’s tempting backside. She swung around in time to catch him looking, but only arched a brow. It mattered not, he wasn’t trying to hide his interest.

“You said you’ve heard from Jac and Rachel. How? I didn’t think there were phones where they’re at.”

He hit a button on his wrist translator to double-check her meaning. “No phones,” he answered, clearing his throat.

“Then how?” her voice pitched higher.

Orion stepped closer. He couldn’t stop himself. He needed to feel her warmth again, the gentle touch of her fingertips. “They are safe,” he said, not answering her question.

Brigit’s green eyes narrowed. “What do you mean safe? And how do you know?”

“Because they sent me here to tell you.”

“Sent you here to tell me what? That doesn’t make sense. They could’ve just come themselves.” She shook her head, reaching for colorful material that glowed against her skin.

“The Queen and Jac are in no condition to travel.”

“Queen who? I don’t have time for puzzles, Orion. This is the second to the last day of the conference and the next contest is in fifteen minutes give or take. I have to get my costume together. So what’s really going on here?”

He paused, unsure of where to begin.

“Listen, if you’re looking for an excuse to hit on me, just say so. I’d be flattered. Really.”

“Atlantean men never strike women. It would be dishonorable.”

“Ugh!”

This wasn’t as easy as he’d first imagined. Being near Brigit left him feeling ale-headed. Yet strangely, Orion found himself wanting to remain in her company. It made no sense. Instead of explaining why he was here, Orion decided to stall. He needed time to discover what was happening and Brigit had inadvertently given him the way to garner it. He smiled. “I shall assist you with the contest.”

Brigit stopped shaking out the material, her attention riveted to his face. “You’d really help me?” Surprise colored her voice.

“‘Tis the least I can do.” He stepped closer and her pulse jumped in her throat. That small telltale sign of awareness pleased Orion beyond words.

She recovered quickly, hiding her discomfort by becoming bolder. “You’re right about that.” Brigit nodded. “It is the least you can do.” She stared at him for a few seconds, her gaze taking in every inch of his body.

Orion tensed, when he realized she’d “turned the chairs” on him. He fought the urge to reach for her and give her a closer look. If she didn’t stop looking at him like that, he would.

* * * * *

Brigit stared into Orion’s eyes, the blue and green so strikingly cool, yet heating beyond inferno at the same time. There was no mistaking the need she witnessed. The walls practically expanded with each breath he took. It was like being trapped in a human pheromone factory. She shouldn’t be in a room alone with this man. He did strange things to her. Made her wish for stuff she shouldn’t want. Couldn’t have.

Okay, maybe shouldn’t have.

There was nothing really stopping her from reaching out and taking what he so obviously offered, except the fact that the last time she’d done something so impulsive she’d ended up with Rocket Man Rick, who’d fancied himself a lothario and cheated on her the first chance he got. Orion didn’t really seem
anything
like Rick. There was true honor in him. She sensed a depth in him that her ex would never achieve and even though he banked his emotions behind a carefully crafted façade, she’d glimpsed kindness glowing in Orion’s fierce eyes.

She was probably reading too much into Orion’s offer anyway. She never could tell when someone was flirting with her. It was like someone scrambled the signals in her brain and left meant right, right meant wrong. In truth, the only thing Orion offered was to help with the costume contest, nothing more. Anything else was wishful thinking on her part.

Crap! Talk about the wrong weekend to forget her vibrator.

Brigit reached into her sewing basket and removed spools of thread along with a measuring tape. It was best if she got this part of her job out of the way first. The less touching the better. She stepped forward and his eyes narrowed.

“What is that?” he reared back.

Her voice rasped. “I need to measure you, so that the cape I’m about to alter fits correctly.” Who was that talking? It couldn’t be her voice. It was too…too…sexy. And she didn’t do sexy. Quirky, yes. Sexy, no.

He glanced to the tape in her hands and back to her face, before punching a button on his wrist. A second later, he smiled. A wholly male, feral grin that had the hair at the nape of Brigit’s neck rising on end. What was he up to? She hesitated.

What had that little thingy on his wrist just told him? And for the first time, Brigit had no doubt he’d received information from it. Was it a computer? She’d give him one thing, Orion certainly took his space captain-cum-dragon slayer part seriously, props and all. She made a mental note to ask him where he bought his accessories. Maybe she could pick up something for herself.

“Could you hold your arms out to the side?” she asked, willing her fingers to stop trembling. She’d measured men before, but Brigit had never fitted a man who looked like Orion. She’d also never had anyone stare at her the way that he did.

What was up with that?

She wasn’t exactly in his league, not that he appeared to notice. She wasn’t even his type. Didn’t he realize that? Maybe she should drag him in front of the mirror and remind him. The man practically oozed sex. It would take a gallon of perfume to produce the same effect from her. Not that Brigit considered herself chopped liver, but she was a realist. The twenty-five extra pounds she carried firmly resided on her ass and thighs. This man didn’t have an ounce of fat on him.

Aahh! Why was she worrying about this crap? It wasn’t like he was going to see her naked.

She took a deep breath and stepped forward, holding out the numbered tape in front of her. Brigit’s shaking hands barely reached the distance between his fingertips and shoulder. She ignored his impressive biceps. It was like measuring a basketball player, if they had layers upon layers of muscle covering their lean frames.

Brigit inhaled. Big mistake! She’d thought his skin held no odor, but heaven help her, she’d been wrong. He smelled fresh, like ocean air on a sunny day with a subtle hint of underlying…what was that? Whatever the fragrance was it had to be uniquely Orion. Brigit inhaled again to be sure, then bit her lip to keep from groaning aloud.

Her legs shook as she moved to Orion’s chest next. It was like every naughty fantasy come true. She had to be on Today’s Funniest Videos or whatever that other program was that played pranks on unsuspecting people. There was no way Orion was for real.

She struggled to reach around him, which brought her breasts snug against the rough slab of his abdomen. It was like smashing herself onto hot marble dipped in wax. Her nipples pebbled instantly and her clit twitched. Was he this hard
everywhere
?

Twitch
.
Twitch
.
Twitch
. Her damn clit was sending out “fuck me” in Morse code.

Brigit’s cheeks flamed at the thought. She took a step back, but forgot about the measuring tape wrapped around him and the close proximity to the bed. Her knees hit the frame and the tape tangled in her grip as she tried to prevent herself from falling. But it was too late, she’d already lost her footing. Brigit fell a second later, pulling Orion down on top of her. She closed her eyes and braced, waiting to feel the crush of his weight, but it never happened.

Her eyes flew open. She glanced into a face she’d hoped not to see this close. Ever. Brigit’s heart sped. Orion watched her, his expression pained and beyond desire-filled. He’d managed to catch most of his weight with his hands. They lay tangled in the measuring tape, chest to breast, sex to sex. The urge to kiss him rode her hard. Brigit’s body softened as she felt his shaft grow and thicken against her belly. She gasped in surprise. He’d inadvertently answered the question she’d pondered earlier about the piercings without even opening his mouth.

How big was that thing? She toyed with the plastic tape in her hand, debating whether to measure it and find out.

Her gaze flicked to his lusciously cruel lips. Brigit had no doubt he could torture a woman for hours with those lethal weapons. Her tongue flicked out, wetting her suddenly dry mouth. Orion’s nostrils flared. Instead of swooping in and taking what they both were curious to experience, he slowly lowered his head, giving her time to pull away. As if! Brigit thought she’d explode by the time his lips finally pressed against hers. Soft, yet firm, he waited for her to relax. The second she did, he started kissing her, not with just his mouth, but with his whole body—and soul.

* * * * *

Orion hadn’t planned to touch her, but the second his body made contact with her lush curves his willpower snapped, abandoning him to his baser instincts. Her tongue darted out tentatively meeting his. She tasted pure, sweet and addictive. Her fingers slipped into his hair, threading through the length, caressing his scalp until he thought he’d burst. Having his senses overloaded was a completely foreign concept. He knew women well. Or at least he thought he had until encountering this one. How had he lived all these years without Brigit’s touch?

Her mons gently cradled his ringed cock as if it were made for his body, and his body alone. He rocked his hips, grinding his shaft over her clit, drawing a whimper from her delicate throat. The sound caused excitement to rise inside of him. And still he kept kissing her, feeding from her mouth, ravenous for more. He demanded she be as needy as he was. Heat spread from their lips through his chest, scoring his skin like unsheathed talons, searing his flesh until he was convinced flame had somehow fused them into one.

Goddess help him, he wanted this woman. No, want wasn’t strong enough to describe his desire. He
craved
her.

Without thought, Orion moved his hand to cover her small breast. His palm dwarfed the quivering mound as he kneaded her flesh. Her kernelled nipple poked through the material of her clothing into his hand, reaching eagerly for his touch. Orion groaned, deepening the kiss, devouring her lips. Hunger fed his movements as he released her breast and sought the corners of the material covering the front of her body from his greedy eyes.

He gathered the clothing into his fists, ready to rip it from her. The words that would bind them played at the corners of his mind.

Brigit pulled back from the embrace and gasped, scattering his befuddled thoughts to the four winds. Her small hands rose, stilling his actions. “We can’t do this,” she said through kiss-swollen lips. “Not right now.” Her body trembled beneath him. “The contest starts in a few minutes.”

Quarg!
Pained, Orion nodded in agreement, since he didn’t feel capable of speech. He forced himself to release her, his hand instantly feeling the loss of her womanly warmth. He’d given her his word he would assist her. And assist her, he would.