Total pages in book: 41
Estimated words: 36684 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 183(@200wpm)___ 147(@250wpm)___ 122(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 36684 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 183(@200wpm)___ 147(@250wpm)___ 122(@300wpm)
“Why you—”
He held up a hand. “Careful, Sergeant Bryce. Remember it’s your captain you’re speaking to. If you can’t say anything that won’t land you in the brig, I’d advise you not to say anything at all.”
She closed her mouth and glared at him, her hands knotted into fists and every muscle in her slender body tight with outrage. It was clear what she thought of him, but since he had invoked the captain’s privilege, there was nothing she could do or say. As long as he didn’t physically harm her, she had to endure whatever he wanted to do. What he had to do to set her free, Keer reminded himself.
He knew Tabitha would probably hate him for what he was about to do and that made him unhappy—no, it tore his heart out, he admitted to himself. In fact, it made him so upset he almost let her go at once and sent her back to her quarters. But that would accomplish nothing except to leave her in bondage to the insidious Drusinian sexual device the rest of her life. No, he had to do this for her own good, he told himself. Once again the messy emotions she alone was able to evoke in him were affecting his better judgment but it was his duty to ignore them and go on. No matter how much he loved her.
Wait a minute—who said I love her?
Keer shook his head to clear it of all irrelevant thoughts. Love didn’t have anything to do with it and neither did desire, even though the sight of her naked and helpless on his bed made his cock snarl for release in the tight confines of his uniform pants. No, the only emotion he ought to be feeling here was duty.
Taking a deep breath, he popped open the vial of purple serum. As Tabitha watched, he swallowed the contents in a single gulp and then turned to face his naked junior officer, lying bound to his bed.
SEVEN
Tabitha was tied helpless and spread-eagle to the captain’s bed, her thoughts running in circles. God, can’t believe he’s really going to do this. What is he going to do anyway? Lick me? Suck me? The thought brought a vivid mental image to mind that was both tantalizing and incredibly embarrassing. Surely Captain Keer wouldn’t go so far…would he? But he had invoked the captain’s privilege, meaning he intended to do anything he wanted with her. Before the incident at the slave auction Tabitha had secretly fantasized about him doing something like this. But that had been before…
Before I realized I loved him, she thought, keeping an eye on the huge form looming over her in the dim lighting of his quarters. It was something she had realized the moment she walked into his quarters and saw him alone for the first time since he’d carried her back to the ship. The knowledge had hit her like a sledge hammer to the brain, and with it, a sense of despair. Because everyone knew Zentorians didn’t marry outside their own race. It was worse than ridiculous to have this stupid crush on her captain—it was hopeless as well. He was never going to act on any kind of feelings he had for her—if he had any feelings at all.
As if to remind her of the hopelessness of her situation, he was back to his Zentorian self, his dark blue hair that was almost black neatly in place and his blue, gold-ringed eyes cutting through her naked body like knives.
God, if only she knew the reason he was doing this. Was it from some misplaced sense of duty—his determination to take care of his crew no matter how intimate that task became? Or did he actually feel something for her in that cold Zentorian heart of his? He had seemed to have emotions when they were in the marketplace together—emotions so strong they were scary. And just now he’d tried to comfort her when she cried. But did any of that add up to actual caring or affection for her? Tabitha didn’t know. And now she had to go through the excruciatingly embarrassing ordeal of having him free her from the love knots without knowing if he really wanted to or if he was just doing what he thought was his duty.
Looking up at him, she pleaded with her eyes, begging for something she couldn’t ask for out loud. The assurance that she was more to him than just a junior officer who had screwed up.
He seemed to understand her plea because as he kneeled on the bed beside her, his gold-ringed eyes softened their laser-like stare.
“You’re very beautiful, you know, Tabitha,” he murmured, reaching down to brush one of her hot cheeks with the back of his large hand. “I’ve never been remotely tempted to take my captain’s privilege before. Not until you came on board, anyway.”