This time she watched him carefully. He choked on his next sip of drink. She was gratified to see perspiration break out on his forehead.
“Woman, I am going to come right here in my pants.” He shot her a slumberous look through half-lowered lids. “Want to come over here and make that naughty little fantasy a reality?”
The idea of sliding down on her knees between his legs, of lowering his zipper and freeing his cock made her hands shake. Oh, she wanted. For a long time, this man had starred in her dreams and left her twisting in her bed sheets.
Did she have the courage to make fantasy a reality?
Her console chimed. This time it wasn’t a message from Justyn. “My search found something in the Hydrae records.”
In a blink, he morphed from lazy lover to focused man. He leaned over her shoulder to look at her screen. “It’s a record of people who’ve stayed at the caravanserai in the town of Meni.” He glanced at her. “That’s the caravanserai we use.”
“I know,” she replied. “I can see the Phoenix brothers listed in recent times.”
His eyes widened. “This record goes back fifteen hundred years!”
“By the Goddess.” She looked up at him. “Justyn, look.” She pointed to a line listed a thousand years before.
A Captain Griffin had stopped at Hydrae.
Justyn gripped her shoulder. “We shouldn’t get our hopes up. Griffin isn’t exactly a unique name.” He grinned. “But it looks like we’ll be joining the Phoenix Convoy and heading beyond galaxy’s edge. You’ll get to see the caravanserai for yourself, Captain Sander.”
Nissa’s shoulder tingled from his touch, the warmth spreading through her. They were really going to do this. Head off into the unknown after a millennia-old treasure. The flutter in her belly felt good.
All of this was thanks to the man beside her.
A man she really, really wanted to get naked.
She blew out a breath. Damn, she was going to do that, too. It would be another adventure.
“What if it isn’t him?” Going all the way to Hydrae might just be a big waste of time.
He flicked a finger against her chin. “Gotta take a risk to get the reward, Nissa.”
She felt a tug low in her belly. She knew he wasn’t talking about finding ancient treasures. Her Sync chimed. “Another naughty message?”
He didn’t smile. “Sorry. Not me this time. I hope no one else is sending you dirty love notes.”
With a frown, she realized it wasn’t a message but a transmission. And she knew exactly who was calling her. All the lovely fizz in her blood evaporated like it had never existed.
Schooling her features, she accepted the call. “Dad.”
“Nissa, what the hell is going on?”
She took a deep breath. Her father’s craggy face filled the screen, along with his scowl. His iron-gray hair was combed neatly, in exactly the same style he’d had her entire life. Adventure was not in Commodore Jonathan Sander’s vocabulary.
“I was going to call?—”
“I heard from a colleague that you’ve taken a leave of absence and you’re on some crazy, wild-goose chase.”
“Yes—”
He powered over her, his voice deep and resonating. “Of all the irresponsible, careless things to do.” He shook his head. “You have responsibilities. You’re endangering your career.”
“No, Dad. I’m going after an important artifact that the authorities want back.”
He waved a hand, his jaw tightening. “A treasure hunt.” He said it like it was something dirty. “You aren’t a child, Nissa. You should be on your damned ship doing your duty. Not sullying theSander name.” He expelled a noisy breath. “I never expected you to act like this. To act like your brother.”
Her body flushed cold, then hot. She kept her tone modulated. “Except I don’t kill people. I’m sorry you’re disappointed. I have work, I need to go.”
