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At last, the surges lessened, and she sagged, breathless. Doljen said, “Good girl.Beautifulgirl,” and she realized she leaned against him, her cheek on his shoulder.
The cloth dropped from her hand. Her palms crashed against his chest, and she shoved. He didn’t budge, too strong for her to move, and she could only put a couple of inches between them.
He chuckled and stepped away of his own accord. He turned the shower off and motioned for her to leave the stall.
“Towel off, and I’ll take you to your room. We have a lot to discuss after that, don’t we?”
Chapter Seven
Present day
“Nothing more impressive on a Nobek’s resume than guarding vegetables, huh, Halmiko?” Kom grinned at him as they watched loaded hovercarts fly into theRogue’sstorage bay.
Halmiko shrugged. “On stations like this, you get some pretty desperate types. When you have so many starving, homeless people running loose, they’ll go to great lengths to steal what they can.”
Even as he spoke, he saw furtive movement beyond one of the carts floating on the other side of the bay. He shot from his side of the open hatch.
An instant later, he lifted a yelping Earther male into the air by his throat. Or, more accurately, the underside of his jaw, where he wouldn’t choke the small fellow. He was as light as a feather. Underfed, by the looks of him. He wore ill-fitting rags of an Earther fleet uniform. Frightened blue eyes stared at Halmiko under a dirty mane of long blond hair. He was a cuteguy despite his drawn features. He looked as harmless as a child, but a thief was a thief.
“Hey Kom, what do I do with—”
Halmiko’s question was cut off as Kom plowed into him, knocking the Earther out of his grip and Halmiko several feet aside.
“Let him go!”
Halmiko gaped as Kom picked up the gasping Earther. He set him on his feet, then gripped the smaller man’s shoulders. “Larsen? Matthew Larsen! Itisyou! I’ve been looking everywhere for you!”
“Nobek Kom?” The young man shrieked a short, hysterical-sounding laugh and clung to Kom’s beefy forearms. His fingers dug deep into the Kalquorian’s skin, as if seeking to attach himself.
“Sweet prophets.” Halmiko turned at Bernadette’s voice behind him. She watched round-eyed as the two men spoke, their excited chatter tripping over each other. “He finally found the guy.”
“Old friend of yours?” Halmiko asked.
“I’ve never met him, but he and Kom have a history. Kom’s been searching for him almost as long as I’ve been hunting for Doljen.” She frowned, sadness touching her features as she witnessed the reunion. “His concerns that Larsen wouldn’t be able to care for himself would appear to have been accurate. He looks like he’s on his last leg.”
She was right. The blond man was wobbling badly, his knees intent on folding beneath him. Kom hung onto his waist to help him with his balance. His overbright gaze went to Bernadette.
“Hey Captain, Halmiko seems to have the cargo loading in hand. Do you mind if I take Larsen out for a meal?” Plaintive hope sat oddly on his rough features.
“Do you have this load in hand, Hal?” She smirked.
“I caught that desperate thug, didn’t I?”
“Yeah, then Kom nearly put you through the wall. Again.” She waved at her head of security. “Do what you can for your friend, but I expect you on duty again within two hours. Just so you know, I’m bringing on a few refugees of my own. Vet themallbefore we leave.”
Kom scowled, having caught the message Larsen was to be included in a background check if he were to board. He nodded though. “It’ll be done, Captain.”
As he half-escorted, half-carried the Earther off the ship, Bernadette spoke to Halmiko. “About those refugees. I have nearly a dozen women and children to transport to Haven, so the private quarters I’d planned for you have disappeared. You’ll have to bunk with Kom. Possibly his little buddy too, if he can convince him to come along. There’s an extra bed in every crew’s quarters for such occurrences, but if there are three of you, somebody will have to snuggle. Or sleep on the floor.”
“I’d rather stay with you.” An image of her naked and eager brought warmth to his groin.
“I’d rather be rich and gorgeous. If I want you, I’ll tell you. Meanwhile, you and Kom and maybe Larsen can have a slumber party.”
She was no longer looking at him. Her gaze had gone to the open hatch, where Kom and his long-lost friend had disappeared. Her businesslike tone turned contemplative. “What kind of reception do you think we’ll get from Tumsa?”
“Certainly nothing close to what you just saw with Kom. And it’ll be the receptionyouget. I won’t make the introductions.”
“What happened between you three, anyway?”
