Practical Ruth probably wouldn't last long in deep space, though. I saunter back over to him and run my fingers over his jaw.
He stiffens and then looks up at me with a gaze that's both wary and curious. "Keep hailing my uncle. If we don't get a response by the end of the day, tell Aithar to hail a port employee instead. Bribe them so we can land. I'm not going to burn through all of our fuel just circling out here. That's foolishness."
"Yes, my lord," comes the response, and the comm chirps one last time to signal the conversation is over.
I trace my fingers along Straik's jaw, standing next to him. I don't miss the fact that his gaze flicks to my boobs before going back to my face. I give him my sweetest smile and brush one particular spot of skin. "You had a few cut hairs on your skin."
I could swear his eyes darken a bit. Anger? Arousal?
"You're probably going to have a few more stray hairs on your neck," I say, leaning against his desk casually, as if this is my office and not his. "Might want to take a shower."
"And if I do, are you going to offer to wash me?" Straik tilts back, regarding me, and I get the impression that this is a stand-off between us. We're both testing each other, like raptors in the dinosaur movie that tested the fences. We're seeing how far we can push one another before someone breaks.
I'm not going to be the one to break. So I give him a sweet, sweet smile. "Are you asking?"
He crosses his arms over his chest, watching me. "And what about Dopekh?"
"I guess I could wash him, too, if you want him in the shower as well."
Straik gets up from his chair and looms over me. It takes everything I have not to flee, or to shove a hand in his face to push him away. This is all part of the game, and like I said, I'm not going to break. I just keep smiling at him. "I thought you loved Dopekh."
"Who says I don't?"
"You're offering to wash me." His gaze slides to my mouth. "That's not the offer of a female in love."
"I didn't realize that Dopekh owned me. Maybe I'm allowed to do what I want, hmm?" I reach out and tap a finger on the end of his nose.
Straik straightens and just shakes his head. "I can't figure out what the kef you want."
Yeah, that makes two of us.
He turns and walks away, and I have to admit, I'm surprised. He's not taking me up on my offer to wash him? Or does he think it's another way to get his guard down? I mean, it is, but I don't want him to think that. If a shower hand job is my ticket into taking control of the situation, I'm all for it. And sure…he's an alien, and I hate aliens, but I have to admit, I'm curious to see how he'd react if I touched him. Is he the kind that cries during sex? The kind that just takes as if it's his due? Or is he the kind that would make sure his partner was getting off right there beside him?
Straik heads out of the room and I frown, trailing after him as he marches down the hall. "Where are you going?"
"You need clothes," he says in a sharp voice, not turning around. "You can't visit my uncle looking as if you just rolled out of Dopekh's bed."
I do? I glance down at my jumpsuit, but it's not tight or gaping anywhere. My hair's in a damn ponytail. Or is he just saying that to get under my skin? If so, it's working.
"I bet you cry during sex after all," I mutter as I stomp after him.
30
STRAIK
What the kef is wrong with me? Why am I letting the human flirt with me? She claims to be in love with Dopekh, but it's clear she's just using him…and now she's set her sights on me. It's obvious…and yet I hate that I'm intrigued enough to consider taking her up on her offer.
If she wants to wash my back, why wouldn't I let her? Just take what's offered?
Maybe it's because I know the situation she just came from, and that means there's only two good reasons for her to offer me things like that—either she wants a hold over me, or she wants a protector.
And I'm keffed enough in the head to consider both. How long has it been since I felt I had someone to talk to? To truly talk to? There were the va Sithai brothers, of course, but I never could quite trust them not to use anything I said against me. Speak too much to a corsair and he'll destroy your ship and the lives of your crew. Speak too much to a female like Ruth and she'll just cut your throat.