Keer nodded. “Yes, I did.” He took a step toward her and, just as quickly, she backed up.
“If this is about my recent water consumption, I, uh, needed a shower…Sir,” she tacked on quickly. “I’m sorry and I promise it won’t happen again. May I go now?”
“You most certainly may not.” Keer stepped toward her again. Again she stepped back. He frowned. Was she trying to keep distance between them? And if so, why? Maybe because you beat her with your belt the last time you got close enough to touch her? A dry little voice suggested in his head. Can’t imagine why that would make the girl shy of you.
“Please, Sir…” Tabitha was edging slowly away from him, following the perimeter of the large room. She was by his couch now and Keer saw an opportunity.
“Sit down,” he ordered, pointing to the dark blue leather cushion. “I need to talk to you, Sergeant Bryce.”
“What about?” She sat very unwillingly on the edge of the cushion farthest from him and eyed him warily.
“You know what about.” Keer looked at her sternly. “About the cords you’re still wearing wrapped around your body.” He looked pointedly at the faint lines beneath her uniform and the way her nipples were obviously erect. “You know I can help you with those, Tabitha, but you refuse to come and ask me. You’ve been avoiding me. Why?”
“I’ve been avoiding you?” She stared at him incredulously. “You’re the one who hasn’t spoken a word to me since we got back to the ship…Sir. Why is that?”
Keer frowned at her, annoyed. Again she was causing emotions in him he didn’t want to acknowledge—the main one being lust. Just looking at the faint outlines of her nipples and pussy slit under the form-fitting uniform was causing his cock to rise. Damn it—why couldn’t he control himself around this woman?
“I’ve been waiting for you to come to me,” he said, deciding not to answer her question. “I know you need help getting the Drusinian cords off and unfortunately, I am the only one who can help you.”
“Why, because you’re my ‘Master’?” Tabitha’s pale blue eyes narrowed.
“In part, yes. But because the solvent for your love knots is chemically attuned to me—not because I bought you at the auction.” Keer refused to let her words make him angry. In point of fact, he had used his own money to buy her from V, knowing that Intergal would never allow him to spend so much petty cash freeing a junior officer. Not that he would ever tell Tabitha Bryce that. Especially when he still wasn’t sure himself why he had done it.
“I knew you had the solvent!” She pounced on his words. “Why didn’t you give it to me right away? Was letting me live with this damn cord wrapped around my body for the last three days another one of your sadistic punishments? Or do you just like the torture the love knots put me through the minute you get anywhere near me?”
Keer was intrigued. “Are you saying the cord reacts to my presence?” he asked, shifting to get closer to her on the sofa.
“What? I never said that.” Tabitha’s face went red and then white in the space of a few seconds. She jumped off the couch and started backing away from him again.
“Yes, you did.” Keer started to follow her but then he had a better idea. “Sergeant, come here,” he directed, crooking a finger at her.
Reluctantly, Tabitha did as he ordered, walking forward slowly until she was almost standing between his thighs.
“Good.” Keer nodded. “Now, take off the top half of your uniform.”
“What?” Tabitha started to protest but he held up a hand to silence her.
“Sergeant Bryce, that is a direct order. Take off the top half of your uniform.”
With trembling fingers she pressed the hidden release button at her throat and the fabric of the navy blue jumpsuit split and parted. Shrugging out of the sleeves, Tabitha let the top half of her uniform trail behind her like a shadow she couldn’t dislodge and covered her breasts with her arms.
Keer frowned at her. “Drop your arms, Sergeant. I don’t recall you being this shy when we were planet-side.”
“I don’t recall having a choice in the matter, Sir,” she spat.
“Well you don’t have a choice here either.” Keer made his voice harsh and commanding, letting her know he was serious. “Now drop your arms.”
Cheeks flushing red with embarrassment, Tabitha did as she was ordered.
Keer had to force himself not to react, or at least to keep the reaction he was feeling off his face. But the sight of her full, high breasts encircled in the silvery cord was almost more than he could take. Ever since he’d left her on her bunk and gone back to his duties as captain of the Pride of Justice, he had been trying not to think of how she’d looked, nude except for the Drusinian cord. He’d suppressed his feelings of lust and denied himself the release of jerking off while he fantasized about her. Now he wished he had given in to himself, at least once. Maybe if he had, he would have been able to control the raging erection he felt pressing against his uniform pants.