for me to ignore that and let a woman who is m –”
“Do not, say mine . I am nothing to you.”
He sipped some wine and set down the glass. “Why don’t we eat and drink before we talk again. It might be best.”
Was it her? Even that seemed patronizing. “Fine.”
They ate in silence, if she ignored the distant street noise, the calls from birds flying above, and the roar as a spaceship zoomed in to land. The wine did relax her a little and he hadn’t pounced on her. Maybe talking might get her somewhere? She watched him through the glass as she drank. Those faux leather pants, with the wide animal-hide belt, made him look mean and warriorlike. The long projectile weapon he’d propped against the stone of the balcony added to his allure for her. It had a ton of buttons and shiny sights and accessories. She’d always loved fantasy warriors with swords and stuff.
“You ever own a sword?” she asked slowly, wanting to kick herself and facepalm even as she said it.
“What?” He paused in the midst of pushing his plate aside. “Only a sherukk .” He pantomimed measuring something a yard long, holding his hands apart. “It’s a type of edged weapon. The fighting style is almost a dance. No one uses them much anymore. Guns do it better.”
Was she drooling? Imagining Torgeir doing a sword dance in those tight pants with his shirt opened was insanely hot. She gulped some more wine.
“What were we going to talk about? Furniture?”
His eyes narrowed. “You. I planned to talk about you.”
Chapter 13
The woman must have no perception as to how alluring she was to him. The dress might not be see-through but it cradled her breasts to perfection. Every curve beckoned the eye, every fold of the delicate fabric seemed arranged just for him, and when she leaned over to pick something up, or to talk to him, or do anything at all, he nearly swallowed his tongue at the sight of her cleavage and the slight movement of her breasts.
When she’d swayed out onto the balcony earlier, with that red cloth twining around her, worshipping her hips and ass, he’d been mesmerized. How could she look so beautiful, so female, and not want to be his? It was criminal. He really should’ve worn looser pants. And he’d been so nice, despite her detesting him doing it.
He should’ve just taken her despite that stupid wish.
But, he was a man of his word, he could be patient.
“Tell me, what work do you plan to get?”
“Ummm.” Her fingers grew paler where they clutched the glass.
“Nothing? I wish I could take you on the ship when we go, but I plan to hire out for fighting. Mercenary fighting. Dresdek has gone to other districts to find some soldiers and crew.”
He wiped his mouth with the big and fancy cloth napkin. First time he’d used one of those for years. Anything to woo her though. He could be couth. As long as it didn’t involve manicures.
“I’m thinking AI device work. Cybernetics? So many people here are cyborgs or close to it. I could maybe open a shop down there?”
“You’ll have a lot of competitors. Do you know enough? Do you have money for stock?”
“I learn fast.”
He thought back to the ship. She did. She had a strange awareness of what went where that transcended learning even, perhaps, but the people here would have years of experience. She’d likely go hungry if left to her own ideas. He’d have to leave her emergency funds. There were people he could pay to watch her. The hard part was finding the good and trustworthy ones.
“Would you like to know anything about bondmating?”
Her mouth set in a line. “I looked it up. It’s like forced marriage. We have that on Earth.”
“Forced marriage? That doesn’t sound good. Bondmating isn’t forced...or at least not once past a certain point. Give me your hand.” He reached across the table, laid his hand in the middle and waited.
“What?” She did that cute, one-browed lift that said she was worried yet curious, and she
“Do not, say mine . I am nothing to you.”
He sipped some wine and set down the glass. “Why don’t we eat and drink before we talk again. It might be best.”
Was it her? Even that seemed patronizing. “Fine.”
They ate in silence, if she ignored the distant street noise, the calls from birds flying above, and the roar as a spaceship zoomed in to land. The wine did relax her a little and he hadn’t pounced on her. Maybe talking might get her somewhere? She watched him through the glass as she drank. Those faux leather pants, with the wide animal-hide belt, made him look mean and warriorlike. The long projectile weapon he’d propped against the stone of the balcony added to his allure for her. It had a ton of buttons and shiny sights and accessories. She’d always loved fantasy warriors with swords and stuff.
“You ever own a sword?” she asked slowly, wanting to kick herself and facepalm even as she said it.
“What?” He paused in the midst of pushing his plate aside. “Only a sherukk .” He pantomimed measuring something a yard long, holding his hands apart. “It’s a type of edged weapon. The fighting style is almost a dance. No one uses them much anymore. Guns do it better.”
Was she drooling? Imagining Torgeir doing a sword dance in those tight pants with his shirt opened was insanely hot. She gulped some more wine.
“What were we going to talk about? Furniture?”
His eyes narrowed. “You. I planned to talk about you.”
Chapter 13
The woman must have no perception as to how alluring she was to him. The dress might not be see-through but it cradled her breasts to perfection. Every curve beckoned the eye, every fold of the delicate fabric seemed arranged just for him, and when she leaned over to pick something up, or to talk to him, or do anything at all, he nearly swallowed his tongue at the sight of her cleavage and the slight movement of her breasts.
When she’d swayed out onto the balcony earlier, with that red cloth twining around her, worshipping her hips and ass, he’d been mesmerized. How could she look so beautiful, so female, and not want to be his? It was criminal. He really should’ve worn looser pants. And he’d been so nice, despite her detesting him doing it.
He should’ve just taken her despite that stupid wish.
But, he was a man of his word, he could be patient.
“Tell me, what work do you plan to get?”
“Ummm.” Her fingers grew paler where they clutched the glass.
“Nothing? I wish I could take you on the ship when we go, but I plan to hire out for fighting. Mercenary fighting. Dresdek has gone to other districts to find some soldiers and crew.”
He wiped his mouth with the big and fancy cloth napkin. First time he’d used one of those for years. Anything to woo her though. He could be couth. As long as it didn’t involve manicures.
“I’m thinking AI device work. Cybernetics? So many people here are cyborgs or close to it. I could maybe open a shop down there?”
“You’ll have a lot of competitors. Do you know enough? Do you have money for stock?”
“I learn fast.”
He thought back to the ship. She did. She had a strange awareness of what went where that transcended learning even, perhaps, but the people here would have years of experience. She’d likely go hungry if left to her own ideas. He’d have to leave her emergency funds. There were people he could pay to watch her. The hard part was finding the good and trustworthy ones.
“Would you like to know anything about bondmating?”
Her mouth set in a line. “I looked it up. It’s like forced marriage. We have that on Earth.”
“Forced marriage? That doesn’t sound good. Bondmating isn’t forced...or at least not once past a certain point. Give me your hand.” He reached across the table, laid his hand in the middle and waited.
“What?” She did that cute, one-browed lift that said she was worried yet curious, and she
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