Save for Shardae by RaeLynn Blue Read Free Book Online

jutted his finger at Porter’s retreating back.
    A flicker rippled over her face, but she hastily concealed the emotion. Wiping her hands on her pants, she closed the distance between them. “Sit, please, Pilot Reyes.”
    He did, waiting for her to tell him why she’d come to him. “You hungry?” he asked casually. “I can get you a coffee and a bagel.”
    She tented her hands in front of her. “No, thank you.”
    Zander watched her. Freshly showered, Sergeant Simmons sat across from him wearing an expression so blank she had to be hiding something. The urge to yell at her to wake up swelled inside him. None of the people on her security team could be trusted. Porter, O’Leery. The entire lot of them bore investigating. He’d have to make some personal comms.
    “You’re drinking? You start your shift in an hour.” He had a feeling by the way the corner of her lips twitched that that wasn’t what she wanted to say.
    “I know, ma’am,” he prompted.
    The glint in her eyes warned him to halt whatever foolish ideas he might be entertaining.
    “Reyes.” She sighed, and not in a good way. “The security team is very close knit. You being thrust upon them, especially after what you did to O’Leery…”
    “He started it.”
    Anger rolled across the sergeant’s face. She banged herself against the back of the booth’s seat and folded her arms. “Not the point.”
    He clenched his mouth closed. That was exactly the point. The security team was comprised of a bunch of sore losers.
    “They take care of each other. So, be ready to show how you fit in. They need to know they can trust you.”
    He noticed how she hadn’t included herself in the security team. “How is it my fault?” he asked, unable to just sit back and be lectured.
    “I didn’t say it was.”
    “No? Then how come you’re lecturing me?”
    One dark mocha brown eyebrow rose above her honey-brown eye. “How do you know I didn’t already talk to my team, you egomaniac?” She scooted out of the booth, yanking her uniform jacket down from where it had inched up her waist. “Grow up, Reyes. Not everything is about you.”
    “I -- I -- but Porter…” he stammered, aware of the glimpses of other patrons on them. He could blame his tiny meltdown on the booze or his exhaustion. One look at Simmons’ face told him she wouldn’t buy any of those.
    Scrabbling out of the booth, he hurried to join her. The furious sergeant didn’t stop marching in the direction of the exit when he called.
    “Sergeant Simmons,” he yelled again. His breathing hitched at the swish of her hips. He couldn’t help it. Whatever he was going to say left him. Mentally, he tried to lift his gaze, but the tight, round buttocks held him firm.
    “That’s quite far enough, pilot,” she said softly.
    Oh, this can’t be good . He lifted his eyes up to her surprisingly calm face. That he hadn’t expected. Fury? Yeah. Calm? No. “Ma’am?”
    She folded her arms over her breasts. The corridor outside the cafeteria held a few crewmen, but she waited until the space cleared. Leaning casually against the wall, she pursed her lips. “You see something you like, pilot?”
    Was she kidding? He liked everything, even the little smirk flitting around her too-sexy mouth. He opened his lips to say so, but caught himself. What if she was trying to trick him? “Uh, ma’am?”
    “You seem quite interested in my anatomy,” she purred. “So?”
    A radiant heat pooled in her eyes. Goodness. Was it genuine? If she packed that much heat behind her stone visage, what would happen once he unlocked her waiting emotions?
    “I, uh, I do?” he asked, feigning ignorance.
    “Is this how you do truth, pilot?”
    “No, ma’am.”
    “No,” she repeated breathlessly. Her fingers snaked along the collar of his uni-jacket. “Then keep your head and eyes on the prize. Focus.”
    I am . “Yes, ma’am,” he whispered.
    He leaned down ready to press his lips to her moist, lipsticked mouth.