Lana's Comet (Outer Settlement Agency) by Lyn Brittan Page B

and get on with their business. Imagine my surprise when I come to check on you and you’re not here? I find that you’ve been kidnapped. Held prisoner by some buxom—”
    “You finished?”
    “Did you finish? How many times? I don’t know whether to arrest you or cry out in pride. Help me, Cyprus. What do I do?”
    He almost wished he’d splurged on a water bath. At least then he’d have a wet towel to throw on the dick’s face. He’d beat the smile off him, as soon as he wiped his own away. And that might take some time.
    A shove got his brother’s feet off the sofa and Cyprus slid in next to him. “I like her.”
    “But she’s all...humany.”
    “I know that.”
    “But you’re prejudiced.”
    “I am not!”
    “Mother will be happy to hear that.”
    “Mother doesn’t think—”
    “Give her a call sometime. Let her see your face. Tell her about this girl who has you pissing off protocol. Good gracious, you’re smiling again.”
    “I’ve gotta get rid of it before the first session...and keep it off when I get there.”
    “What the hell has this girl done to you?”
    “Woman. Not a girl. Here.” He got up, but not before he handed over Yoshisumi’s omnitablet. “I need you to break the biolock.”
    “That’s illegal.”
    “Highly. And I need you to scan my office for recordings...in the next ten minutes.”
    “Who are you?”
    “And I need that tablet soon, Vin.”
    “Is this the girl’s, sorry, woman’s? Are there incriminating pictures up here?”
    “No, it belongs to the other one. The runaway. She left it behind and I need it for personal use.”
    “Yeah, we need to talk about her.”
    “We need to talk about a lot of things. After today’s training, I’ll stop by.”

Chapter Nine
    S he woke up alone.
    Not a great feeling.
    His rich musk lingered on the pillow, but his warmth was gone. The one thing tangible thing left behind was a long string of blond hair.
    Had she made a mistake?
    Last night felt good – real good – and she wanted more of it. But she wasn’t an idiot. This was too dangerous to continue while they were here. If something was meant to grow between them, it had to wait. It would take getting through this section of training before finding out where she’d go for her upper level preps. And that could take a few months.
    At least they’d be able to date.
    Assuming they were on the same planet or moon...or at least shared a lunar orbit.
    And also assuming Meash didn’t kill her.
    And super assuming he left this morning because he had to, not because he wanted to.
    She looked out the full-length window and realized they hadn’t bothered to close it during last night’s festivities. Good thing they were too high up for anyone to see them.
    Probably.
    If he’d been here, they might have laughed about it. But he wasn’t and Lord, it hurt. She tried to give him the benefit of the doubt. It made sense for him to leave trainee quarters before first bells and maybe he didn’t want to wake her up. Yep. That’s what she told herself.
    Twice.
    And she held on to that hope with tightly clenched fists as she got ready and headed for the gymnasium. Her heart banged a steady trillion beats per second, but she kept her head straight and took her position in line. She didn’t acknowledge Cyprus and he didn’t acknowledge her.
    He spoke to the group at large in a voice stretched thin and hollow, not at all sounding like a man happy from a night of lovemaking. “I know I have been hard on you all. It isn’t to break you. It’s to make you understand that you no longer represent Titan or Mars or Venus or Earth. I am building you up to represent the Outer Settlement Agency and our job is the universe. You stand here on the precipice of greatness. That you made it this far proves your caliber.”
    She turned, just a touch, and bit back a grin at the open looks of shock directed at their Commander Dhoma.
    He wasn’t finished.
    “I’m gonna tell you something and