leaned back in the communication seat. It shifted with him, the low back rising to cradle him as he ran through the short communication again in his mind. His instinct told him to trust Susan Branscombe, and it wasn’t because of the kisses they had shared. But could he believe in himself when he had such an immediate response to her? Not so much physically—his race was highly sensual and it was expected that that could happen—but emotionally? Could he trust that he would find out all that she knew, even subconsciously, when he felt such a connection and desire to protect her?
He also sensed that she had certain doubts and even a feeling of guilt over what had happened. Could she be, even unwittingly, marginally responsible?
A soft rustle behind him alerted Asler. He turned and met Susan’s eyes. It was impossible to think of her as Captain Branscombe now. How long had she been awake? How much had she heard?
“So, will you discuss how good I was with him later? After you make me relive the pain? After you lock me up? That appears to be the plan—you screw me in my mind before you screw up my life permanently.”
He looked away from her eyes, eyes so alert, so condemning, even when her body still wore the sleepy flush of fulfillment.
Chapter Five
Sue looked away after lashing out at Asler. Hurt had poured from his eyes when she accused him of planning to use her, and she couldn’t handle that, not right now. Not when she already knew that she was wrong and hated herself for it. The words had just poured out, full of hatred. She was disgusted with herself. The man was only trying to do his job, and no matter how he had come across, it was she who had crossed the line first.
Still, how could he feel hurt when it was her future at risk?
She sat and pulled her knees up, hiding her breasts. A flush ran across her cheeks as she thought about what they had experienced together, mind to mind. She felt more naked than she had before. She’d almost had sex with the man who was either going to defend her or lock her up.
The couch vibrated softly under her, its heat a soothing comfort now that the warmth of Asler’s body had faded from her skin. She wrapped her arms around her knees and lowered her head. “On Earth, we have a saying, ‘Don’t kiss and tell.’”
“I’m sorry. While I would never discuss the details of anything intimate between us, my commander must be kept informed of the process of our m’ittar and the investigation.”
“I’d like to go to my room,” she muttered.
He sighed. “Again, I must apologize, Susan. You will have to stay with me for the duration of the investigation.”
She jerked her head up at that, staring at him. “What? I have to be with you every minute? I get no privacy at all?”
“This is the condition of your investigation. You are under…house arrest, I believe would be your term. It is either stay with me, or be held in restraints in the hold.”
She glared at him. It maddened her further that he simply stared back at her. She was half-tempted to take him up on it, to go to jail until the damn trial was held. Who the hell does he think he is?
“Do not imagine that you would be happy in such a place, Susan,” he said. “You would not. Also, you should consider that to place yourself in those conditions is to take on the appearance of guilt, even if you are not guilty. Appearing in restraints before any hearing would not lend to your credibility.”
She stood, anger driving her to momentarily forget how naked she’d felt an instant earlier. “Quit reading my mind. This is crazy. I am not guilty. I didn’t tell them a damn thing that was really helpful. I just made sure that those bloody terrorists would end up being blown straight to hell.”
She strode around the room. There wasn’t even a pillow to kick. She huffed and crossed her arms. “How long?” she demanded. “How bloody long will this take?”
He leaned back in his chair, his eyelids
He also sensed that she had certain doubts and even a feeling of guilt over what had happened. Could she be, even unwittingly, marginally responsible?
A soft rustle behind him alerted Asler. He turned and met Susan’s eyes. It was impossible to think of her as Captain Branscombe now. How long had she been awake? How much had she heard?
“So, will you discuss how good I was with him later? After you make me relive the pain? After you lock me up? That appears to be the plan—you screw me in my mind before you screw up my life permanently.”
He looked away from her eyes, eyes so alert, so condemning, even when her body still wore the sleepy flush of fulfillment.
Chapter Five
Sue looked away after lashing out at Asler. Hurt had poured from his eyes when she accused him of planning to use her, and she couldn’t handle that, not right now. Not when she already knew that she was wrong and hated herself for it. The words had just poured out, full of hatred. She was disgusted with herself. The man was only trying to do his job, and no matter how he had come across, it was she who had crossed the line first.
Still, how could he feel hurt when it was her future at risk?
She sat and pulled her knees up, hiding her breasts. A flush ran across her cheeks as she thought about what they had experienced together, mind to mind. She felt more naked than she had before. She’d almost had sex with the man who was either going to defend her or lock her up.
The couch vibrated softly under her, its heat a soothing comfort now that the warmth of Asler’s body had faded from her skin. She wrapped her arms around her knees and lowered her head. “On Earth, we have a saying, ‘Don’t kiss and tell.’”
“I’m sorry. While I would never discuss the details of anything intimate between us, my commander must be kept informed of the process of our m’ittar and the investigation.”
“I’d like to go to my room,” she muttered.
He sighed. “Again, I must apologize, Susan. You will have to stay with me for the duration of the investigation.”
She jerked her head up at that, staring at him. “What? I have to be with you every minute? I get no privacy at all?”
“This is the condition of your investigation. You are under…house arrest, I believe would be your term. It is either stay with me, or be held in restraints in the hold.”
She glared at him. It maddened her further that he simply stared back at her. She was half-tempted to take him up on it, to go to jail until the damn trial was held. Who the hell does he think he is?
“Do not imagine that you would be happy in such a place, Susan,” he said. “You would not. Also, you should consider that to place yourself in those conditions is to take on the appearance of guilt, even if you are not guilty. Appearing in restraints before any hearing would not lend to your credibility.”
She stood, anger driving her to momentarily forget how naked she’d felt an instant earlier. “Quit reading my mind. This is crazy. I am not guilty. I didn’t tell them a damn thing that was really helpful. I just made sure that those bloody terrorists would end up being blown straight to hell.”
She strode around the room. There wasn’t even a pillow to kick. She huffed and crossed her arms. “How long?” she demanded. “How bloody long will this take?”
He leaned back in his chair, his eyelids