Domestic Duet: Domestic Alliance & Asset by Cora Blu Page B

pensive, he shifted on his boots, cargo vest gaping open, revealing a slice of his well-formed chest. She struggled against the urge to run her hand down the center and feel his steady heartbeat warm under her hand. What they shared behind closed doors wasn’t romantic, or at least that wasn’t the arrangement. Touching his body, she’d persuaded her mind to register it as a medical necessity to her survival.
    The lies she told herself to get through the day.
    A quick glance around the room affirmed her suspicions. Many women found him handsome. The one female in his security glared at her from the bay doors at the end of the hall where she waited for the captain.
    He paused, adjusting the butterfly shaped transmitter on her maid uniform, his knuckles brushing the underside of her jawline. The touch lingered too long to be polite. She wanted to stroke her finger across the pulse at the base of his thick neck. Feel the repetitive thud she knew lay just beneath the surface. Her fingers flexed at her side, aching to move up his thigh to rest on his lean hips. Press her ear to his chest, and feel the thud of his heartbeat on her face the way she had in bed.
    The desire to leave faded with each passing minute.
    She had to go. Had to stuff her feelings for him away and stick to the friendship.
    His hand fell away. Clearing his throat, and with noticeable difficulty, Aroc inched away from her. “Remember protocol, Detective, when reporting matters that pertain to both worlds.” He moistened his lips with the tip of his tongue. “Contact Captain Holston then me. No delays, Detective. It could end a life.”
    She received a verifying nod from Captain Holston. The deep complexion lent itself to American Indian with a hint of Italian. The man had a voice that belonged on the radio, profound and inviting. He climbed into the shuttle and towered over her at near 6’5”.
    “Remember your training. You’re our eyes and ears on the inside. Don’t engage him thinking you can get more information from him somehow. Listen. Report.” Captain Holston rested his hand on her shoulder. “For the first month, if anybody looks at you funny, find a wall or object to stand behind then tap your com link. You’ll be transported straight to my personal home. After that, we’ll reprogram it and you can decide where you go. Understand?”
    She agreed.
    He tipped a chin in Aroc’s direction then settled into the captain's chair at the controls. The other people on board drew back when Captain Farkus stepped up the metal strip connecting the shuttle to the archway. Their fingers made one last touch when he removed her bag, setting it on her seat. His spicy scent wafted under her nose, decadently masculine.
    While she had him close, she asked a question only they needed to hear the answer to. “After my year of servitude has expired, what happens?”
    Captain Farkus slipped his hands into his front pockets in a shy motion she'd never witnessed before.
    “Have a safe trip, Detective Ochi. Remember, Edwards is a criminal regardless of his upstanding appearance.”
    “Is that all, Captain?” He hadn’t touched her since the shower.
    She’d never become accustomed to his size. He leaned in, his mouth touching her ear. “Call Norese and read her a story. She likes to hear your voice.” He paused. “You’ve brought peace to my world. That wasn’t an easy task. Thank you.”
    He’d spun hers into a position she wasn’t certain she wanted to unwind out of anytime soon.
    “You’re a good father, and a fair captain of a unique race. I’m glad I got to know both you and Norese.”
    Some friendships were too important to kill attempting to have a romantic relationship.
    “You’ll call her,” he asked again.
    “Um. I’d love to call and talk if it helps Norese to sleep. I’ll contact her once everything’s settled down.” She gripped the strap on her shoulder tighter, her hands itching to touch his face, bringing their mouths