around though, avoided the storage room where they’d found Nate. He knew the pain of losing her friend was still sharp, that it would be with her a long time. He’d give anything to take that burden from her, save her heart that hard, painful ache.
“So do Briel drink socially, or is that another one of those things you can’t do?”
There was something about her tone that set the warning alerts off in his mind.
“We can drink. Though I don’t find your human beverages very strong.”
Fallon snorted and reached behind the bar. “The Afterburner didn’t do it for you, huh? I can fix that.”
Taber made his way over to her slowly as she pulled out four bottles of varying size, shape and color. Her hands began to fly as she flipped bottles in the air, twirled them around in her hands, all while pouring various amounts of liquid into the large metal shaker she’d set in front of her. He was in silent awe of her grace and speed. Once everything was inside, she began to shake, flip and toss the mixing container into the air.
“Impressive.”
“Thanks. My uncle owned a bar on Earth. He made me practice for hours on end when I’d hang out with him.”
59
With one final flip, she poured the cherry-red liquid into two glasses before tossing the mixer into a sink. The gentle thunk of the glass on the bar echoed in the quiet room.
“Bottoms up,” she said, picking up the glass and downing the contents in a single swallow.
Taber picked up his glass, eyeing the contents for a moment before mimicking Fallon. The rich red color had fooled him into thinking it was a sweet drink. Instead the harsh burn of alcohol seared his throat on its way to his stomach.
“Well?” she asked, her hands on her hips.
He looked up at her and grinned. “Enjoyable.”
She stared at him for a moment before shaking her head. “I think that’s the first time I’ve really seen you smile like that.”
“Your drink must be more powerful than I thought.”
Keeping his gaze locked on hers, he couldn’t hold himself back any longer and made his way around the bar. Fallon didn’t move, instead pressing her back against the bar when he reached her side.
“No customers back here.”
“Is that a ship rule?”
“Fallon’s rule.”
“What other rules do you have? I would hate to create a galactic incident due to ignorance.”
He put his hands against the bar on either side of her, pinning her to the spot. Her heat and her scent made him dizzy, a pleasant aphrodisiac that mixed well with the alcohol. She had to tip her head back to be able to look him in the eye, her smile replaced with a look of intense curiosity.
“Rule one, never upset your bartender.”
“And how do I keep her happy?” Please tell me how to make you happy.
Fallon breathed in deep, her gaze shifting from his eyes to his lips.
“Do you want me to kiss you?” he asked, his gaze searching hers for some silent answer.
He purposely kept his voice low but dipped his head closer, allowing him to inhale her scent more. Because of either the drink or his proximity to her, Taber’s head began to buzz, and shivers of arousal washed over his body.
“Do you, Fallon?”
When she sighed and tipped her head back, he took that as a sign. He brushed his lips against hers without opening his mouth. The light kiss of skin against skin made him shiver. Coming back for a second pass, this time he made sure to increase the contact, pressing his lips hard against her. Their voices mingled together in a moan of pleasure, eliciting a reaction from his body. His cock grew, as he pressed his hips against her stomach.
60
“I want you,” he whispered against her mouth.
“I want you too.”
“It’s wrong. You’ve been through so much today.”
Fallon caressed his cheek before pressing another quick kiss to his lips. “I know.
Can we…just be together? No sex.”
“If you would like that, then I would not deny you.”
She shivered again as she slid her
“So do Briel drink socially, or is that another one of those things you can’t do?”
There was something about her tone that set the warning alerts off in his mind.
“We can drink. Though I don’t find your human beverages very strong.”
Fallon snorted and reached behind the bar. “The Afterburner didn’t do it for you, huh? I can fix that.”
Taber made his way over to her slowly as she pulled out four bottles of varying size, shape and color. Her hands began to fly as she flipped bottles in the air, twirled them around in her hands, all while pouring various amounts of liquid into the large metal shaker she’d set in front of her. He was in silent awe of her grace and speed. Once everything was inside, she began to shake, flip and toss the mixing container into the air.
“Impressive.”
“Thanks. My uncle owned a bar on Earth. He made me practice for hours on end when I’d hang out with him.”
59
With one final flip, she poured the cherry-red liquid into two glasses before tossing the mixer into a sink. The gentle thunk of the glass on the bar echoed in the quiet room.
“Bottoms up,” she said, picking up the glass and downing the contents in a single swallow.
Taber picked up his glass, eyeing the contents for a moment before mimicking Fallon. The rich red color had fooled him into thinking it was a sweet drink. Instead the harsh burn of alcohol seared his throat on its way to his stomach.
“Well?” she asked, her hands on her hips.
He looked up at her and grinned. “Enjoyable.”
She stared at him for a moment before shaking her head. “I think that’s the first time I’ve really seen you smile like that.”
“Your drink must be more powerful than I thought.”
Keeping his gaze locked on hers, he couldn’t hold himself back any longer and made his way around the bar. Fallon didn’t move, instead pressing her back against the bar when he reached her side.
“No customers back here.”
“Is that a ship rule?”
“Fallon’s rule.”
“What other rules do you have? I would hate to create a galactic incident due to ignorance.”
He put his hands against the bar on either side of her, pinning her to the spot. Her heat and her scent made him dizzy, a pleasant aphrodisiac that mixed well with the alcohol. She had to tip her head back to be able to look him in the eye, her smile replaced with a look of intense curiosity.
“Rule one, never upset your bartender.”
“And how do I keep her happy?” Please tell me how to make you happy.
Fallon breathed in deep, her gaze shifting from his eyes to his lips.
“Do you want me to kiss you?” he asked, his gaze searching hers for some silent answer.
He purposely kept his voice low but dipped his head closer, allowing him to inhale her scent more. Because of either the drink or his proximity to her, Taber’s head began to buzz, and shivers of arousal washed over his body.
“Do you, Fallon?”
When she sighed and tipped her head back, he took that as a sign. He brushed his lips against hers without opening his mouth. The light kiss of skin against skin made him shiver. Coming back for a second pass, this time he made sure to increase the contact, pressing his lips hard against her. Their voices mingled together in a moan of pleasure, eliciting a reaction from his body. His cock grew, as he pressed his hips against her stomach.
60
“I want you,” he whispered against her mouth.
“I want you too.”
“It’s wrong. You’ve been through so much today.”
Fallon caressed his cheek before pressing another quick kiss to his lips. “I know.
Can we…just be together? No sex.”
“If you would like that, then I would not deny you.”
She shivered again as she slid her
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