Trial and Temptation (Mandrake Company) by Ruby Lionsdrake Page A

the more disruptive weapon.”
    She snorted and eyed her canister. “It does make a pretty cloud of gas.” After a minute of consideration, she handed it to him.
    A wise trade. He was likely more comfortable with improvised weapons and unarmed combat than she. He had to admit that she was right and that the odds wouldn’t be in their favor. He hoped they could surprise the guards. Perhaps it would be best not to use the front door.

Chapter 6
    If Val had known Commander Thatcher—Gregor, she reminded herself, still surprised he had invited her to use his first name—would drag her into the ductwork behind the freezers, she wouldn’t have hesitated before trading weapons with him. The bulky nitrogen canister couldn’t be fun to drag through the tight passages. Even the rifle was clunky, and she had to work hard to keep it from clanking on the metal sides.
    Here and there, they passed vents that allowed narrow slats of light into the ducts, but for the most part, the insides were dark, cold, and claustrophobic and smelled of mildew. Val, trusting Gregor had memorized the route, crawled after him in silence. Besides, nothing was as claustrophobic as being locked in a freezer.
    She shuddered at the memory. A career pilot ought to be used to spending time in confined spaces, but between the threat of running out of air and the threat of freezing to death, she had been certain she would end up dead before they could escape. And then who would watch after her brother? No one. Neither of them had anyone else in the galaxy. Funny how being trapped with the threat of death looming brought such thoughts to mind. She was glad Gregor hadn’t been so burdened with doubt. He had acted calmer and cooler than an ice block, as if he had known all along they would escape. Maybe he had as soon as he spotted the liquid nitrogen. She hadn’t been so certain that would work. That was, of course, why she had kissed him. Because she hadn’t known if they would truly make it out and because… that was what people did when the end was near. Even near strangers could be so motivated in a desperate situation.
    She smiled, thinking of how surprised he had been, the stunned way he had stood there for a moment before responding. She had been on the verge of backing away, thinking he either wouldn’t do anything at all or would, in his haughty and proper way, inform her that this was completely unacceptable behavior, given their working relationship. Then, he had surprised her by kissing back. And it had been… nice. All right, more than nice. Sweet and gentle, but arousing too. Maybe, because of her traveling lifestyle, she’d gotten too used to meeting men in bars, horny men who pawed at her and were more interested in satisfying themselves than in worrying about her pleasure. That usually worked well enough—after those long months in space, she was often as horny as they, and wanted little more than a release—but Gregor had been almost… reverent. As if she was something special, not another lay in some random spaceport. She was doubtlessly reading too much into his touches. More likely, despite his words to the contrary, he had been worried they wouldn’t escape and he had also wanted to experience the taste and feel of the opposite sex one last time.
    Her rifle clunked on the side of the duct as they went around the corner. Val grumbled to herself to focus on the mission.
    “What?” Gregor whispered, glancing back at her. He had paused near one of those vents, and slashes of light played across his face. A handsome face with kissable lips. She snorted at her recalcitrant mind. So much for focusing.
    “I was wondering if we’re close,” she whispered back.
    Gregor nodded. “Yes. Two more turns, and we’ll be behind the generator room. The map didn’t show where all the vents were.” He tilted his head toward the slats next to him. “I hope there’ll be at least one in that room.”
    “It was a big room. You’d think there