Kissing Steel (12 page)

motionless except for his gaze moving over her, so she spread her thighs apart, showing

him all of her, exposing the part of her that hurt with need for him.

Steel’s mouth opened, his tongue darting out to swipe his lips. He looked up at her

face again. Rena almost cursed at the intrusion when a buzz sounded in the room.

“The food is here,” Steel said softly. “I have to get that or they will think you’ve

done something to me again. Go in the bathroom now unless you want someone else to

see you bare.” He turned away from her, walking toward his door.

She cursed softly, sitting up quickly to climb off his bed. She darted naked for the

door in the opposite corner, barely reaching the room before she heard Steel’s entry door

opening. She didn’t close the bathroom door totally, leaving it cracked slightly to stand

hidden behind the door. The second the person left she was going to walk back out there

and finish what they had started
. Steel had a preference for aggressive women and damn

it
, she thought,
I am willing to go after him on this.
She wanted him to touch her in the

worst way.

“Commander Steel,” the voice was female. “I brought your dinner meal. I apologize

for the delay but the shift change was slow today for the training sessions you ordered

earlier.”

“Thank you, Fusion.”

Silence stretched for a few seconds. “I heard what happened with Vonlona. I am

sorry that she gave up hope of your return to Garden.”

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Kissing Steel – Laurann Dohner

“Thank you.” Steel’s voice deepened. “It was a logical assumption after the months

we were unable to communicate with them.”

“Agreed.” There was a pause. “Were you aware that I have an incomplete family

unit? The application is still open since I’m just contracted to two males. I want you to

consider me for a potential choice. We work together, we spend months together onboard

and I think it would work out well between us.”

Distress struck Rena as she stood there naked, eavesdropping. That medic Wire had

flirted with Steel and now the woman who brought his meals was offering her body to

him too.

“I appreciate the offer,” Steel said softly. “I will keep it under consideration.”

“My two other family unit males are rarely around, Steel. Darton is on the
Morlier

and Crottion was assigned on
Trea One
for mining operations. I know that you enjoyed

having Vonlona to yourself most of the time without the other males present. I could give

you that and we’re assigned together so our duties wouldn’t keep us apart. I’m very

attracted to you.”

“I just discovered I’m no longer contracted,” Steel’s voice was so soft Rena had to

strain to hear him. “It is still a surprise to me after being with Vonlona for ten years and it

was an arrangement I had adjusted to well. Give me some time to evaluate my options

and then I will let you know if I’ll apply to your family unit.” He paused. “It is a very

tempting offer and I am honored that you’ve asked.”

“I think we should find out if we’re compatible.” There were long seconds of silence.

“Not now,” Steel’s voice sounded tense. “Perhaps another time.”

“I want you.”

“Do not undress. It is not the time to test if we have sexual chemistry, Fusion.”

Undress?
Anger spread through Rena and then something else reared its head inside

her, an emotion acting a hell of a lot akin to jealousy. She pushed at the door, not caring

if she was naked as she stormed out of the bathroom. She saw a tall, muscular dark-gray-

skinned woman with shoulder-length, blue-black silky hair with her back to Rena and

damned if the woman wasn’t opening up her uniform top.

Steel was by the door still, arms crossed over his chest, his gaze focused on the

cyborg’s chest as she revealed it to him. Shock and anger slammed Rena hard.

“Excuse me,” she said loudly.

The cyborg woman started, spinning around. Rena got an eyeful when the woman

turned since cyborg females didn’t wear bras. Rena saw a set of small, high, dark gray,

perfect breasts. She jerked her startled gaze upward to the woman’s face, seeing surprise

showing in a pair of green eyes. Fusion was beautiful but with her pale green eyes and

dark gray skin, the colors clashed a little.

“Hi.” Rena put her hands on her hips. “Nice to meet you, Fusion. I’m Rena Gates

and as you can see, Steel is right. Now is not the time and you really should close your

shirt. He’s already got a naked woman in his room.”

Fusion jerked her uniform top together, frowning as she fastened it back up, her head

turning to glare at Steel. “The human onboard is for you? I heard we had one but I

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Kissing Steel – Laurann Dohner

assumed someone else had acquired one.” Her tone was disapproving. “Is she the

equivalent of getting drunk?”

Rena was sure she’d just been insulted.
What the hell was up with women cyborgs

insulting human ones? Wire had done the same damn thing.
Ignoring her nudity, she

glared at the cyborg woman who was purposely ignoring her. Steel frowned.

“She was a gift from Flint.”

Fusion put her hands on her hips and took a deep breath, let it out. “I see.”

The cyborg woman wasn’t leaving so Rena moved to her discarded shirt and bent

over, grabbing it up to cover her upper body. She was barely decent but covered to her

mid thighs as she yanked the shirt down. A large food tray was sitting by the front door

on the entry table. Rena glanced at Steel and Fusion only to notice that both of them

watched her now.

“She’s attractive.” Fusion was giving Rena a quick once over.

“I’m aware,” Steel said softly.

Fusion nodded. “I’m sure that you are.” She tore her attention from Rena and walked

directly to Steel, stopping just a foot in front of him, almost going chest to chest with

him, showing that she was a tall woman since Steel just had a few inches of height on the

female cyborg. “I didn’t know you possessed so much control. You’d have to have a hell

of a lot of it to not damage her.”

Steel studied the woman’s eyes, not saying a word.

Rena was getting irritated that the cyborg woman was flirting outrageously with

Steel right in front of her. Rena experienced indignation as Fusion reached up with both

hands and caressed Steel’s exposed chest where his shirt was still open, the woman’s

hands touching him slowly, rubbing his skin.

“I’d let you keep her if you agreed to contract with me.”

Steel didn’t react, other than a subtle rise of his eyebrows.

Fusion smiled, turning her head, her scrutiny slowly traveling down to Rena’s

exposed legs. “I am drawn to females sexually as well.” She turned back to wink at Steel.

“Cyborg women aren’t to my tastes always either. There’s nothing better than playing

with humans. It’s such a turn-on to know the kind of control we command over them,

watching the fear in their eyes, knowing we can do whatever we want to them.” She

leaned in closer to Steel’s body, pressing against him. “Do you get aroused knowing she

can’t fight you off no matter what you want to do to her? That you can do any twisted

thing you want and she’s not strong enough to stop you? It turns me on until I’m burning

up. I used to fantasize about turning the tables on our captors and when the day came

when we were free, I discovered torturing them really flipped my switch. Let’s play with

her a bit, draw a little of her blood, and then fuck each other. It will be so hot, Steel.”

Rena stumbled back a bit in revulsion. What kind of sick bitch was Fusion? The fact

that she thought Rena was attractive made her afraid of the female cyborg and she’d used

the words torture and blood drawing. Staring at Steel she saw him shift his gaze from

Fusion to her. Her fear grew as his cold, emotionless gaze met hers.
Is he going to do

something awful to me with Fusion?
She backed up more.

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Kissing Steel – Laurann Dohner

Steel suddenly moved, gripping the cyborg woman’s arms and shoved her back but

kept hold of her so the woman didn’t hit the floor. His gaze tore from Rena to narrow as

he met Fusion’s.

“You need to be mentally evaluated, Fusion.” Steel’s voice was soft as he spoke,

staring intently into the woman’s eyes. “Leave now and I expect to hear from Riker that

you made an appointment with him before your next shift.” He released her as quickly as

he’d grabbed her. “Go now.”

Fusion growled low before storming out of the room, never looking back once. Rena

stared at Steel as he watched the door close behind the livid cyborg woman. He sighed

and then turned to look at her.

“The food is here. Eat. I have to finish my work.” He turned away from her, stepping

to face the wall by the door, his hand touching the terminal there.

She watched him close his eyes, his head lowered, and she tried to stop the tremors

that made her shake. Fusion had really upset her and frightened her. Rena ignored the

food and just stayed where she was, trying to calm down. Did the idea of hurting her turn

Steel on? She really hoped not. She knew humans had mistreated cyborgs but had they

made Steel hate her kind?

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Kissing Steel – Laurann Dohner

“You haven’t touched your food.”

Rena started at the sound of Steel’s voice so close behind her. She was sitting cross-

legged on his bed and she’d almost forgotten he was there. She’d been lost in her

thoughts for a good hour while he’d faced away from her. She looked up at him where he

stood next to the bed.

“Do you hate me? Does the idea of hurting me turn you on?”

Steel frowned. “I am going to free you and I stopped my men from hurting you. Are

those the actions of someone who hates you and wishes you to suffer?”

“But you don’t like me, either, do you? I offered myself to you and you turned me

down. I had to tie you to a bed to show you that we’re sexually compatible. When Fusion

left you could have finished what we started but you went back to doing your job

instead.”

He tilted his head, staring at her, slowly sitting on the edge of the bed. “It’s not that I

don’t like you, Rena. It’s just that I told you what my intentions are so I am confused on

why you wanted me to kiss you in the first place. I’ve offered to keep you under my

protection so you no longer should wish for me to touch you. Sex isn’t a requirement any

longer so why you offered it to me isn’t logical. Perhaps I wasn’t clear on that. You don’t

need to offer your body to me as payment for protecting you.”

Steel has such beautiful eyes
, Rena thought. “Did you ever consider that maybe I just

wanted you?”

He studied her for a long minute. “No.”

She looked at her hands, curled together in her lap.

“Humans always have a reason to interact with cyborgs. It’s a lesson that I’ve

learned. I knew you were motivated to disable me to have intercourse with me as a way

of manipulating me into keeping you so you could have my protection. I’m at a loss for

why you initiated it with me after I had agreed to free you while keeping you safe.”

Nodding, she refused to look at him. She’d hit on him twice and he’d rejected her

both times. She could take a hint. While the sex with him had been great for her, he

obviously didn’t share that opinion or have the urge to repeat it. She wouldn’t make that

mistake again. The rejection was embarrassing and worse, it hurt more than she wanted to

admit.

“Rena?”

She glanced up, meeting his blue eyes.

“Do you want me?”

She looked away. “Don’t worry, Steel. I’m human, but I learn quickly. I’m not going

to humiliate myself again.”

“It’s humiliating to want a cyborg?” His voice deepened, anger filling his tone.

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Kissing Steel – Laurann Dohner

She looked at him again, frowning. “Don’t twist my damn words and get that look

right off your face. I meant I’m not going to throw myself at you again to get rejected.

Did you miss that conversation we had when I said I wasn’t good at seduction, had never

had to seduce a man before and obviously I am terrible at it. You want a cyborg woman,

not me, and its humiliating being shot down by a man.” She paused. “Notice I didn’t say

cyborg? You make those distinctions, not me.”

His features softened, his beautiful eyes narrowed slightly. “Take off your shirt,

Rena.” He stood up, facing her.

“Why?” she whispered, feeling confused as he stared down at her.

“I want you. That’s the damn problem. I shouldn’t and I know I need to keep my

hands to myself, but you draw me.” He reached up, gripping his open shirt and yanked it