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“We’d better hurry or we won’t make it in time.”

Resigned, Orion rose from the bed. His cock protested as he adjusted it to a more comfortable position in his flight suit. Nothing helped. His body quaked from pent-up desire—an emotion he had no right feeling with this particular woman. He chastised himself. That had been close, too close. If Brigit hadn’t come to her senses when she had, he would’ve taken her without a second thought.

A wave of unease swept through him at how close he’d come to binding himself to a…to a…human. He needed to share the information the King ordered him to deliver and depart at the soonest. Remaining in Brigit’s presence only complicated the situation he found himself in. Orion turned to divulge the message only to see purple material flying toward his face. He caught it automatically. “What?” He glanced at the cloth.

“Put that on. I’d planned to make myself a cape with a long train, but I hadn’t gotten around to finishing it. My guess is it won’t fit since I didn’t hem it, but it’ll have to do,” she said pulling more things out of the container. Her arms strained and her butt wiggled enticingly. “You’re not exactly Grabba the Hun, but you’ll make a good master to my Princess Lena slave girl costume.” She waggled her eyebrows. “We’re lucky that I always bring extra costume pieces.”

“I do not know these people,” he said through clenched teeth, trying to ignore her ass and his erection. At least the latter was beginning to diminish somewhat.

Brigit stopped her movements for a second and turned to look at him. “You’ve never heard of Grabba the Hun and Princess Lena?”

Orion shook his head, trying to concentrate on the coldest regions of Zaron. Perhaps if he sat on ice that would help.

“That’s weird.” She frowned, but went back to the task of sorting clothing. “I didn’t think there was a human left on the planet who hadn’t heard of those Star Battle characters. You’re at Conlunar for cripes sake. We live for this shit.”

She pulled a baggy shirt over her head and began to slip out of her old clothes, while struggling into new ones. Fascinated, Orion watched each article drop to the floor, unable to tear his eyes away from her feminine shimmy. A flash of thigh here, an elbow there, his imagination filled in the rest.

Brigit turned a few minutes later. She whipped her shirt off and spread her arms wide, revealing the tiny scraps of material barely covering her womanly form. “What do you think?” she asked, smiling brightly.

Orion gaped for a moment. He couldn’t stop himself. His barely softening cock rose to attention in less than a Zaronian second. She was a vision of desire, achingly lush and tempting as sin itself. He coughed to clear his throat.

His gaze traveled from her feet up her legs to her thighs, which peeked out in strategic locations. Brigit’s wide hips left him salivating. He stared at the flat expanse of her bare stomach, imagining licking every inch. He continued upward on his visual journey over the soft swell of her… Orion’s mind screeched to a halt. He pointed to the swirls of material cupping her breasts and pushing them up until they spilled over the top. “Are you going to wear that?”

* * * * *

“What do you mean?” Brigit glanced down at her outfit. There may not be much to it, but she thought it looked pretty good. “I’m supposed to be Princess Lena, while she’s enslaved by Grabba the Hun.”

“I understand,” he said looking thoroughly confused. “But where is the covering for your flesh?”

Brigit matched his expression. “This is it.” She waved a hand down her body.

Orion frowned.

“You didn’t seem to care a minute ago about how I was dressed.”

He spread his fingers, working his hand open and closed as if trying to relieve tension or get the feeling back. “That was before we joined mouths.”

“Oh brother, give me a break. It was just a kiss.” That was the understatement of the century, but she rolled her eyes anyway. The last thing Orion needed to know was that he kissed better than most of her ex-boyfriends fucked. “You aren’t getting all possessive on me, are you?” As she spoke the words, Brigit realized a part of her actually hoped he was. Would that be so wrong? Of course it would. One good toe-curling kiss and she was ready to beg this guy to father her children.

“Will there be a gathering like the last time?” Orion asked, his voice dangerously low.

“A gathering?” What in the world was he talking about now? Soon she’d need a sci-fi decoder ring to decipher his phrases. It was almost as if his first language wasn’t English, yet she could discern no accent. “Oh, you mean a crowd. Yes, I sure hope so.” She began shoving items back into her suitcase. Brigit closed the lid, then sat on top of the bag, bouncing a couple times in order to lock it. The damn thing had to have shrunk after check-in.

Orion’s eyes widened and his sensuous face turned down in scowl. “There were males at that last gathering.”

Brigit glanced around the room to make sure she hadn’t forgotten anything and to once again check for film equipment. There had to be a camera crew somewhere. No way was this for real. Men like Orion did not exist on this planet.

“Will there be males?” He tried to hide the annoyance, but didn’t succeed.

His question startled her out of her packing. Why did he sound so grumpy? “Yep, there will be guys in the audience.”

“Then I forbid it.” His voice boomed and he slashed a powerful arm through the air.

Brigit giggled. She couldn’t help it. That was the last thing she expected him to say. He forbade it. Orion’s hands clenched. She glanced at his face once more and the giggles turned to peals of laughter. He looked so serious, but she knew he had to be kidding. No guy got serious after one kiss.

“That’s a good one, Orion. In fact, it’s perfect.” Her shoulders shook. “I forbid it,” she said, lowering her voice to impersonate him as she wiped tears from her eyes. “Save it for the stage, the audience will eat it up, especially once you put on that cape. Oh, I almost forgot.” Brigit unsnapped the suitcase and dug to the bottom of the bag. She felt satin beneath her fingertips and pulled. The material slid through the other items like water off sex lube. “Put this on.” She handed him the mask.

Orion stood there, turning the item over and over in his hands like he’d never seen one before and wasn’t sure what to do with it. She thought it was odd, but didn’t have time to delve into the subject or they’d be late.

“It goes on your face.” Brigit grabbed the mask and then stepped behind him. She stood on her tiptoes and strained upward, missing the mark by five inches. “Duck down. I can’t reach you.”

He did as she asked.

Brigit slipped the mask in place, securing it against his head, and then spun Orion around. Her gaze locked onto his face. She’d been going for a bit of mystery and hadn’t anticipated the impact a simple mask would make. Good God, he looked like an intergalactic bandit. All that was missing was for him to pull the sword from his side sheath and carve his initials into the wall.

“Um…um…that’s good,” she choked out and patted him on the arm before stepping back. The need inside her flamed, refusing to be doused.

“We need to talk,” he repeated, his voice gruff.

“Later.” Before he could say another word, Brigit grabbed him by the forearm and dragged him out of the room. It was either that, or do something insane like blow off the contest so she could throw him on the bed and fuck him senseless.

Chapter Three

The crowd was even larger than at the last costume event. Wonderful! With Orion at her side, they should win easily. Brigit gathered the material of her split skirt and pushed forward. Her right arm muscles strained as she tried to pull Orion behind her. Was he purposely digging in his heels? She glanced at his boots, then back to his face. Orion’s expression remained steely as he took in the crowd.

Wolf-whistles came from all sides as she snaked her way through the whirling masses. She couldn’t wait to see the look on Rocket Man Rick’s face. He’d left her to be with a winner. Well there was no way she could lose now. Brigit smiled inwardly. Her costume was a hit. Her partner was beyond perfect. She looked at him once more. He didn’t look happy. Every catcall made Orion stiffen and his frown deepen. If he got any tenser, she’d be able to wax his ass and surf him to the Bahamas.

“Are you okay?” she asked, shouting over the din of the crowd.

He glared at the people nearby, but nodded in her direction.

She leaned in close to his ear, her lips
accidentally
scraping his lobe. “Are you ready to go up on stage?”

Orion’s breath hissed out of his lungs and he straightened, putting some distance between them. He grabbed the cape she’d thrown over his head, twisting the clasp until it rested against his shoulder. “I am prepared for this event, but perhaps you are not.” He studied her.

“What do you mean?” Brigit scowled, tugging at her outfit. “Am I crooked?”

“No.” Orion reached up to the ear she’d touched and removed the silver hoop. His fingers singed her cheek as he slid his hand over her face to brush her hair back. He removed her simple gold post and clasped the earring, pressing it through her lobe, then caressed her again as he reluctantly released her. “Now you are ready,” he said, presenting her with a smile that caused her panties to shrink. He put her gold post through his ear, creating a mirror image. The look of possession excited Brigit more than it should. Her heart flip-flopped and warmth spread to her belly.

Brigit didn’t realize she held her breath, until she started to see stars. She gulped air and shook her head at her own foolishness. It was time to be honest with this man. He deserved the truth. “I should probably warn you that my ex is also in this competition.”

His brow crinkled. “Explain.”

She tugged Orion to the side, getting them out of the flow of traffic. “My ex-boyfriend has entered this contest with his new slut girlfriend, Dorothy.”

Orion slipped his hand away from hers and hit the button on his wrist. The color in his cheeks rose, giving him an angry glow.

“I’m sorry. I should have told you earlier. The only reason I didn’t is because I thought you might be working with him.”

The muscle ticked in his jaw. “Your mate is here and you allowed me to enter your dwelling, to touch you. I was very near to entering your body.” Disgusted, he pulled away.

“He’s not my mate. Well, at least not anymore.” She protested, suddenly as panic over his imminent departure set in. What was wrong with her? It had only been a kiss, not a promise of forever. So why did Brigit feel as if she’d somehow betrayed Orion? She reached for him, desperate to convince him to stay. “I said he’s my
ex
-boyfriend. There’s a difference. I wouldn’t have let you in my room if we were still together and I damn well wouldn’t have kissed you.” She coughed. “I mean allowed you to kiss me.”

Orion’s expression grew murderous. “Where is he?”

Brigit swung around and scanned the crowd. No sign of Rick or Dorothy. Good! That gave her time to calm Orion. “I haven’t seen him yet, but you don’t have anything to worry about. It’s over between us. And Rick, well, he’s more a lover than a fighter.” As soon as the words left her mouth, Brigit knew they’d been a mistake.

Orion’s gaze narrowed and he grit his teeth. “Has he claimed you?”

“Claimed? Uh, er, I don’t think you understand and you’re definitely missing the point. Rick won’t give us any trouble in this contest. We should win easily.” She assured, ignoring the fact that she’d thought the same thing in the earlier contest and look what occurred. This time would be different. This time she had a secret weapon and he stood right beside her, looking like a sexy, albeit angry, galactic bandit.

The women were going to faint at the sight of him. She smiled a moment before her expression faded. Jealousy gripped her. Brigit wasn’t at all sure she liked the thought of women fawning over him. In fact, the more she considered it, the less she wanted Orion standing in front of the crowd.

Orion reached for Brigit, cupping her chin in order to tilt her face so she could meet his eyes. “‘Tis you who do not understand. I care not about winning. I plan to punish him for his treatment of you and challenge his claim.” He looked as shocked after saying the words as she felt.

Challenge? Claim?
Brigit gaped and pulled from his grasp. Fear grappled with excitement. “Whoa there buddy.” She put her hand on Orion’s chest and tried to ignore the luscious feel of the muscles beneath his costume. “I appreciate the whole macho bit as much as the next girl, but it’s not cool to get into a physical fight at Conlunar. They’d kick me out and never allow me back in.”

“But this Rocket Man dishonored you by displaying his whore for all to see.” He shook his head, clearly confused. “I’m honor bound to challenge him.”

Brigit wanted to laugh, but couldn’t. Looking in Orion’s eyes, she realized he meant every word. Her heart tripped in her chest. “That is so sweet, but I don’t need you to kick anyone’s ass for me. Winning this contest would be reward enough.” Brigit cupped his cheek, much like he’d done to her. She smoothed her thumb over his brand loving the feel of his skin beneath her touch. “Rick hasn’t dishonored me. I mean, he acted like a schmuck. No doubt. I was hurt for a while, but now I’m over it, over him.” She had someone far more appealing to consider, but she didn’t tell him that. “I should’ve known better than to fall for his smooth lines and handsome face…” Brigit stopped speaking the second she realized she could be describing her and Orion. She cringed inwardly.
Way to go, genius. Why don’t you smack the guy next time?
“I didn’t mean anything by that. I’m not saying you’re the same,” she tried to explain.

“You believe me to have dishonored you.” Something akin to hurt flashed in his wild eyes.

“No! I didn’t say that.”

He looked around them and then back at her. “You didn’t have to.” His gaze penetrated, making her feel ashamed. And she was. Talking to Orion was the equivalent of dancing freeform before someone turned on the stereo. Every time Brigit thought she made the right moves, the music changed and she faltered. For some reason it was important to her that he understood.