Alex Wales: Promise

them.

She looked up, wishing she’d already had a chance to put her light-weight jacket on. Goosebumps rose along her skin. All of a sudden, she felt so darn cold. Not exactly the reaction she’d expected to feel when a man eventually said, “I love you.”

“You don’t mean it,” she whispered, meeting his eyes.

“Ah, yeah. I do.”

She released a shaky breath. “Ulric, don’t try to conquer me like you do your business ventures.” She twisted her hands over and over, until he forcibly took them in his. Did he honestly see her as just another challenge to be conquered, or was the accusation simply her defense mechanism to his unexpected admission?

She didn’t know. Not yet.

“That’s not what I’m trying to do, Alex.” He looked away, his eyes downcast. His fingertips toyed with hers. “This isn’t the reaction I expected the first time I managed to get those words out of my mouth.” He turned his gaze back to meet hers. She’d never seen vulnerability on his face, nor was it an emotion she’d ever expected to see on this over-confident individual.

Was he serious? Maybe Alex had become so cynical, she couldn’t wrap her mind around this.

“Then what areyou trying to do?” Alex narrowed her eyes at the naked man lounged on the round bed in front of her. His body was utter perfection- muscles in all the right places and smooth, mostly hairless skin. If she didn’t know any better, she’d assume he was genetically engineered at birth or some sort of android, made to resemble a human.

That’s a creepy thought.After all, this was her lover.

Alex wasn’t usually a one-man kind of girl, but after the start of her affair with Ulric, that all changed. She’d lost interest in all the other possibilities she encountered on foreign planets. Maybe they’d somehow managed to change each other. She hadn’t admitted it to him-and never would-but she hadn’t taken a lover in years, because he kept her cravings sated.

“I’m trying to convince you to stay with me.” His fingers chased lazy circles around her palms, while he kept his intense eyes pinned on hers, his lips pouty. “I want this thing between us to be a little more permanent. Alex, I don’t want to spend hours getting interrogated, or see doubt in your eyes. I just want you to stay with me. Will you do that?”

She shook her head. “I can’t.”

“You can’t, or you won’t?” The suspicion in his eyes made them twinkle in the darkness engulfing them inside his bedroom. Ulric had the top section of the space station all to himself. No one disturbed him, unless he wanted them to.

She turned away and looked out the large window on the other side of the room. Stars shimmered in the blackness of space. It had been a long time since she’d actually enjoyed living in one place. After her mother’s attempt at imprisoning and marrying her off for her own gain, Alex found it hard to stay in one place for too long. The only home she could see herself in for any period of time was her ship, but even that was mobile.

As tempting as this offer was, and as much as she’d love to spend countless hours naked with this man, Alex couldn’t say “yes”. She didn’t want to be tied down or feel suffocated. No, that wasn’t the problem. I can’t lie to myself. I just don’t feel the same way about him , do I?

She shook her head, turning back to face him. “I’m sorry, but I just can’t.”

“Forget I said anything.” He released her hands. His chiseled jaw went rigid, darkened by the stubble. “Go on. Take that piece of crap out into space, and return to my bed whenever you’re in need of a good fuck, since that’s all you seem to want me for.”

She opened her mouth to respond, but he cut her off.

“Don’t look so shocked. It’s the truth, and you’ve just proven it.”

“Ulric, I thought you and I were looking for the same thing.”

“We were, but somewhere along the way, something changed for me. I guess it didn’t for you.” He looked away. “That’s okay. You’ll learn to feel the same way soon enough. I’m sure of it.”

Alex didn’t particularly appreciate the comment. Did he hope to manipulate her into falling in love with him, or was he just hoping it would happen eventually? Either way, she didn’t respond well to manipulation. It always reminded her of her scheming mother.

“Well, as long as you’re still open to being lovers, you know I’ll be back.”

His eyes darkened with desire. “Babe, with a body like yours, and the things you’re able to pull off in bed, you’re more than welcome to return whenever you want. No matter what, I’ll always be ready to get into your pants. Or get you outof your pants.”

She laughed. “You know I’ll be back.” She might not appreciate bold attempts of manipulation, but she had no problem being easily led into his bed.

“I’m hoping you will.”

Alex offered Ulric a smile. She looked at him, and for a few silent moments, they gazed into each other’s eyes. Maybe he was challenging her to read his mind, or was trying to figure out what she was thinking. Either way, she felt a little saddened by what had just happened. She was pretty sure things had changed forever between them, and she wasn’t sure if it was a good thing or not.

“This delivery shouldn’t take too long. I should be back in a few days, so keep the bed warm.” Was she suggesting he take up another lover in her absence? She didn’t know what she meant, but she also didn’t want to waste any time analyzing it. The thought of him being with someone else never roused any jealousy in her. Whatever he did when she wasn’t around didn’t concern her, as long as she didn’t have to see any of it.

Ulric nodded.

She made her way across the room, picked up the blaster still in its holster, and strapped it around the top of her right thigh, before grabbing her bag and jacket from the armchair. She slung both over her shoulder, now more eager than ever to get out of this room.

Alex took one last look at Ulric’s stunning face, the shiny brown hair he kept short, and his luscious body, before turning toward the door. She always liked to remember what he looked like just before she left for a delivery. Actually, stopping by between jobs had become a habit. Now, she wondered if it was a good idea.

“See ya next time,” she said with a wink over her shoulder. A feeling of foreboding washed over her, causing her gut to tighten.

“Yeah, next time.” Ulric ran a fingertip over his exposed abdomen suggestively. “If you change your mind, I’ll be right here, all alone, with no one else to satisfy me.”

Alex turned away, wondering if he was telling the truth.

What’s it matter to me?It was none of her business. She’d just turned down a once-in-a-lifetime offer from the richest and most powerful playboy this side of the galaxy. She knew not many women, if any, could boast about something this big.

She pressed the button on the side wall, and the metallic door opened wide in front of her.

“Alex,” he called.

She looked at him over her shoulder, curls falling over her eyes. “Yeah?”

“Be careful out there, okay?”

“I’m always careful…out there and in here,” she returned. No sense leaving him to think she was a vulnerable idiot, ready to answer his every whim. Though, her insides quivered at the thought of leaving him alone with an erection. Maybe he’d choose to relieve himself. The imagery caused a flush of heat to crawl up her cheeks. Even if it wouldn’t be the first time she’ d watched him do that to himself, it never failed to make her hot. Her physical reaction to this man was always so intense, so raw. No wonder she kept coming back for more.

She closed her hands into fists. Keep moving.