Page 19 of The Pregnancy Pact

Instantly, I felt heat rise. Of course. Me. Lorelai Bristol? No value. Ever.

I pursed my lips to keep from swearing at him.

Perhaps he saw how angry I was. Tilting his head, he said in a slightly less degrading tone, “Come, come, I meant no offense. It is only, you are a human female of no rank or worth. The captain of a space ship such as this has no time for you. He scarcely has time for me, especially as we should be approaching the Endromitus asteroid belt soon.”

He walked to the wall, pressed a nearly invisible button, and waved his hand. As before with the liquor cabinet, seemingly out of the wall sprang a 3D map of space showing our ship hurtling through the vastness of the universe.

“You see,” he said, pointing to a towering cluster of miniature brown stones and boulders, the size of moons or tiny planets. “The Endromitus asteroid belt. It is the only difficult passage between Drixus and Asterion. The captain must be on the bridge to navigate it.”

“Which means…what?” I snapped. “That he has time to meet with you and not with me?”

The Asterion blinked. “Yes. That is precisely what it means.”

I huffed a breath through my nose. Either he had no idea how condescending he came off, or he didn’t care. Or both. Likely both. After all, I was a mere human female.

“Fine,” I grumbled. “I’ll stay here if I have to. But please let him know something needs to be done to get me back to my ship or I’ll—I’ll…”

A smirk twisted the alien’s thin, beautiful mouth. “You will what?”

“I don’t know. Raise cane, or something,” I warned, waving my hand in frustration. “Just let him know I won’t be happy.”

The alien’s golden eyes glimmered with humor as he gazed down his nose at me. “Yes. I am sure Captain Osiris cares a great deal for your happiness.”

Do you even hear yourself? I started to snap, then stopped. What was the use? Honestly, threats and pouting and fits weren’t going to get me anywhere. I was truly at the mercy of the aliens as far as getting back to my ship, my job, my life. I didn’t have anything to bargain with. I’d be better off begging and asking nicely. Maybe they’d at least feel sorry for me.

“You’re right,” I said sweetly, changing my tone, my approach. “You’re right about everything. Really, I appreciate you going to the captain for me. I’m sure, between the two of you, you can come up with a solution.”

The smirk faded off the Overlord’s face. I think he was trying to figure out why I’d changed tactics. He didn’t study on it long, because he said, “Yes,” in a doubting tone. “Very well, then,” he went on, his voice becoming more clipped, business like. “I will dress and go to the captain now. I will have breakfast sent. Likely, it will arrive before I return. Help yourself.”

Dressed.

Right.

He wasn’t dressed.

For a mortifying instant, I found myself consumed with the desire to watch him as he walked away and towards the center wall panel. Again, with the press of a nearly imperceptible button, he opened a closet that was far deeper than I would have imagined. Okay, I admit it—I did watch. He was long, lean, and toned. Muscles moved beneath his dark silver skin. His long hair gleamed in the soft ship’s light, falling to his bare shoulder blades.

Despite the gravity of the situation, and the fact that he really was not a very nice guy, that same wave of longing that had hit me last night slammed me again. It wasn’t any kind of attraction to him as a person. The feeling was purely physical, and probably had a lot—a lot—to do with the fact that I hadn’t had sex in absolutely forever. And when I had had it? Let’s just say, by the end of our marriage, my ex’s lovemaking skills, such as they were, clearly weren’t being spent on me. I got bare minimum effort. That was it.

I couldn’t even remember the last time I’d experienced…pleasure.

Charlie certainly hadn’t cared enough to make sure I was satisfied.

Not like this guy would, either, more than likely, my better sense remined me as he, having selected clothing, walked out of his closet and past me. He draped the clothes on the back of a small armchair, and began dressing. He seems like a Charlie-type of lover. Like he’s going to get his, then he’s done and it’s all over.

Maybe he’d be different.

Not likely.

Before I had time to finish the internal argument, the Overlord was slipping on his boots. He walked towards the door, twisting his long hair into a knot, saying, “I will return shortly. Help yourself to the meal when it arrives, but do not pry into my belongings.”

I did a doubletake as the door slid closed behind him. What the hell kind of person did he think I was?

What the hell kind of person was I that, even though the idea hadn’t occurred to me to begin with, as soon as he said it, as soon as he was gone, that was all I could think about? Prying through his belongings? I didn’t dare push my luck too far. Still, as I glanced around, something in the back of the open closet caught my eye. A photo, nearly hidden behind an array of coats. I slipped inside the smaller space to pick it up. Examine it.

Why was he hiding a photo in the closet? That seemed bizarre. A mistress, maybe? Hadn’t he said his wife was dead? So why hide his mistress?

I poked my head out, glancing around the bedroom. The outer door remained closed. I heard no footsteps.

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