Page 23 of The Alien Warrior's Mate

Attraction had swirled around them, tingeing the air with the heat of something forbidden but unavoidable. Right at that moment, Enthara’s eyes had glowed a passionate red. She’d seen it again just before the battle with the lion guards. Korben realized they were about to be attacked and, at the same time, Enthara’s eyes had gone to a flinty black.

She wondered if Enthara had changed in any way when she’d been in the driver’s seat. Sara rememberedthe exactmoment she’d been able to control the robot. A sword had been pointed her way and she’d started slapping every inch of the cabin in desperation.

Nothing worked until she’d pictured what she wanted to do in her mind. At that moment, Enthara had started moving. She hadn’t knownwhatshe’d done, but she’d donesomething.And that was pretty freaking awesome.

To be fair though, Korben had defeated most of the lion guards before she could get a proper handle on how to control Enthara and help him out.

Not that he needed her help. Sara recalled his roar of outrage as he’d fought. The sound nearly made her leak in her tunic. She didnotwant to be on his bad side. Or his good side. Or in front of him. Or behind him.

She didn’t want to be near this alien because she was starting to feel too much for him. Korben fascinated her more than he should. She wanted to know everything about him. What made him tick? What made him smile and laugh?

Her feelings were becoming too strong, too fast. In this high-octane world, she’d found an anchor in him. Just like meeting Emma in extremely stressful circumstances had formed a bond between them, being with Korben had done the same.

He’d protected her all this time. If she had any hope of making it out alive, she needed to keep trusting his actions. But he could still be shady. Life had taught her that lesson the hard way. Not everyone who presented themselves as angels in the beginning were truly the benevolent beings they pretended to be.

Her sister’s boyfriend came to mind.

Sara’s jaw ticked and tension floated through her body. The reminder was painful but necessary. Just because Korben’s skin was blue didn’t mean he was that different from a man. He was capable of betrayal too.

Purple eyes stared intently at her as he offered the sword. She accepted it hesitantly, her heart still thundering from when he’d pointed it at her.

Korben moved close behind her and wrapped his arms around her body. Immediately, she melted into him, needing to feel the contact of his flesh against her skin. Where that sudden urge came from, she had no idea. What shedidknow was that she was a horrible shot and Korben seemed to be in the process of rectifying that if his slow, disapproving grunt in her ear meant anything.

Sara tried to keep herself in check, but her interest in the alien kept growing. In a fit of insanity, she wiggled against him, realizing that his body reacted to her touch. The feel of him hardening against her sent a flutter of desire through her veins.

She pressed back even more, heat throbbing between her thighs and longing making her sigh. Korben grunted again but did not try to touch her. How strange. No matter how much he wanted her—and sheknewthat he did, Korben never tried to force himself on her. That made her trust him even more.

Korben frowned at her and shook his head. He nudged her body away and scolded her in that deep, dark voice.

Okay.

No rubbing up on the alien during this lesson.

Got it.

Sara focused on the laser sword in her arms. It was so freakingheavy. It spanned the length of her shoulder to her wrist and felt like it had been weighed with rocks. No wonder her aim was crap. She could barely lift the thing to swing it, much less shoot it.

Korben wrapped his long fingers around her hand and lifted her wrist up so it was cradling the sword. His fingertips grazed her upper arm gently. Goosebumps popped out everywhere he touched.

She turned around to look at him. Korben planted his fingers on top of her hair and forced her to stare straight ahead.

Sara sighed. “You know, I’ve never been good with my hands. This is a lost cause.”

“Iz gon to mur foocus,” he grumbled in her ear.

She snapped back to argue, but Korben jerked her head right around. Leaning over her again, he pressed his shoulder into her back and corrected her posture. Next, he used his knee to tap her legs further apart.

When he released her, Sara once again found herself wishing that he would keep holding her close. He was so big and warm and strong.

What is wrong with you?

She shook her head and, once again, tried to stomp her feelings away. Korben wasoff-limits. Beyond the fact that he was an alien, he could also be married. He could have his blue wife and little blue kids running afoot at home, wondering when he’d be back.

He could be a jerk. The alien spent his nights at intergalactic brothels. Maybe he was a bastard who cheated on his alien wife and spent all his money chasing after alien girls in dive bars or whatever this planet’s equivalent was.

She had to keep her wits about her. Lusting after the hot alien was a big, fat no-no.

Licking her lips, Sara focused on Korben’s confident instruction. He strode toward a tree, stopping a few feet past her and bending down to pick up a rock. He raised it and dragged it in a circle around the bark, forming a large target.

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