Space Wrangler (10 page)

He gave her a noncommittal nod.

“It's odd, obviously. Because Trent was so disgusted when Mom left. He thought she abandoned us, even though it's not true. She wanted to keep in touch with him, and she wanted
me
to come live with her and her new husband in Croatia. She abandoned
Dad
, not us. But Trent never got over it. Or at least, I didn't think he did. But what if he had those bedtime memories too? And programmed them into the prototypes? Isn't that incredible?”

“Yeah, it's incredible.”

She glared. “Meaning you don't believe it? Why not? It was her voice. Her words.”

“Tell me what she said. Or better still—” He raised his voice. “Sensie? Tell me what you said to Alexia. And use the same inflection.”

“I said to Alexia:
You must relax. Your respiration is dropping as is your pulse, all of which shows the sedative is working. Close your eyes now. Have sweet dreams. Everything will look better when you awaken
.”

A shiver of delight ran through Alexia. “Incredible, right?”

“It's motherly,” Rick admitted. “But the words themselves are generic, don't you think? Sweet dreams? Things will look better tomorrow?”

Alexia stared at him, dumbfounded. “Generic?”

He flushed. “
My
mom would've said the same thing. I'm not saying Trent didn't program it in, but think about it. Prototype Number Two was scrapped. Parted out. Only the core programming was salvageable because it was imbedded in core memory. But that was just basic stuff. This sort of thing would be—well, extraneous. Or at least,” he added defensively, “that's what your brother would have called it.”

Sensie spoke up. “Captain? We are ready to dock. Would you like me to delay?”

When Rick looked to Alexia for an answer, she murmured, “What's the point?” Then before he could respond, she stood and moved toward the exit. “Thanks for showing me the Titans, Captain. I'll always be grateful for that.”

Chapter Seven

Alarmed by the finality in Alexia's tone, Rick stood and grabbed her wrist. “Hey, are you upset?”

“Don't be silly.” She stepped closer and admitted, “You gave me the Titans and a beautiful memory of my mother. What more could a girl want?”

“I shouldn't have said what I said. About the flirting.”

“It's fine.”

“No, it isn't. We both know what was happening, and it didn't have a damned thing to do with bio-girls or re-wiring.”

“Thanks.” A smile flitted across her face. “You were smart to mention TJ though. Because that's the point. Right?”

“Yeah,” he admitted. “That's the point.”

She touched his cheek. “I couldn't help myself. It was just so much fun. Flirting with you for the sheer joy of it. Ever since Trent disappeared, my whole life has centered around an agenda, so just goofing around felt—well, freeing, I guess.”

“Do you have an agenda with TJ?”

“Absolutely. The same one I had with my geek lovers. Helping me find Trent. You can't imagine—” She rolled her eyes. “Like I said, it's been the worst sex life in human history.”

Rick chuckled. “I'm sure it wasn't that bad.”

“Really? I told you about George Rendem-Sayers. But there's more. One geek was super rich—had his own island observatory and everything. He had some provocative theories about Trent, and I was hungry for anyone who agreed with me at that point. Plus, he was so much like Dad—a mathematician who only learned astronomy and physics because of the cool equations. So I spent a week with him, and it was fun—his observatory was a
maz
ing—but his physics knowledge wasn't much better than mine, so it was a bust.”

Rick scowled. “A mathematician with an island observatory? In other words, Lorenzo Nolo? You slept with
him
?”

“Just for one week. And he was so sweet. But like I said, he just didn't have what I needed.”

“Charming,” Rick muttered.

“You're kind of a geek yourself, right?” she said teasingly. “You built Sensie, so you must have majored in computers—”

“Nope. That came earlier.” He took a deep breath, surprised to be sharing this part of his life. “There was a time when my father home-schooled me. He wanted to learn something new himself, so he took computer science courses on the freescape while I did my schoolwork. But since I idolized him, I followed along with his stuff too. Years later, after the explosion, when I got the idea of coming here, I took some refresher courses and it all congealed. I could handle the basics, and Sensie helped with the rest.” Wincing, he added, “In answer to your question, I focused on military history and strategy at the Point. Not science or computers.”

“Speaking of the point…” She touched his cheek. “You came through the sinkhole to avoid relationships. And
I
need to hook up with TJ and get access to the Sea-Mont Prototype. So I shouldn't have teased you in the shower the way I did.”

He wanted to tell her it had been fun for him too, but wouldn't that just confuse things again? So he said simply, “Let's hope you're right. That you and TJ will turn out to be perfect for each other.”

“We will.” She bit her lip. “Can I kiss you goodbye? Or will you just give me another lecture?”

He glared, incredulous at the non sequitur. Then he muttered, “Oh hell, why not?” and grabbed her by the waist, pulling her close and lowering his mouth to hers. She responded instantly, just as he knew she would—fun and hot. And slightly desperate.

Just like him.

The fingers of his left hand tangled in her incredibly soft hair, while his right kept her pressed against him, and they kissed with growing hunger, their tongues crazy with the need to experience each other completely. Then his hand slipped up to her right breast, cupping it with fervent admiration as his thumb swept across the alert nipple. It was an instinctive move born of experience, eliciting the desired reaction as a muffled cry of pleasure burst from the back of her throat, resonating through him, making him ache for more.

Then the tasting became gentler—almost reverent—as their bodies molded together.

More than anything, he wanted to pick her up and carry her to his quarters. To make love the way she had described it—“for the sheer joy of it”.

And then she'll go back to the platform and make love with TJ
.

It was a definite mood killer, and to her credit, she seemed to have the same misgivings. And so it was Alexia who withdrew first, still in his arms, but looking up at him with that sweet, crazy smile and whispering breathlessly, “Go ahead and yell at me if you want. That was totally worth it.”

“Yeah,” he admitted, finding it impossible not to grin.

She seemed pleased by his response, and when she backed away, her expression was warm but also final. “Have a safe trip, cowboy. Promise?”

“Come on, I'll walk you home.”

“I've got my panic alarm, remember? One touch and a dozen handsome heroes rush to my rescue.”

“Good thinking.” He cleared his throat. “I hope you find your brother soon.”

“Thanks, Rick. And thank you too, Sensie,” she called out mischievously. “I may be short, but
you're
perfect, glitches and all.”

“Goodbye, Alexia. Try not to do anything foolish.”

“Sensie,” Rick groaned.

But Alexia clearly loved the computer's response.

“I'll be good, I promise,” she told them both. Then she flashed a farewell smile at Rick, turned away to activate the front hatch, then walked out of his life.

And into TJ's.

“You should not have kissed her that way, Captain,” Sensie told him as soon as the door swooshed shut.

“Back off.” He scowled toward the main console, but only because he didn't need Sensie nagging him over the next few hours, days, weeks. He wanted to enjoy this memory—the hot kiss with a fired-up female—for as long as it lasted. And he needed to get his chores done so he could top it off with a bio-girl.

“I'm gonna take the suits and equipment to the cleaners. Then I'll stow that extra ACT below deck. We can fuel up in the morning. I'll spend the night at the Trading Post.”

“With a courtesy date?” Sensie's tone turned judgmental. “Is that wise? So soon after you kissed Alexia?”

“Trust me, she won't mind.”

“Because she will be in TJ Seaton's bed? Does that make you jealous?”

“Nope.” He paused to acknowledge the truth in that claim. It actually didn't bother him at all.

To Sensie he explained, “She's one hundred percent focused on finding her brother. And TJ can help with that. Meanwhile,
I'm
focused on
not
finding anyone. Except you, of course.”

“You didn't find me, you built me.”

“Even better.” He laughed out loud, more euphoric than he'd been in years, and eager to move on—past Alexia Montoya and full speed ahead to his next adventure.

For the first time since Trent's disappearance, Alexia felt alive. This part of her—hopeful, fun-loving—had been dormant for so long. She had hoped TJ would be the Prince Charming who would rouse her from that condition, and maybe he still would. But Captain Rick Gage had helped the cause considerably by reminding her she wasn't just a sister or a daughter. She was a vital, sensual creature who needed the touch of a man.

“And that man is TJ,” she scolded herself as she stripped off her casual clothes, ready to dress in her most foolproof outfit—a skimpy black dress with spaghetti straps, filmy skirts, and a V-neckline designed to make men weep. It had been effective more than once over the past five years—most notably in a Christmas video that still garnered thousands of hits on the freescape every week. And it would work on TJ too. She was almost sure of that, especially given how easily he had been aroused by jeans and a tank top.

If only she had been aroused by him too, but the cowboy had cock-blocked all that. She couldn't think of anyone but him. Those laughing green eyes, the powerful build. The way he had resisted her, the way he'd given in. And then because of who he was, and what he'd gone through, he had backed off once and for all, unwilling to take advantage despite her obvious consent.

She could still feel his touch. His arms holding her, his tongue sparring with hers, his fingertips teasing her nipple. Just the memory of it fooled her body into believing he was nearby, ready to take her completely, again and again. She needed that. Craved it.

Because she
was
a vital female, and from the way she had responded to the wrangler, a female
in heat
. It was so heady, so real, she slipped the dress off, letting it crumble to the ground, then she touched her breast the way Rick had done, savoring the delicious pang of pleasure.

“Snap out of it,” she mocked herself. “TJ's expecting you. And who knows, maybe he can complete the mission, right?”

There had been a time when just thinking about the handsome football star had elicited these same erotic feelings.

“And he can do it again,” she promised herself. “All Rick did was prime you.”

Laughing, she pulled her dress back up, spritzed herself with citrus-scented perfume, and brushed her hair until the artificial highlights popped. TJ would love this effect. Adore it. Maybe even profess his undying devotion on the spot, and once they consummated their lust…

Don't get overconfident
, she warned herself as she stuffed the key card to the penthouse in her purse.
Just because Rick went crazy doesn't mean TJ will. There's baggage there. And who knows what his father has been saying?

It was a sobering thought. David Seaton hated Alexia almost as much as he had once loved her father. Roberto had been so harmless, so focused on science and math, and so grateful to silver-haired Seaton for handling the financial aspects of their venture, the monster had had no choice but to cherish him.

But Trent had been different. Gentle in his own way, but also a threat to David in his ability to monitor the business side of things along with the research and development. Worse, he had inspired David's son to do likewise by learning about science as well as finance. Hadn't TJ—a supposed economics major—been the second man in Earth's history to transit the sinkhole? Not just a bean counter after all, but instead, another shining light in the world of discovery.

Did that bother the elder Seaton, who was widely known as “the money guy”? He wanted to be seen as the top businessman in the organization, and Roberto had never challenged that.

But Trent had.

And in some ways, TJ had done so too. But Trent had disappeared before his best friend found the strength to rebel against David completely.

That will be my gift to you
, she promised her old heartthrob as she headed out the door.
You'll help me find Trent, and I'll help you find your
self.
You're smart and savvy and adorable, and if you bring my brother back to me, I'll never look at another cowboy again
.

With everything prepped for the five-month contract in Sector Fourteen, Rick fueled up the
Drifter
, powered Sensie down for the night and headed for the Trading Post. He usually spent a couple of nights there when he returned to the space platform after a contract, but Alexia had interrupted his rhythm in more ways than one.

Time to get back on track
, he told himself cheerfully.

As always, the thought of hanging out with one of the bio-girls excited him. Free, unencumbered sex with a pretty woman who was tested bi-weekly for disease and wearing a mandatory birth-control patch. It didn't get much better than that.

Still, when he stepped into the bar and spied Alexia at the bar, sipping a fizzy drink, he had to laugh. Apparently, she wasn't quite ready to get out of his head yet, so he walked toward her, enjoying the view as he did so.

This was the Alexia the media loved to portray—sexy black dress with no back and a plunging neckline; bare arms, bare legs and spiked heels that could kill a man literally as well as sexually. And the best smile of any woman, ever.

“Hey, cowboy,” she beamed, patting the stool next to hers. “I thought you were already upstairs with one of the girls.”

He slid onto the seat. “And I figured you'd be at TJ's place.”

“I needed some liquid courage first.”

“Alexia…” He gave her a reproachful frown. “If you don't want to do it, don't.”

“It's not that. I'm fine with the sex part. I just feel guilty about leading him on.
If
I'm leading him on. Who knows? Maybe I'm still in love with him, but…” Her eyes clouded. “He's different these days, and that's throwing me a little.”

“Different how?”

She shrugged her bare shoulders, sending a wave of anticipation through his excitable body. Then she said carefully, “He's more aggressive than I remember. Not just his temper, but sexually aggressive too. I know you platform guys get all the sex you want, but he seems really anxious to—well, to consummate this.”

“He's hot for you, that's for sure.”

“I didn't expect it, but it works for my purposes.” She eyed him teasingly. “Let's talk about you for once. This is such a strange lifestyle—eighteen bio-girls for two hundred men. But TJ assures me it all works out.”

“It does.”

“Is that blonde over by the window one of them?”

Rick nodded.

“She's pretty. Have you slept with her?”

He scowled but nodded again.

“What about that girl flirting with the big, shaggy guy. Is she one of them?”

“Yeah.”

“And have you slept with her too?”

He glared. “Cut it out.”