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  He wore the same gray uniform as most of the other Zarain men with him. There was an insignia on his arm along with some markings that probably signaled his rank. Broad shoulders filled out that uniform, and the cloth only partially hid the muscularity of his arms and thighs. Although they’d all been in uniform that first day, a few of the men now wore normal clothing. She wondered if he’d brought something other than the uniform of his people. She’d like to see him in even less or maybe completely out of a shirt.

  In order to get her mind off that inviting expanse, she turned her eyes to the table with three silver domed lids. Autoprep was good. That’s what they had on the Setona for the most part. It was simply more cost efficient. Their pay increased with the amount of cargo they could carry, and fresh food even for a relatively small crew took up valuable space. The only time they did get the fresh stuff was in the middle of a voyage if they found a good deal and weren’t full of cargo.

  “Thank you. Any food would be great right now. I’m so hungry that I’d eat dried rations.” She smiled at him. “I’m Adalyn, by the way.”

  He’d introduced himself, but as much as she tried, she couldn’t remember his name. She knew it hadn’t been a normal-sounding name though.

  “You can call me Jagger.” His lips curved into a friendly smile. “I was wondering if you’d like to go for a walk this morning. Not far, but I thought you might want to move around a little. Our physician said that it might help with lingering soreness.”

  Take a walk with a gorgeous man like him? Who would say no? Hell, it wasn’t as if there’d be any emotional issues with him. On top of that, she had an implanted birth control device that would protect her from pregnancy. Not that she was sure sex was what he wanted from her, but at least, he knew how to work at a short relationship. He worked on a ship just as she did. Affairs and sexual encounters happened often and without the baggage of emotion and commitment.

  Ada didn’t do commitment. She’d walked away from her last lover because he wanted more than she could give. He didn’t seem to understand that she knew relationships didn’t last. They always ended and it was always painful. Better to keep it simple sex.

  Her entire family was a prime example of that. Her mother and father barely made it ten years. Long enough to have three daughters. Her father had remarried and divorced twice after their separation. As far as she knew, he hadn’t stayed in a committed relationship since.

  Her mother on the other hand had five marriages since then. Every time one ended, she moved on to the next, always looking for that mythical true, lasting love. Both of her sisters had seemed to be following their mother’s example, but lately, Chaina had become more focused on her career. Ada hadn’t heard about a man in Chaina’s life in months.

  Ada wasn’t without some failed relationships of her own. Twice, she’d broken her own rule and let her emotions get involved. She’d thought that she could do it right since she had her priorities in order. She’d failed. Well, failed once, actually, the other time, she’d caught her lover with another woman and left him, but it amounted to the same thing. She couldn’t do relationships. She didn’t know if she was doing something wrong, but apparently she sucked at them just as much as the rest of her family.

  “I’d love to go for a walk.” She strode over to the table. “Do you know if there is any extra clothing? I want to clean what I have on and the thought of wearing the same thing every day is enough to give me shudders.”

  “We have some extra clothing. Some of it might be a little big, but there are ties and some of it is stretchy so that we didn’t have to bring multiples of every size. We simply forgot to distribute them last night.” Jagger stopped beside the table. “You eat and I’ll gather some clothing for you and the other women in the tent.”

  “Thank you, but if you’re busy, I can wait and get them a little later.” She sat and grabbed a plate from a stack near the covered dishes.

  “I’m not busy. This is going to be something close to a vacation for us. I have a couple of men out checking to see what wildlife might be in this area. Maybe we can have some fresh meat to go with the food we have. Other than a few basic things that need to be done every day, we wait, we watch and we rest.” Jagger smiled.

  “Well, thank you again.” She settled in to eating the rolls that were available.

  She watched as he walked off, letting her eyes linger on his broad shoulders and muscular legs. The flex of his buttocks was almost mesmerizing. He was so gorgeous that she had trouble tearing her eyes away from him. Once he was out of sight, she focused on eating. Pouring herself a cup of the breakfast drink from the nearby pitcher, she set on tending to the hunger for food before she worked up an appetite for him.

  She’d finished eating and had taken her plate and cup to the basin set up for washing by the time Jagger returned with a large stack of clothing in a few different colors. She washed her dishes and turned to find him waiting for her.

  “Here is some clothing for you and for those who share the tent with you.” He handed her the pile of clothing.

  “Thank you. When did you want to go walk? I was going to wash a little and change into some fresh clothing.” She smiled and waited for his answer. She hoped he hadn’t changed his mind.

  “Whenever you’re ready. There’s no hurry,” he said easily. “I’ll be here. Come get me when you want to go.”

  He was agreeable. Maybe too agreeable. Could he want something more than a simple affair? She frowned but shook the thought off. They wouldn’t be here long enough for something lasting to form. He would know that.

  She washed and changed into clean clothing. The light blue pants and shirt she’d chosen were a little big on her, but it was better than wearing the same outfit for another day. She walked from the tent and felt much better and more presentable. The men were still adjusting the solar heater on the shower they had rigged up to the water pumped from the river. Although a shower sounded like heaven, a cold shower wasn’t in her plans.

  She couldn’t believe how eager she was to go for a walk with Jagger. Maybe part of it was because he had helped rescue her from a very uncertain fate, but not all of it. A hunger to explore Jagger’s hard body grew with every moment. She wanted to know if his chest was as muscular as it looked. And his mouth, she longed to know what it felt like to kiss him. She couldn’t hold back the smile pulling at the corners of her mouth. The thought of tasting his lips circled in her mind. Maybe if he was interested in her, she could get him to kiss her today.

  Ada also had so many questions but probably wouldn’t ask some of them. They were simply too personal and she’d only met this man a day ago. She knew a little of shifters in general, but as whole, the various groups of shifters tended to be reclusive and secretive about themselves. They could change into an animal. The type of animal depended on what type of shifter. There was Zarain, Feiral and Santir. Those three were simply the more well-known of the groups.

  Even at that, she only knew the names of those groups, not what their animal form looked like or much else about them. Lack of contact with the shifters could explain some of it, but it did bother her. She hadn’t realized how little she knew about them. Well, except for the basics taught to anyone who went near their borders.

  The shifters were fiercely protective of their space. If a ship went into their space, the ship and crew were subject to shifter law. In most cases, the shifters wouldn’t take the ship or cargo if the ship carried any. For females, though, going into shifter space carried another risk.

  Shifter law stated that any female in their space could be claimed as a mate. Ada had no idea how they decided a woman was a mate but suspected there would be more reaction than had been shown by any of the men here. From what she’d heard, very few women were claimed. The females of the Setona should be safe while they were here.

  She found Jagger talking with a few of the other men who’d come down to the planet with him. Not wanting to interrupt him or eavesdrop, she stopped before s
he came too close to them. She waited. She didn’t know if one of the men had said something to him, but he turned and smiled at her.

  “Come on over here. This isn’t private. Let me introduce you to a few of the others.” Jagger held out his hand.

  She walked over to join them. The invitation sent a warm thrill through her. Her hand slid easily into Jagger’s palm. She was a little surprised at how natural it felt to hold his hand. The men were all blond like Jagger, all tall and almost impossibly muscular. She’d known shifters were big, but she hadn’t thought they’d all be giants. These were the first shifters she’d met and she wondered if all types of shifters were as brawny.

  “Adalyn, these are my friends Cort, Burris and Thal.” Jagger pointed to the one on the right with the lightest hair and then worked his way to the left.

  “Hello, it’s nice to meet you.” Adalyn turned her head to look at Jagger. “If you need to talk to them, the walk can wait.”

  They returned her greeting. She found herself the center of attention. They were all friendly and none of them seemed upset about the interruption of their conversation. Still, she wondered if maybe they were discussing something important and Jagger simply didn’t want to admit it.

  “No, I told you there’s not much to do today. We were simply talking. If you’re ready, we can go.” Jagger tugged her closer.

  “I’m ready.” She pushed aside any lingering worries over interrupting them. He’d said twice that they were only chatting. She wanted to be with him too much to question it.

  He nodded and left her for a moment to get a pack from one of the tables. Leading her away from the camp, he guided her into the trees. They’d come out of the small stand of leafy trees soon. Although there were plenty of trees in this area, for the most part they grew in small groupings surrounded by grassland and rolling hills. The area seemed to have a fairly mild climate and she was happy for that.

  Jagger’s hand fell from hers. The loss of contact startled her. She almost reached to grab it again but stopped herself from doing it. His hand in hers had felt right. The feeling startled her. He moved in a little closer and his arm curved around her, settling low on her hip.

  She glanced at him. A smile curved his lips and he looked satisfied, almost content. His arm behind her was bracing and, although his fingers touched her thigh, there was nothing overtly sexual in the way he touched her. She had the feeling that he was doing more than guiding her over unfamiliar terrain. She definitely didn’t mind or question it too much. Hopefully, he was as interested in her as she was in him.

  Chapter Four

  Ada didn’t know what it was about him, but she wanted to get closer to him. She had to fight the urge to snuggle against him. It was too soon. She wasn’t certain that he wanted more beyond companionship. His glances led her to believe it was true, but she might be seeing what she wanted to see. She wanted him so badly. It was possible that he was only being nice.

  Grass and twigs crunched beneath her shoes. As they moved into the group of trees, the shade from the leaves above them and the bulk of the trees around them gave the impression of isolation. Shafts of light streamed down from gaps in the leaves. She could almost believe they were alone here.

  “What do you do on your ship?” Jagger glanced over at her.

  “Navigation for the most part, but it’s not exactly a huge ship. When a large load of goods come on, I help with inventory. With the work and courses I’ve taken, I’ve gotten enough experience for an inventory specialist position if I wanted it.” She smiled. “And what do you do when you’re not patrolling for victims of space pirates?”

  “Pretty much anything needed. When I’m on the Vigilant, I work as a commander. So I could be on the bridge, on security, or a few other positions. I’m trained on a variety jobs so I can step in if an extra hand is needed.” Jagger shrugged and guided her around a dark-green, thorny bush.

  She was tempted to linger in the private confines of these trees. The trilling calls of the birds provided the only counter to their voices. She’d have liked to remain within the silent seclusion it offered. Maybe she’d get the nerve to pull him down onto the grass near one of those thick trunks. If she was a little more certain of his interest, she’d definitely give it a try. Her ribs might ache, but she wasn’t hurting that badly.

  As they left the trees, the bright glare of the sunlight seemed almost blinding. She lifted her free hand up and briefly shaded her eyes. His arm tightened a little, almost bracing her as they continued forward.

  “Do you have a home on a planet somewhere, a place you go back to between trade runs?” Jagger glanced at her.

  “No, for a while I kept a small apartment, but I was never there to use it. It was a waste of money. When I have time between runs, I go visit my family or spend some time on Emidice, my home planet, relaxing. Rooms are easy to find, but for the last few years, the Setona has been my home.” She glanced around the grassy area.

  She had some concerns about what would happen when she once again returned to United Systems space. The Setona would be replaced eventually, but she’d need a job in the interim. She’d have to buy more clothing and the other necessities lost with the ship. That would take a chunk out of her savings.

  Now, she couldn’t do anything about that though. She focused on the beauty around her. Long blades of light green grass swayed in the breeze. The tangy scent of the plants drifted to her on the wind. She inhaled deeply, savoring the moment. At times, she lived for when she was on planet and able to savor a walk in the sun, smell the flowers or just taste real food. The time spent on ship made her enjoy the simple joys even more. For all the technology available and the ways it provided to relax, it was never able to measure up to the pleasure of a sunny day and fresh air.

  “Do you have a home?” She turned to him since he’d stopped walking.

  “Yes, I have a home on a planet, although I haven’t been there in a while.” Jagger urged her to start walking again. “Why don’t we walk a little more?”

  “You haven’t been there in a while?” She asked as she went along with him.

  “We’ve been on patrol of the border even before this pirate issue came up,” Jagger said. “How are you feeling?”

  “I’m not hurting. I’m a little stiff, but that’s normal and better than I hoped. I’m sure that it would hurt if I went running, but I’m not going to do that.” Ada curled her arm around his back.

  Ada silently acknowledged that she was understating the stiffness. She’d pay for the walk later, but it would be worth it to be with him. As for pain, pressing on the bruises or her ribs caused a jab of discomfort, but she didn’t think they were going to get into a heavy clinch, not from the way things were going so far. Not that she’d object. She wanted to slip her fingers beneath his shirt and see if his body was as hard and corded beneath his clothing as it looked.

  “You tell me if it begins to hurt. I’ll get you back to camp.” He sent her a stern glance.

  Who knew someone that big could worry so much over injuries he hadn’t even seen? She suppressed a smile. It was endearing.

  “I’m fine. Don’t worry about me. Are we going to walk on or rest here?” She raised a brow at him. As much as she liked the view, she wanted to walk. At least then she got to lean against him as they moved.

  “How about we walk over that way and sit in the shade?” He pointed across the grassy clearing to another group of trees. “I have water and a couple of pieces of fruit.”

  “Where did you get fruit?” She glanced at the bag. “Are you sure it’s safe?”

  “Yes, I’m sure. It’s one of the most common fruits. We still call it the kisla fruit, but I think in most United Systems areas it’s called the pini.” He frowned as he thought for a moment. “As for where, I told you I sent men out looking for fresh food.”

  Now, she knew what he was talking about. The name kisla for a fruit had drawn a blank with her, but pini she knew was a bright red oval fruit. It was delicious and it
seemed to grow on most worlds.

  “Those will be good. Sitting in the shade sounds great.” She nodded and strolled beside him to the small group of trees.

  He pulled a blanket from the pack. While he spread the covering over the grass, she stood off to the side until he waved her over. He waited until she took a seat before settling in beside her. Now that she was sitting, an ache started in her ribs. It wasn’t anywhere near the pain of yesterday, but she took a deep breath and straightened trying to find a comfortable position. She leaned to the side a bit, bracing herself on an arm and moved her legs, but couldn’t quite find a posture that would ease the discomfort.

  “Is something wrong?” He looked sharply at her, a frown pulling his brows down.

  She debated whether to push aside his concerns. After all, there wasn’t anything physically wrong. She’d been warned that there might be some discomfort and would have been surprised if there wasn’t. It would go away over the next few days. Nothing had been broken. Her ribs merely bruised by a few of the blows delivered by those damn pirates.

  “It’s just my ribs. Walking is all right, but sitting down, I have a hard time finding a comfortable position.” She sighed, a little irritated by the discomfort and the fact that it was interrupting what had been a promising afternoon with him.

  He considered her for a moment. “Why don’t you try leaning against me? We can try different positions until you find one that lets you relax.”

  “Are you sure?” She looked up at him.

  “Yes, come on. I want you to be thinking of something else other than your side.” He held his arms wide.

  At first, she tried simply leaning into him on his side but couldn’t find a position that eased the ache in her ribs. She just shook her head at him. It hadn’t been so bad at the table. She’d leaned a little forward and braced an arm on the table. The odd position had helped. She’d eaten as quickly as she could to shorten the discomfort.