Chapter 9

The sun had barely risen when Emmy woke, her body still tingling from vivid dreams of Chigs. Her cheeks flushed as she remembered her own actions last night after seeing Chigs on the balcony. She had to get him out of her head, but that would be impossible given their current situation. She was simply going to have to guard her thoughts and emotions and get their mission done as quickly as possible. The sooner he found his mate, the sooner she could move on.

She dressed and ventured from the bedroom to find Chigs already awake and removing a tray from the replicator. Her stomach growled as the scent of bacon wafted toward her.

"Good morning," Chigs said when he spotted her, his voice a little stiff. "I hope you slept well."

Shit. Did he know she'd spied on him? She cleared her throat, hoping the pink early morning light streaming in from the balcony concealed her blush. "I did, thanks."

Liar. She'd tossed and turned for hours, her mind spinning with confused desire. Even looking at him now made her feel all fluttery inside, no matter how many times she reminded herself he could never be hers.

Chigs gestured toward the balcony. "Are you hungry?"

She spotted several platters already arranged on the balcony table. She rarely ate breakfast, but when a hot guy makes you food, you don't say no. "Thanks, that sounds wonderful."

Following him outside, she saw platters filled with heaps of fluffy scrambled eggs, crisp bacon, a large variety of fresh fruit, and warm pastries drizzled with sticky icing. Two tall flutes held bubbly orange juice she was fairly certain must be mimosas, plus two steaming cups of fragrant coffee. Clearly, Chigs knew his way around the food synthesizer.

She pulled out a seat and reached for the coffee, adding a healthy dollop of cream from a small pitcher on the table.

Chigs sat and offered her an empty plate. "I hope this is acceptable. It seems they only offer human food on this menu and wasn't sure what you liked, so I ordered everything from the breakfast options."

"Thanks, it all looks amazing." Accepting the plate, she took eggs, bacon, and one of the decadent pastries. Her craving for Chigs might be unfulfilled, but at least she could indulge in this appetite.

He stabbed a knife into a slice of golden melon and sniffed it. "What do you plan to do today?"

Emmy shifted in her seat. Her nether regions knew exactly what she wanted to do, and she had a fleeting thought about offering to be a friend with benefits. People did that sort of thing all the time, right? That's not you, Emmy. And a temporary hook-up certainly wouldn't help their mission.

Forgoing her coffee, she reached for a mimosa, hoping to dull her persistent thoughts. "Maybe some light reading or extra sleep. I'm sure there's something playing on the entertainment channels as well. How about you?"

Chigs seemed to decide the melon was edible and took a bite, chewing slowly before answering. "I'm not great at sitting still. I guess I could practice a few combat moves." He looked around the balcony. "Looks like there's enough room out here."

An image of him bare-chested and sweaty filled her mind. She could almost feel his skin as he pressed her up against a wall and thrust between her legs. Her pussy clenched, and she let out a shaky breath. Dammit, two days locked in close quarters with Chigs might prove her undoing.

She had to clear her head. Pushing her breakfast aside, she said, "Why don't we explore the gardens and grounds? Even newlyweds need a break from..."

Her cheeks ignited like they'd been hit by a blast furnace. Why did everything seem to come back to sex?

Chigs pushed aside his plate as well. "Sounds like a good idea. A walk might help me blow off some energy." He stood and held out his arm. "Shall we go, peanut?"

Her heart fluttered at the endearment, and she had to remind herself it wasn't real. "Better get your holo projector."

"Oh, right." He retrieved it from the charger and placed it around his neck.

Although his human disguise was admittedly handsome, she missed his sexy beard. Good. Hopefully, the disguise would help quell her rampant desires.

They left the suite hand in hand, taking the elevator down to the lobby where they exited onto a crushed shell garden path behind the tower. Flowering trees filtered the sun, dappling the ground with shadows and filling the air with pleasant sweetness. Among the lush landscaping between the paths, crystalline sculptures, small fountains, and nooks holding cozy benches beckoned to be explored.

Emmy breathed deep, trying to force the tension from her body, though Chigs's hand firmly enveloping hers was a constant reminder of how complicated her feelings had become. As they strolled, she glanced at him from the corner of her eye, noting the tense set of his shoulders. "What's wrong?" she asked finally.

He gestured toward a fountain shaped like the Syndicorp logo. "Everything here is a reminder of Syndicorp's power."

She looked around at the ever-present Syndicorp propaganda marring the scenery. The advertising was less obtrusive than it had been in the city, but still present everywhere she looked, from holographic projections above the waste receptacles to glittering corporate logos imprinted on the pebbles beneath their feet. "God, I hadn't even noticed."

They continued along the paths, looking for local shops not overtly tied to Syndicorp where Emmy made a point of purchasing a few items. She bought a quaint set of bioluminescent jewelry that glowed pale pink and ordered a piece of quantum-locked sand art to be sent to her parents as a gift. Chigs wanted to buy a miniature bio-dome holding some of the endangered species on Aleigh for Kashatok, but they weren't sure how to get it discretely back to the rebel fleet, so they passed. They stopped for lunch at a small cafe overlooking the azure waves and enjoyed handmade crepes filled with locally grown berries and cream.

In no hurry to get back to their enclosed hotel room and its suggestive AI settings, Emmy suggested they walk along the beach back to the resort.

They strolled along the sand, enjoying the warm sun and fresh air. "I didn't realize how much I missed planet life until now," Emmy said, kicking off her shoes and wading into the water, hiking her dress up to her thighs. "It feels great! Come on in!"

Chigs shook his head and pointed to the holo projector around his neck, glancing nervously at some nearby sunbathers lying in hover loungers near the water.

Emmy waded back out and spoke in a low voice, "Emilryde said the pigment should last a week."

"I'd rather not risk it. You go ahead. I'm glad you get to enjoy it," he said, smiling broadly.

The twinkle in his eyes made her suddenly self-conscious. Yet she couldn't deny liking the way he watched her, especially with no AI to tattle on her rapidly beating heart. She waded back into the water, enjoying the cool waves lapping against her knees and the soft sand between her toes.

They looked for shells together and watched a large green bird dive for fish. When they reached the main path back to the resort tower, she reluctantly waded back out, the hem of her damp skirt clinging to her thighs. Hopefully, the rest of the walk would dry it out. At an outdoor bar at the edge of the beach, a musician played a lively tune a while a few couples danced under the shade of a gazebo. A robotic server handed out drinks to several humans seated on tall stools, while a finofan server carrying a tray scurried toward tables shaded by umbrellas.

Chigs squeezed her hand. "Let's get a drink."

But Emmy stood frozen in place, pulse racing as she stared toward one table where a man sat talking to a woman in a white sundress. His head was bent away from her, but Emmy would recognize that profile anywhere. Dafari. She stared hard at the red-haired woman, trying to decide if she knew her. A colleague? A lover?

"What is it?" asked Chigs, following her gaze.

In a cracked whisper, Emmy said, "Dafari is here."

As if hearing his name, Dafari's head swiveled in their direction.

Emmy panicked. She yanked Chigs toward her, standing on tiptoes to mash her lips against his.

Chigs inhaled sharply, then wrapped his strong arms around her and lifted her against his chest, deepening the kiss. His mouth moved hungrily over hers, tongue caressing the seam of her lips until she opened in response.

This was their first full-on kiss, and an explosion of desire stiffened her nipples to aching points against the hard planes of Chigs's chest. One of his big palms slipped down to her ass, holding her against him and sending sparks of pleasure straight to her core. The world around her faded to meaningless chatter, and all that existed was Chigs.

He continued to plunder her mouth, tasting and exploring every inch until she was panting for breath. The sexy musk of his cologne blended with the salty sea air, and his undeniable arousal pressed long and hard against her thigh. She wanted to wrap her legs around his waist and center his heated rod against her pussy, right here, right now.

"Emmy?" Dafari's voice ripped her back to reality.

Chigs broke the kiss and let her slither down his body and back to her feet. Her pulse pounded with unfulfilled desire, and she could barely focus as she turned unsteadily toward her ex-fiancé.

"Oh—hello!" Emmy said, her voice an octave higher than usual. The reality of facing him in person hit home, and she sudden dread filled her. How was she supposed to glean information about the lab when all she wanted to do was run away?

He smiled, his gaze flicking to Chigs before settling back on Emmy. "My friend Irina and I were just about to get another drink. Would you like to join us?"

Chigs saved her from having to respond. "Actually, we were about to enjoy a dance. Perhaps we could join you afterward?"

"Of course," Dafari said, not too subtly taking Chigs's measure. "Whenever you like. We're right over there."

One hand possessively at her waist, Chigs pulled Emmy to the gazebo dance floor where the musician was now playing a slow melody.

"What are you doing?" she asked. "He gave us the perfect opening."

"We need to be sure he believes we're a couple." He pulled her close as she'd showed him on the balcony in their suite. "Besides, I think you need a moment to prepare yourself."

Her heart constricted, and she had to fight back the burning behind her eyes, grateful Chigs understood how she felt. "Thank you."

Bending, he placed a tender kiss to the top of her head, inextricably making the passion she'd felt earlier blossom once again into full-blown lust. Well, shit. But she supposed it was better than the angst she'd been feeling at the sight of Dafari. And it would certainly make playing the part of a blushing bride that much easier.

She pressed her cheek against Chigs's chest, keenly aware of his muscular body moving along with hers and how perfectly they fit together. Lyrics floated around them, a ballad about the devotion of a lover's heart. Screw Dafari and his new ‘friend.' Emmy might be resigned to never have a true love of her own, but this mission would help Chigs achieve that dream. And that would give her all the satisfaction she could hope for.

The music ended, and Chigs gently squeezed her waist. "Ready, peanut?"

She nodded, lifting her chin in determination. "It's showtime."