it foyer. The air inside was warm and smelled faintly of old books and lavender.

darkness of a battlefield, a

a single lamp. The wine-red silk of her robe seemed to drink the light, outlining a

et, like honey and night-blooming flowers, a fragrance that spoke directly to the most primal part of his DNA. It promised

gid, his combat instincts screaming at the sheer, overwhelming p

two meters in front of her, a respectful, non-threatening distance. And w

talion through the roar of plasma fire, came out as a rough, s

in a formal military context. It was another entirely to have this huge, powerful man kneeling b

aped her. "Stand up

as staggering. He loomed over her, a mountain of a man, and she had to crane

he inner pocket of his tunic. He produced a thin card, fashioned from a polished black and gold

nding awkward and clumsy on his tongue. "From my family. To you. The first

vast it was almost incomprehensible. Billions. Maybe

at his face, at his averted eyes and the tension in his

aw it was shocking. "It is the duty of a Consort to provide for his Matron," he said, his voice low a

. She reached out and took the card. Her fingers brushed against the back of his hand. His skin was warm and calloused, and the

ension. Bradford's gaze dropped from her face, darting around the room as

used tube of pin

gone, replaced by a deep, scowling frown. "Is this what you

said with a shrug. "And I don't know how to work any

ace. It was followed by a fierce, protective glint in his eyes.

simple black, long-sleeved shirt he wore underneath. The thin fabric

argument, "I request permission to use your kitchen. No S-

face. The deadly soldier was gone, replaced by an in

ranted, Capta

urned towards the kitche

ate-of-the-art kitchen. It was a gleaming expanse of stainless stee

up the sleeves of his shirt, exposing powerful forearms crisscrossed with the fa

andful of fresh-looking vegetables. He worked with an economy of motion that was mesmerizing to watch. He chopped the vegetables wi

se. A rich, savory aroma of searing beef and melting fat wafted through the

t out an embarras

er face. She had expected a soldier. A guard. She had n

in his back shifted under his shirt. And the look in her eyes slowly changed from amu