CHAPTER FIVE

 

Ti’ann sat at the edge of the cliff, staring out over the valley. Lonrach’s crescent shape hung just above the horizon and Rupach hadn’t risen yet. Darkness enveloped her, leaving the valley floor below invisible. She’d had to get away from the camp and Krin’s excitement over Val. Ti’ann found the Shifter fascinating, too. But there were still a lot of unanswered questions. Things had gotten very complicated in the last few hours.

She was truly excited about their discovery and the dig. But she recognized the potential laser cannon they were courting. This discovery could change everything. The problem was, would it force an end to Shifter exterminations or would it cause a resurgence in human fear, re-energizing the anti-Shifter faction?

After that stuff with David Cario, Kira Farseaker, and Commander Ennoren thirteen months ago, she had no idea which way the Naravan people would lean. Thanks to Cario bringing down Ennoren, the leader of the exterminations, more people were sympathetic to the Shifters’ plight. Would knowing they built cities increase that sympathy or destroy it?

The sound of crunching sand and rocks caught her attention. She turned and saw Nathan Longfeather step from the shadows of the woods at her back and into the clearing at the cliff’s edge.

Ti’ann’s heart pounded as he stared at her. She’d avoided him all evening after they’d finished with Val and Monroe. She didn’t trust herself around him, not the way she’d reacted in the imaging tent, leaning into him like he was someone she could trust. Worse, she couldn’t look at him without visceral images of their nights together overwhelming her good sense. She had to keep reminding herself that he’d forgotten her, that he’d thought so little of their time together he hadn’t bothered to remember her. If she didn’t keep that in mind, she was going to lose herself in her memories and do something completely humiliating. Like try to remind him who she was.

Fortunately, avoiding him that evening had actually been pretty easy. She even thought she’d be able to survive having him in camp because there was really no reason for them to interact much. And if she didn’t have to see him, she didn’t have to face her own embarrassment. Or risk making a bigger fool of herself than she had three years ago.

She hadn’t counted on him finding her alone at the edge of the valley, star gazing, though.

“Should you be out here alone?” He spoke quietly, an echo of their surroundings. He sauntered closer. Though saunter wasn’t enough of a word to describe his fluid, sexy-as-hell movements as he walked to her side.

“There aren’t any large predators here to worry about,” she assured him, amazed when her voice came out steady and calm. Her heart hammered so fast, she was surprised she could breathe enough to speak at all. Swallowing the rising desire threatening to overwhelm her, she made herself look him in the eyes, or as best she could in the darkness.

“Where’s Dr. Freemont? I thought he was with you.”

“He went to bed an hour ago.” She paused, studying the tense lines of his shoulders in the weak moonlight. “Do you need me for something?”

“Yes. You’ve hired me to secure this site. I need to be able to account for everyone.”

“How can one man account for twenty seven different people spread out over the entire campsite?”

White teeth flashed against his dark skin and her body reminded her how nice those teeth felt scraping across her skin.

“That’s all part of the job, Dr. Jones.”

He drawled her name, robbing the title of its usual security, making the words Doctor Jones sound sexy, not safe. Combined with thoughts of his mouth on her naked flesh, Ti’ann felt a little trickle of panic creep through her lust. Panic that she wouldn’t be able to sit here and have a conversation with him without doing something irrevocably stupid. Like kiss him.

“And one person can keep track of twenty seven people quite easily with the right sensor array,” he continued.

“Sensors?”

“They’re around the entire perimeter of your camp and dig site. They alert me to movement in or out of the site.”

She frowned. “So you knew I was still within the perimeter?”

“I did.”

“Then I don’t understand why you were looking for me.”

Before she could protest, or really think coherently, Nathan sat down on the ground next to her. A spill of pebbles tinkled over the edge of the cliff into the valley.

This close, his scent wrapped around her, drawing her toward him. The air seemed to thicken, and the semblance of control she’d clung to slipped. She glanced at his mouth then forced herself to turn away and look out over the valley. He was too close now. Holding eye contact was no longer possible if she wanted to think. She was just grateful the dark night hid her expression.

“What do you think of the Shifter group?” he asked.

“What do you mean?” She heard the hoarseness in her tone now, but if she didn’t look at him, maybe she could manage the rest of this conversation. Not looking at him didn’t disguise how deep and seductive his voice was in the dark, though. More memories played with reality, adding meaning to the timber of his words, putting her back into that suite three years ago. The only light in the dark bedroom filtered in through the open curtains from the university town below. She could still feel the warmth of his breath as he whispered against her shoulder, his chest a solid wall of heat at her back.

“Do you trust them?”

She blinked as his question jerked her back to the conversation. Digging the hand he couldn’t see into the rocky ground next to her, feeling it bite into her palm, helped her concentrate on what he said so she could answer. “Not entirely. But I don’t distrust them either.”

“Meaning?”

“Meaning they have their own reasons for doing what they’re doing and those reasons may not always be to my teams’ benefit. I know Val is holding something back. But she…it has still given us more information than I expected. Val didn’t have to show us its Shifter form or give us the secret of the Keepers of the History. So they’re relying on our good intentions as much as we’re relying on theirs.”

“They divulged a lot of sensitive information for a first meeting. That kind of honesty worries me.”

The comment startled a chuckle out of her. “That’s your job though, isn’t it? You’re not supposed to trust people.” The brief moment of lightness drained some of her rising tension. She eased her grip on the rocks and flattened her palm against the soil.

“True.”

The humor in his voice made her a little giddy again, but she was better able to focus on the moment now. “What do you think they’re still hiding?”

“Hard to say. I imagine they have a lot of secrets. But I think they revealed so much to gain your support. If you’re on their side, they’ll be able to use whatever you find to their benefit in the debates.”

“Depends on what we find. This discovery could backfire on them—cause more fear among humans rather than less.”

“It might. That’s why they need you and Freemont. Your credentials and the way this discovery is presented to the public will go a long way toward how people receive the news.”

He shifted, a slight movement, but Ti’ann found herself holding her breath until he settled again. She couldn’t take actual physical contact with him, not right now. She was too edgy from the memories assaulting her. She’d never survive the rest of this conversation if he actually touched her.

“I suspect Dr. Freemont is already sympathetic to their cause,” he said.

Ti’ann sighed. She suspected so, too. “Even without knowing Shifters were cognizant, Krin’s always supported an end to the exterminations.”

Silence settled between them for just a moment. An oddly comfortable silence, she noted.

Then she turned to look at Nathan. A mistake—she almost forgot what she wanted to ask—but she needed to see his expression.

“Did you know Shifters were capable of what we saw today? Did you know they were an intelligent species?” He hadn’t seemed nearly as overwhelmed by the news as she and Krin.

He shrugged, his gaze fixed over the valley. “I’ve had my suspicions.” He picked up a stone and tossed it out into the darkness.

She heard the chink chink sound as it struck the ground below.

“It was shocking coming face to face with it. I didn’t know for sure until today.”

“But you weren’t completely surprised. Not like me and Krin,” she said.

“No.”

“Why?”

He stayed silent, not answering her question, not turning his gaze from the valley.

“Sorry. You’d probably have to compromise a former client to answer that question.”

His smile flashed in the darkness, her only answer.

She’d forgotten how frustratingly evasive he could be when he didn’t want to tell her something.

She looked back out over the valley, appalled by the familiarity of that thought. It implied she knew him. But she didn’t know him. Not really. And he didn’t even remember her.

“How long have you been interested in paleontology?”

“Why do you ask?” The personal question surprised her.

He shrugged. “Curious. Takes a lot of hard work and study to do what you do. I just wondered what brought you to this field.”

“My dad was a scientist. He got me interested. Paleontology followed my natural curiosity about animals and what life was like on Narava in the millennia before humans settled here.” She shifted her position, unfolding her legs so they hung out over the lip of the cliff.

Her heart was still thudding too hard, too loud. His curiosity threw off what little composure she’d gained in the last few minutes. Why would he be interested in what had brought her to her career? She reminded herself he wasn’t curious about her in a personal, she’s-a-female-he’s-a-male sort of a way. He’d no doubt ask Krin these same questions.

Dammit, this was stupid. She was thirty-two years old, for Pete’s sake. She hated the way he made her feel—the mixture of need and embarrassment toppling her self-assurance. She resented Nathan opening up her carefully packed box of insecurities again. She knew men didn’t generally find her very attractive, and the few who had hadn’t stayed interested for long. Her history with men was abysmal; even Krin would admit that. But she’d spent the last three years learning to deal with her reality, and she’d gotten good at it. She’d found a semblance of security and strength in that acceptance. Now Nathan appeared in her life again and blew her surety into tiny bits, making her doubt herself all over again. At least if he remembered her—

Oh no. She stopped mid-thought, almost gasping out loud. If he remembered her, that would be so much worse. Then they’d both have to feel awkward and uncomfortable. He might make excuses and disappearing on her again. Or worse, he might not comment at all. How humiliating.

As she really considered the situation, she realized it was for the best he didn’t remember her. To him, she was just the asexual Dr. Jones. So long as one of them kept that in mind, everything would be fine.

The tension through her shoulders eased as she recognized the blessing his lack of memory actually was. She didn’t have to be embarrassed in front of him. As far as he was concerned, there was no reason for her to be. Dr. Jones was just another client. She almost smiled in relief.

Now, what would Dr. Jones the scientist do next when talking to someone she wasn’t supposed to know?

 

“How long have you worked in security?” Her voice was quiet, distant. She pulled her legs up to her chest, wrapped her arms around them and rested her chin on her knees.

He couldn’t tell if it was a defensive move, but the pose made her profile appear both innocent and erotic. Sitting here with a contemplative expression, her hair silvery blond in the weak moonlight, it was so easy to see the woman he’d been preoccupied with all these years. And she was even more fascinating than the first time he’d met her, so much more to her than he’d guessed.

He turned to face her, wondering what she was really thinking. She wouldn’t look at him.

In a way, he was grateful. Every time she did, his dick reacted. Those big, soulful eyes of hers tugged at him, urging him to touch her. And his willpower wasn’t nearly as strong as his sanity required. He swallowed and concentrated on answering her question.

“About thirteen years now.”

“Why security?”

“It seemed like a good idea at the time.”

He grinned when she frowned and rolled her eyes. Her look of frustration captivated him. He could sit here and frustrate her all night just to see that expression on her face.

Okay, so he’d rather spend the night satisfying her instead of frustrating her, but this was a close second. And since he couldn’t spend the night satisfying her, as long as she was his client, frustrating her would have to do.

“What did you do before going into security work?” Her natural curiosity once again overcame any other emotion.

He’d watched her curiosity dictate her actions all evening. Even when he thought she was shocked speechless, when most people would have concentrated on the political ramifications or dangers they were facing, Dr. Ti’ann Jones had focused on the riddle and the discovery. That kind of natural curiosity told him a lot about her. And promised some very interesting sex.

“This and that,” he answered. That look again. He almost chuckled.

“Not much for sharing details, are you Mr. Longfeather?”

“Mr. Longfeather?”

“Nathan, then.” She shrugged as if it made no difference to her.

He remembered her groaning and panting his name in the dark. Just hearing her say it brought back a rush of sensory memories. He sucked in a breath. He knew he was torturing himself. It wasn’t like him, but he couldn’t seem to help it.

Any more than he could help easing a little closer to her, near enough that her heat permeated his jacket and warmed his arm. Her scent was elusive, caught and carried on random breezes, drifting around him in tempting eddies. He’d know her scent anywhere.

He let his gaze roam her face and settle on the curve of her neck. What would she do if he leaned in and kissed her, just there? The last time he’d done something like that to her, her reaction had led them into yet another delicious round of sex. For a long moment, he considered the spot just below her ear, the soft skin and her warm smell. Without conscious thought, he leaned a little bit closer.

Warning claxons went off in his head and he straightened away just enough to regain some semblance of control. One touch. All it would take was one touch and he’d be lost.

He couldn’t decide if that was bad or not.

When the silence between them stretched too long, he decided to give her curiosity some ease and his errant thoughts something else to focus on. “I started out studying archeology.”

Her head snapped around, her eyes wide. “Really? You were an archeologist?”

The impact of her direct gaze was almost as bad for his self control as a touch would have been. And now that she faced him, leaning in to capture that curious mouth of hers would be oh so easy.

He forced himself to answer evenly. “Never made it quiet that far,” he admitted. “I never finished my degree.”

“Why not?”

“I was kicked out.”

He didn’t think it was possible, but her eyes got wider. “For what?”

“Tomb raiding.”

She sat back from him a little, her gaze intense. Then to his utter surprise, she started laughing. The sound went straight to his cock, and it was all he could do not to drag her over his lap and kiss her until she moaned.

He stuffed his hands into his jacket pockets to keep from reaching for her. “What’s so funny?”

“Sorry. Sorry. It’s just… Krin and I were arguing about hiring you, and I told him we were not going to give you any artifacts from the dig to pay you off. I didn’t realize you’d made a career out of just that.”

“Ex-career, thank you very much.” He scowled which only made her chuckle more. This was the most relaxed she’d been with him since he’d arrived at the camp. He liked her this way. Even if he was having a harder time controlling himself than he’d expected. There was hope for his Dr. Jones yet.

He watched her expression change the instant she realized how at ease she was, watched her face close up and her shoulders hunch a little. To his relief, her eyes still sparkled with that wicked sense of humor. Oh yeah, there was hope.

“So, then, you went from tomb raiding to security work?”

“Something like that.”

She nodded and turned back to face the dark valley. From this height, the bottom was fathomless and black. A gentle breeze rustled through the trees, cooling the night until it was almost cold. He didn’t notice the chill, and he was dressed for it in a light jacket and long pants, but he did notice when Ti’ann shivered. Her loose fitting t-shirt wasn’t nearly thick enough to protect her from the night air. Without hesitation, he slipped out of his jacket and draped it over her shoulders.

Her gasp was quiet, but he caught the telling noise. Because he couldn’t resist, anymore than he could refuse to take another breath, he slid his fingers across the side of her neck, hooked her braid, and gently pulled it out from beneath his coat. The feel of her silky hair against his palm sent ripples of need through his gut, tightening his stomach muscles. For an instant, he tightened his hold on her braid, considered tugging her closer, losing himself in her lush mouth. She blinked up at him, and his battle with control slipped further beyond his grasp.

It had taken less than a day for her to destroy all his years of self-discipline. And he could tell by the look in her eyes that she wasn’t even doing this on purpose. There was no soft smile, no heavy-lidded looks, no teasing touches. Just a solid, steady gaze that did more to seduce him than anything else she could have done in that moment.

“Why did you do that?” she asked, her voice husky.

“What?” Thinking coherently wasn’t high on his list of priorities at that moment, not with her so close he could feel the brush of her breath against his mouth.

“Your jacket?”

“You shivered. You’re cold.”

She shook her head but didn’t try to move away from him or take off the jacket. The pulse in her neck pounded visibly. If he pulled her braid just a little, he could move her head back enough to gain access to the skin over her throat, a place he wanted to nibble and kiss more than he wanted his next meal, his next job. Hell, his next breath.

She broke the spell by leaning back. He reluctantly released his hold on her hair.

“We’d better get back to camp,” she murmured. “We’ve got a long day tomorrow.”

He didn’t want to leave. He wanted to stay in the dark, talking with her, letting her seduce him. But he didn’t want to push his luck either. Too much more of this and he would forget the sex had to wait. He was halfway to dragging her back to his ship as it was—after less than a day in her company! Any longer out here on the cliff-side and he’d have to kiss his professional good intentions goodbye.

She started slipping the jacket off her shoulders, but he shook his head. “Keep it. I’ll get it back from you tomorrow.”

He could see the argument in her expression, in the way she pressed her lips together and narrowed her gaze. To force her hand, he stood up and flicked on the small torch he carried, gesturing with the beam of light back to the woods.

“After you, Dr. Jones.”

She scrambled to her feet, holding the jacket around her shoulders with one hand, and followed him into the trees, the light angling along the narrow path. He wasn’t going to get much sleep tonight, thinking of her wearing nothing but his jacket. Frustrating. But knowing she had something of his sparked a deep level of primitive satisfaction. He smiled. He was looking forward to the time when they made these fantasies reality.