Page 71 of Sublime Target
“Um, I suppose.”
“Speaking of which…”
Clarissa cringed. “Yes, I know. You saw. The, um… mercenary.”
“Former fucking High Commander of the Kordolian Imperial Militaries, a highly decorated warrior, master of weapons, a guy you do not want to mess with… I do not know what the boss was thinking, by the way…”
“How did you know he was…?” Master of weapons? What does that even mean? Something incredibly badass, I suppose. There were things Clarissa didn’t even know, and she’d spent the day with the guy.
Bea shrugged. “I looked the dude up. I take it he’s one of the ones that’s jonesing for a mate. And I did see you two together, and the way he looked at you like a desperate, adoring puppy-dog, and—”
“He did not…” Puppy-dog? Jerik? No way.
“Oh, he did, and he is obsessed beyond obsessed. You could probably tell him to take over Earth and install you as Queen, and he would do it for you.”
“I would never—”
Bea waved her hand airily. “Joking, of course.”
Clarissa didn’t tell her that her words had struck a nerve. “I had no idea he would show up and take a sudden interest in me like that.”
“Of course you didn’t. But count yourself lucky. They say these guys are the real deal, and they’re very devoted lovers. Like…” she made a suggestive gesture with her hands, “very.”
“Very,” Clarissa said dryly, carefully hiding her emotions—the sudden rush of excitement that came over her as she thought of Jerik and how he might be as a lover.
Intense, she bet. And generous, as he had been with her on that day.
He was used to being in control.
Would he exhibit the same tendencies in bed?
“So…?” Bea gave her a meaningful look.
“So, what?”
“Don’t be obtuse with me, my friend. I know you well enough by now. What are you planning to do about your obsessed alien stalker?”
“I… I’m still deciding.” She sighed, resigned to the fact that nothing much got past Bea.
“Clarissa.” Bea raised her sunglasses and propped herself on one elbow, giving her a terribly serious look. “I’m only going to say this because you’re my friend, and I’ve known you a long time, but stop putting yourself aside.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Just do what you want to do, for once. That man won’t do wrong by you. I saw the way he looked at you. I saw the way he treated you. And I’ve heard things… I have a friend who’s a friend of a friend. She actually knows someone who’s with one of those guys. Mated, they call it. Ha. That woman has an amazing life now. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a tiny bit jealous of you. Think about it. Why would he go to all that trouble to try and impress you if he was just going to steal you away and do nefarious things to you? Because he could, you know. They have unlimited power. I actually don’t understand why they’re being so restrained.”
“Don’t say that.” Clarissa hated the thought that Jerik might turn out to be a bad guy.
Surely, the good in him outweighed the darkness.
That’s what she’d sensed, anyway.
“Well, that just goes to prove that you like him, so there.”
“I don’t—” Clarissa was pretty sure her cheeks and ears were turning red. It was stupid because Bea was absolutely right, so why was she acting like a teenager thinking about her first crush?
“I know, I know. You never like anyone. You know how many guys at work have tried to get close to you?”
“I never noticed.” Actually, she had noticed, but pretending not to was easy.