“And after he’d given me the gifts, he thought it was okay for us to mate.” Vegas swung her feet onto the couch in Heather’s room. It had been almost twenty-four hours since Solan had made his unwanted overtures to her. She was still smarting about it.

Heather sat next to her, a cream throw over her knees and a half-drunk glass of wine in one hand. “It does sound like he’s trying to win your favor. Are you sure you’re not even the tiniest bit interested in him? He is super gorgeous, and you have had his picture as your screen saver for six months.”

“His muscles are fine.” Vegas shrugged off her lustful thoughts about Solan. “But his match has been made. Besides, he’s not the first Galaxar I’ve lusted after.”

“But he’s the one you’ve had on your screen saver for such a long time,” Heather said. “Don’t think I haven’t noticed. The picture changes, but it’s always him. And he’s usually in some state of undress.”

Vegas blushed. “It’s not my fault Galaxars aren’t all that bothered with clothing. And I need to keep tabs on the important Galaxars, so I know who they are when they come to the space station.”

“Sure, you do. And it helps that Galaxars are gorgeous to look at, especially Solan. Even I felt a bit giddy when he turned up.”

“You’re interested in Solan?” An unexpected swirl of jealousy flitted through Vegas’s stomach.

“Not really,” Heather said. “But I have eyes, and I am female. My ovaries definitely jerked into life when he got near. He’s a Galaxar. Why wouldn’t you want a piece of that?”

“Because he’s someone else’s. And he’s a tactless fool. He seriously thought he could win me over with a bottle of wine and some chocolates.”

“Was it decent wine?”

“It was good.”

“And did you eat the chocolates?”

“I might have had one or two.” The empty box sat in Vegas’s room.

“Which suggests you were happy with his gifts,” Heather said. “Don’t forget, he’s new to this human mating game. This is the first time he’s used the agency. He might think that’s all it takes. Give the gifts and then you mate.”

“He would have read the My Single Alien’s brochure,” Vegas said. “And he signed the agreement. Solan knows we’ll make him a suitable match. He’s just making trouble for me.”

“It’s kind of hot trouble, though. I wish I had a Galaxar chasing after me, wanting to mate. I’m not sure I’d have your resistance.”

“I’m not that good at resisting.” Vegas covered her face with her hands. “I let him kiss me. Again.”

Heather smacked her knee. “You do like him.”

“It’s a physical thing. I can’t help myself when I’m around him.”

“It sounds like he’s the same with you,” Heather said. “You’re as bad as each other.”

“I don’t want to be with him. It would mess everything up if I was. I love it here. I love working with you. It’s so satisfying matching people who are looking for a mate. I like making people get all excited when they meet their mate.”

“It’s a fun part of the job,” Heather said. “But it’s not without its stresses. Don’t forget, we are spinning through space in a massive chunk of metal. Just last month, there was that near miss with a comet. Wouldn’t you like to be somewhere a bit more stable? Somewhere where we won’t turn into space dust with no warning because some idiot presses the wrong button?”

Vegas glanced at the star chart on Heather’s wall. They both loved the stars. Even though space travel was new to humans, she’d always found it exciting. Vegas hadn’t hesitated when the offer came up to go to the space station and lead on My Single Alien. She’d known it was a risk, but Vegas wanted to see if she could make it work. Now that she had, she didn’t want to let it go.

Heather refilled their wine glasses. “I get it. Space is a lonely place to be. You’re going to face temptation. Some of the aliens coming through the Glory Hole are incredible. Remember that seven foot Nooke? I almost fainted from lust when I saw his image on our screen.”

Vegas chuckled. “They aren’t bad to look at. There are supposed to be a dozen of them arriving in a few months.”

“I’ll need to keep a tight grip on my ovaries when they get here. My panties melted every time I heard his deep voice. It had a hypnotic quality to it.”

“Make sure you do. I don’t want to lose you and your ovaries to a Nooke. Aren’t you worried about the horns?” That was an interesting characteristic of the Nooke. They’d evolved horns, much like some mammals on Earth. They were used as a display of strength, prowess, and for fighting.

The first time Vegas had seen a Nooke, she hadn’t been able to stop from staring. Two solid horns had stuck out of his large brow ridge, twisting in a curve over the top of his head. He’d worn them with immense pride, and rightly so; he’d been gorgeous.

“The horns have their uses,” Heather said. “You’d need something to grip when mating with a Nooke if they’re big in all areas of their anatomy.”

Vegas wrinkled her nose. “They are. I checked the Nooke’s medical records.”

Heather fanned her face. “I think I got a little bit pregnant at that thought.”

“You can try one out the next time we have a Nooke on board, so long as you promise not to fall in love with him.”

“I wouldn’t mind having fun with one,” Heather said. “Like you, I’m happy working for My Single Alien. I’m not ready to settle down. Besides, my fertility tests show I’ve got a few good years before everything starts going downhill.”

“The same here,” Vegas said. “Why rush things?”

Heather was silent, swirling the wine in her glass. “You don’t think it’s selfish?”

“That we give up our independence for a life of childbearing with an alien? No.” Vegas looked away. She knew how important breeding was to aliens. It wasn’t just Galaxars who had trouble conceiving. Humans were lucky. They’d avoided all intergalactic wars because of their inability to fight in space. They were relatively unharmed and untouched by what occurred on the other side of the Glory Hole. Other races were not so fortunate and suffered as a result.

“If I found the right alien, I might be tempted,” Heather said. “I could come to an arrangement with Diadora. You never know; she’s so desperate to keep staff, she might let me work part-time and bring up my alien babies.”

“She’d never do that. It would mean breaking one of her precious rules.”

“We’re understaffed as it is,” Heather said. “So many women go down the breeding route.”

“More fool them for not having any ambition.”

“Is it ambition?” Heather queried. “Are you maybe a bit scared?”

“Of having kids?”

“Of having kids with an alien.”

“No. I mean, loads of women have done it. We have all the drugs and medical care we need to ensure a safe pregnancy and birth. There’s nothing to fear.”

“It feels very grown-up,” Heather said, “considering having a child. Most of the time, I still feel like a teenager. How am I supposed to rear an alien baby successfully? What if the baby grows up and looks at me as some kind of genetic failing? They could see me as a primitive throwback like some aliens do.”

“Most of them don’t say it to our faces, though,” Vegas said. “They know if they do, they’ll get thrown out of here and never get the opportunity to come back.” The comments by Solan about humans being a primitive race grated on her. He was right, but he didn’t need to throw it in her face. Humans might be primitive, but they had a commodity many aliens desired.

“You should talk to Solan,” Heather said. “He might not understand what you’re feeling.”

“No. I postponed the rest of his training. Besides, there’s nothing to talk about,” Vegas said. “I wasn’t able to get Melissa to meet with him today. She’s in an immersive training module for her pilot’s license.”

“Why’s she doing that if she’s becoming Solan’s mate?”

“Maybe she had plans for them to fly around the solar system together with their cute family of Galaxar babies.” Vegas knew she sounded jealous. “They’re getting together tomorrow instead. Once they meet, that will be it. He’ll see she’s a decent match and nothing else will matter. His breeding instincts will take over. Whatever he thinks he feels for me will be obliterated.” The words left an unpleasant taste in her mouth. She took a large gulp of wine. This fantasy needed to end. They both needed to move on before things got any messier.

“You won’t miss him?”

“What’s to miss?” Vegas said. “His rudeness? The fact he’s constantly trying to mate with me at every opportunity? The fact he thinks I’m primitive? Besides, I like being alone. I’m used to it. It works for me.”

“It doesn’t for me. I hate not having someone to spoon with.”

Vegas grimaced. “You wake up every morning with some guy’s boner in your back? I’ll pass on that.”

“Okay. The boner in the back can be a problem. What about having someone to go to dinner with?”

She shook her head. “If it was an Earth guy, you’d end up arguing about splitting the bill. He would start ranting about equal rights and the fact women wanted it all, so now they have to pay for their fair share as well. I hate the way guys twist the whole equal rights and liberty thing to get out of paying the bill. That just shows they’re mean with money. It’s so unattractive.”

Heather sighed. “At least we don’t have to worry about human men doing that here. How about sharing a shower with someone? I hate having no one to have naked showers with.”

“Naked showers?” Vegas arched an eyebrow.

“You know, you both wake up in the morning, he’s turned on, but you’re not sure you want to get hot and sweaty. Your mind is on everything you’ve got to get done that day. Then he sneaks into the shower with you and starts soaping you up and rubbing up against all the right places. I always change my mind at that point and decide I want morning sex.”

Vegas clapped a hand over one ear. “Spare me your sexual fantasy stories. I can’t take it.”

“You’re telling me you’ve never had a naked shower?” Heather shook her head.

“I’ve been naked in the shower plenty of times. Actually, I’m naked every time I go for a shower, just not with anyone else.”

“Do it with a hot guy,” Heather said. “I can recommend it.”

“I wouldn’t waste my time in the shower with a human guy,” Vegas said. “And my experience with aliens is limited. What about you? Have you had a naked shower with an alien?”

“Not yet,” Heather said. “But it’s my favorite current fantasy. There are no rules to say we can’t have fun with the aliens who aren’t here to find their perfect match. I might try it out and see how it goes.”

“Don’t tell me how it goes,” Vegas said.

“I will tell you every dirty detail. You’ll want to try it with Solan.”

The alert on Heather’s door signaled someone was outside.

Heather hopped up. “Maybe it’s Solan back for another attempt at getting you naked and pregnant.”

“Whoever it is, you can have them.” Vegas’s heart skipped up a notch at the thought of Solan standing on the other side of the door.

“Brigadier Boros!” Heather took a step back as the door slid open.

Vegas sat up straight. “Is there a problem with your accommodation?” She stood and joined Heather at the door. “Or did your day’s lessons not go to plan?”

The smell of a strong, musky oil drifted from the Brigadier’s skin. “I was told I would find you here.” Boros’s attention focused on Vegas.

“What can I help you with?” She felt a little dizzy from too much wine and the overpowering smell of skin oil.

“It’s rather what I can do for you,” Boros said.

Vegas didn’t like the predatory glint in Boros’s eyes. She glanced at Heather, who gave a discreet shrug. “Perhaps we can speak about this tomorrow. It’s getting late.”

“This is an important matter. It won’t wait until the morning. It will affect both of our futures.”

“Our futures? Do you want to renegotiate your contract with My Single Alien?” She hoped not. If he started haggling over money, Diadora was bound to hear about it and get involved. Nothing good happened when she did. Vegas would face a grilling over her inability to handle Boros.

“In a way.” Boros stepped forward and took hold of Vegas’s hand. “I want you as my mate.”

Heather gasped and looked at Vegas. “Do you want me to leave?”

“No! Stay where you are.” Vegas inwardly groaned. What was it with these Galaxars? Why could they never be happy with the arrangements she’d already made for them?

She tried to pull her hand away from Boros, but he held on. “I’m flattered. But once you meet your mate, you’ll realize you have an excellent match.”

“I am sure the female you have selected for me will be suitable. I have made a different choice. I want you.” Boros tugged her toward him.

As hard as she tried not to, Vegas found herself sliding toward Boros. He wasn’t even trying, yet her muscles felt like they were about to pop from her efforts to stay out of his reach.

“Brigadier! We can talk about this tomorrow. It will give us both time to consider your offer. You might feel differently when you’ve had a chance to think about this.” Vegas really hoped he would. She did not want to be this Galaxar’s mate. There was something about him that set her teeth on edge.

“We can get to know each other better now,” Boros said. “You will find me an agreeable mate. I am generous when required to be.”

“I appreciate the offer, but I have to say no,” Vegas said. “We run a professional organization. I cannot join with a client.”

“I don’t doubt your professional abilities,” Boros said. “Although I am much more interested in your abilities in the bedroom.”

“Brigadier!” Heather stepped forward. “This is not appropriate behavior.”

“Be quiet,” Boros snapped, his gaze narrowing. “I have paid my money for a mate, and I have found one. I claim her and can do what I wish with her.”

Heather opened her mouth to argue, but Vegas grabbed her elbow and shook her head. They did not want an angry Galaxar on their hands. He could squash both of them with a violent sneeze.

“It’s fine, Heather. Brigadier, I’m nobody’s mate.” Vegas dug her nails into his arm. He didn’t seem to notice. “Get your meaty paws off me.”

As she struggled against him, Vegas spotted two of his guards waiting in the corridor. They had weapons in their hands, long, sharp blades favored by Galaxars in combat. That was when they weren’t using their fists. Vegas’s gut twisted in fear. Boros had come here knowing she’d resist him, yet he wanted her anyway. She fought the panic flaring inside her. There must be a way to rationalize with him.

“You will be mine,” Boros said. “Come to my quarters and we can mate.”

“If you don’t let go of me immediately, I will terminate the arrangement you have with My Single Alien. You will have no choice but to leave the space station with no mate. The same goes for any troop members you have brought here. Nobody else will be eligible to have a mate.”

“Your agreement is meaningless,” Boros said. “We will take what we want, and that includes you.”

Vegas gasped as Boros wrapped a hand around the back of her neck and clamped his mouth onto hers.

He broke apart from the kiss and leered at Vegas. “Yes. You are sweet and fertile. Just what I need.”

She kicked him in the shin, her toes protesting as they met the protective shin pad he wore. “I am not yours.”

“Brigadier, you need to stop this.” Heather grabbed hold of his arm.

Boros dropped his hold on Vegas and slammed the back of his hand across Heather’s face. She flew through the air and landed on her back on the floor outside her quarters.

“Restrain the female,” Boros said to his guards as he grabbed Vegas. “Make sure she can no longer interfere.”

Vegas struggled in his grip, seeing Heather was unconscious as the guards dragged her away. “Boros, you are no longer welcome here. You cannot attack a member of staff. Now, get your funky smelling, oily hands off me and leave the space station immediately.”

“I will leave when I’ve gotten what I want.” Boros’s gaze raked over Vegas. “Unless you want to come with me? We can leave together on my ship. I can show you the stars.”

“I’d rather spend the rest of my days in the waste disposal unit on this station. I’m going nowhere with you.”

“You don’t have a choice in the matter.” His huge hands curled around the top of her arms and he squeezed. “I could break you if I wanted to. Remember that the next time you think about making a smart comment.”

Pain radiated down Vegas’s arms as his fingers dug into her flesh. Her gaze went to her wrist communicator. If she could reach that, she could access the station’s security. Boros wouldn’t be able to defend himself against a troop of cyborgs.

His gaze followed hers, and he smirked. “There’s no point in calling for help. By the time they get here, it will be too late. We will already be gone.”

Vegas licked her dry lips, suddenly realizing she was alone with an alien who could crush her. “Where are you going to take me?”

“Have you ever been into deep space?” Boros yanked Vegas along the corridor, his guards leading the way, leaving an unconscious Heather on the ground. “It has an austere beauty to it. Lots of black holes and dust clouds to enjoy.”

Sucking in a breath, Vegas summoned a flash of courage. “I’ve seen enough stars. This ends now.”

Boros turned on her. The back of his hand slammed across her cheek. “Obey me.”

Vegas’s head rocked back from the impact of the blow. Black dots swam in her eyes. Her neck had snapped back so fast it felt as if she had whiplash.

A growl rolled through the air, its depth and anger seeming to make the walls shake.

Vegas felt Boros tense. She whipped her head around, trying to focus as she looked for the source of the growl.

She gave a silent yippee of thanks.

Stalking along the corridor, his hands curled into fists, was Solan. And he looked pissed.