“Rydak!”

What was he thinking?

Appalled, Rydak jerked back and released Lissi to move away. His Team Lead’s voice saved him from making a big mistake. As he hurried toward the door, it required work to ignore the hurt look in Lissi’s eyes.

Frustration in every step, Rydak snatched the knob and ripped it open. “What is it, Jahul?”

Fully recovered from his injuries, his Team Lead’s gaze immediately spotted Lissi. The blue depths of his eyes warmed and he smiled as he entered. “Lissi, it is good to see you.”

Blonde waves stuck out in spots about her head, her mouth swollen and well kissed. Rydak bet Jahul didn’t miss the small red blemish at the top of her breasts where he’d nipped. At least she was fully clothed and he hadn’t managed to tear the dress from her body though damp patches at the top revealed how involved they’d been.

Polite as always, Lissi straightened, smoothing her hands down the material of the creased skirt. A congenial grin accompanied her response. “Greetings, Jahul. I am pleased to see you looking well. Tor told maman several of his men were injured.”

“Saving this one.” Jahul hiked his thumb in Rydak’s direction.

Lissi’s eyes widened and Rydak cleared his throat before Jahul could expand on the lie.

Jahul rocked back on his feet and crossed his arms over his chest with a smirk. “I was going to see if Rydak wanted to join me for a meal but it seems he’s busy.”

“Oh, no. I—I am leaving.”

Denial rose but Rydak squashed the feeling. Even if panic clawed at his chest, it was best she left. Plus there would be the empathic crash to deal with soon. Whatever happened when Lissi touched him had to be a delay of some sort. An anomaly. When he calmed and his arousal dropped down to measurable levels, the pain would hit.

“You should check on Torkel, Lissi. Your brother would be pleased to see you.”

Again her adorable stutter as she patted down her hair with little success it pleased him to note. He’d marked her in the way a man did when his passion for a woman exceeded good sense.

“I know m-m-my brother is fine. I will see him in a few days at Maman’s. I’ll leave you two to talk.”

Then putting action to words, she slid by Jahul and walked through the door with brisk steps and chin up. Rydak couldn’t help himself. He followed her through the doorway and watched her departure. The material of her fitted dress clung to the curve of Lissi’s ass and emphasized her nipped in waist. An ass he’d held firmly in the palms of his hands prior to Jahul’s interruption.

As he stared, Rydak tried to calm down the arousal still heating his flesh. In the back of his mind a part of him waited with bated breath for a pain which never came.

Once Lissi was out of hearing and disappeared from sight, Rydak pulled his gaze away from the now empty hall. Brows pinched together, Jahul dropped his arms and snapped, “Go after her, Rydak.”

The core of him yearned to do just that and turn back time to when he’d held Lissi in his arms and only the two of them existed. “What?”

“Did you hear me?”

Hearing him wasn’t a problem but it didn’t explain his appearance. Jahul knew Rydak planned to stay in his room for the rest of the day. “Why are you here, Jahul?”

Jahul blew out a breath and ruffled his blond hair. “Never mind that. You need to follow her. For once in your life do something you want and not what you think is right.”

The right thing to do was end Lissi’s infatuation. Let her know in clear terms he would never walk the sands for a female. Perhaps he needed to assure her about the lack of any chance of them being together. Hurt her in a way which would say in no uncertain terms she needed to find someone else. Another male would jump at the chance to be her Chosen.

Terror slammed into him and Rydak struggled with making the decision to irrevocably destroy Lissi’s feelings for him. It was the only thing which would keep her away and stop her from expecting they could make this...this attraction work. But such action would end any further contact between them and take away her beaming presence from his life. No more smiles in his direction, no brightening of her gaze when they saw each other.

“Don’t do it,” Jahul cautioned, accurately reading his expression. “I know what you said earlier but don’t be an ebo and push away your chance at love.”

The chance for love. More twinges hit him in the chest. Anticipation strummed at his veins as Jahul’s words filtered through his brain. “You want me to go after Lissi?”

Saying the words aloud added to his need to do exactly what Jahul said.

“Of course, unless you’re an ebo.”

Rydak didn’t consider himself anyone’s fool. At odds with his desire to act, he considered his actions. “Tor—”

Jahul waved a dismissive hand and interrupted Rydak’s excuse before he could finish. “Torkel is happy when his sister is happy. When she’s not...”

His Team Lead’s face said it all and Rydak mentally finished the thought. If Lissi was upset, Torkel’s Marenian side crashed through. Or rather his protective instincts toward his delicate blonde sister who’d followed him around as a baby unafraid and unaware of her brother’s deadly heritage.

Everyone in the Unit knew the stories and Shaya wasn’t shy about sharing holo vids of Lissi during the one year she grew taller than Torkel and dragged him around like a prize. Then his Unit Leader went through his Marenian growth spurt and shot up past her.

“Are you really going to stand here and argue with me or go to the female you want?” Disappointment coated Jahul’s question.

Doubt teased at Rydak. The female he wanted. If only Jahul understood how much more it was then want. What Rydak felt for Lissi couldn’t be put in mere words. It was a feeling burrowed deep into the core of Rydak and one which continued to strengthen each time he spent time in her presence. He took a deep breath. “I will speak with her.”

Rydak ran through the halls and burst through the outer door into the bright sunlit day. Lissi strode down the walkway, stopped and turned. Her head twisted around to catch sight of him. Armed soldiers milled about, none giving her more than a cursory glance. All knew she was Torkel Alonson’s sister and stayed clear of offending her.

Surprise, then a smile graced Lissi’s face. His heart thudded as he caught up with her. This was totally out of character for him.

“Rydak, is something wrong?”

He didn’t hesitate. “I agree.”

Puzzlement clouded her eyes and her blonde lashes fluttered. “Agree to what?”

Now that the moment was upon him, Rydak refused to let sheer terror distract him from his purpose. “I agree to being friends.”

She chuckled and Rydak closed his eyes to absorb the beauty of the sound.

“We are friends. I only meant I wanted a way to be closer to you. When I’m around it’s obvious you avoid me.”

Rydak flinched but firmed his lips and met her gaze. “I won’t avoid you.” For now. Anything more would rock his foundation and be like a meal dangled before a starved prisoner. “I agree to your offer of friendship.”

***

Lissi stared in wonder, her heart in her throat at what he offered. Rydak stood before her, shoulders braced in his black uniform, shirt tails flapping in the wind. She bit her inner cheek to hold in a giggle. He’d come after her with his shirt undone and hair in a disheveled fall of blond waves about his shoulders.

“If...you still wish to be friends,” Rydak added.

He appeared hesitant. The first time she’d ever seen Rydak without the air of confidence he usually exuded. She should have been insulted and yet a part of her somehow understood how hard this had to be for him.

Lissi grasped one of his hands and rubbed her thumb over the leather. She gentled her tone in hopes he understood how sincere she was. Holding his gaze when the gray darkened like clouds took effort but Lissi managed. “This is not infatuation. I want you, Rydak.”

His cheeks flushed at the admission. When his lips parted, she shushed him. Turmoil filled his gaze and the smoky depths swirled. No one probably shushed him. Lissi didn’t let any of that stop her as she revealed the whole truth. “I am not going to get over you. I will be steady. I will not lose focus and one day you’re going to accept the love I hold for you in my heart.”

Love. There. She’d said it and neither of them could pretend differently. Standing beside him while she waited to see how he’d take her words required a hidden well of strength but not once did Lissi lower her gaze. She meant everything she’d said to him. Her love for him was without end and she could be patient until he believed in it. Her Rydak was worth that. Worth more.

Her Rydak. Lissi liked the sound of that.

The corner of his mouth tipped up and she glimpsed a slight softening in his eyes. “Does your brother know how stubborn you are?”

Lissi relaxed, her grin big enough to hurt her face. “He calls me a menace.”

Rydak smirked and squeezed her fingers before tugging his hand free much to her regret. “I think I will enjoy this friendship more than any other.”

“Good. There’s more. So much more you can have if you love me back even a fraction of how I love you, Rydak Jaard.”

Though it pained her to do so, Lissi turned her back on Rydak. No matter what he thought, she was getting to him because Rydak was never unkempt.