Steel Dominance Read Online Free PDF Page B

smiled and ran his thumb along her lower lip before settling his hand at her waist. “That’s good. Very, very good.”
    The silence pulsed between them, and she couldn’t bring herself to move, or to say anything. Somehow, she knew that her reply had been, all at the same time, both right and so awfully wrong. He left his hands where they were, holding her as if he had all the time in the world to find out precisely how she ticked.
    Oh God. No.
    “Hey, you two,” Sten interrupted. “I can see you have things to chat about, but I have a ship to run. Can we get this done?”
    After that, shooting straight was unlikely. Not until the sixth shot did she manage to hit the balloon. Dankyo soon decided she needed a smaller pistol.
    “That’s it, then.” Dankyo holstered the revolver. “Let’s go.”
    Sten leaned in as she exited past him. “Told you, you’d miss.”
    She shrugged. “You should have let me use the cannon.”
    “Ha!” He grinned and thumped the doorjamb. “Saucy little slave you have, man.”
    Dankyo twitched both eyebrows upward. “Yes. I know. I think I need to beat her more.”
    The heat of a blush swept her face. Oh my. He is joking, isn’t he? Surely that didn’t come with the pretending?
    He offered his hand to Sten. “Thank you, sir, for the use of your facility.”
    “My pleasure.” They shook hands.
    Though Dankyo stepped back, he didn’t turn away, and he hooked his thumbs in his trouser pockets.
    Sten leaned against the door again and waited.
    “I’ve heard rumors about you and your Captain Kaysana.”
    “Aha. What rumors?”
    “That you were involved in some big problem in Tibet. Something that involved zombies and a lot of people dying. I even heard that you and she were heroes. Maybe stopped some sort of plague?”
    “Really? Zombies? You’re joking, right? Zombies?” Sten screwed up his mouth, then shook his head slowly. “We’re a colorful couple, I guess, but nah, just a crazy rumor.”
    “I thought you’d say that, but…glad I shook your hand. Honored, in fact.”
    “Sure. Sure. Nice to make your acquaintance too.”
    With that they parted ways. Sofia followed after Dankyo again, happy she was no longer the focus of his attention. Such a strange conversation back there. She assumed Dankyo had his reasons for it but strange nonetheless.
    When they reached their cabin, Dankyo allowed her to enter first, and she ducked around him.
    “I’d like to talk to you, Sofia. About what just happened.”
    His words were so simple, yet they sent havoc coursing through her. Talk? She wasn’t ready for this.
    He’d touched her lips. And she wanted him to touch her elsewhere…everywhere. Yet explaining her reaction might lead to him demanding to know her fantasies, and they were never seeing the light of day. Normal women didn’t want to be held down and raped.
    Already her feet led her to the bathroom. Escaping. Yes . She opened the white-painted door. The doorknob was cold on her skin.
    “Sofia?”
    “I’ll”—she swallowed—“be a moment.”
    Inside she sat on the tapestry upholstered armchair, laid her head back until it bumped the wall, and sighed. Damn him.
    The door creaked as if someone leaned on it. Her eyelids snapped open. Did I lock it?
    “Are you avoiding me, Sofia?”
    Clearing the lump from her throat so her voice wasn’t raspy took a few seconds. “No.”
    If he asked her what, exactly, she was doing in here, he’d get a nasty reply.
    I’m safe in here. Safe.
    From what? My own fantasies, or my fears? That was the trouble—her fantasies and fears were all knotted together in one big mess.
    “You know, I think I’ll just talk even if you don’t answer.”
    What? She frowned, drumming her fingers on one of the arms of the chair. Go ahead. Ramble on . The man was insufferable.
    “I enjoyed holding you.”
    God . This was getting worse.
    “Have you heard of dominance and submission, Sofia?”
    Don’t answer! But she sat up and listened.
    “The