It was what she told other soldiers with enhancements. Some took a while and then grasped the concept. Judging by Bane’s effort and what she knew, that wouldn’t be the case with him.
The white lines in his eyes swirled in a zig-zag pattern as his breath huffed. His neck muscles stood out, the tanned skin taking on a deep red hue. Despite the stress he was under he didn’t manage to gain a step.
“Fuuuckk!” His weight sagged forward but his hands gripped the bars tight, knuckles a stark white. “It’s not working. I’ve done what was asked. I’ve worked with therapists and rehab specialists. Medic Tao has recalibrated the cybernetics as much as he dared.”
Dharma shoved her hands deep into the pockets of her blue uniformed pants. She wanted to help him. Wished she could go back and change things to make this experience better for him. He didn’t deserve this struggle. No one did.
She blew out a breath and thought of the end goal. It would be worth it. It had to be.
***
Calculation lurked beneath Dharma’s gaze. It was an unusual emotion for her to display and caused a rare moment of unease. Perhaps she was thinking of a way to force his compliance. Good luck to her. Rehab wasn’t working.
The medics wouldn’t come out and say it but Bane knew. Without the support braces, he couldn’t even stand, let alone get the biotronics in his damn legs to do what they were supposed to. If it wasn’t for his promise to Jaron he would already be gone back to Enotia.
“So you’re quitting?”
Her stiffly voiced question snapped Bane back to the moment. “What?”
“The notes in your file say you failed to attempt the exercises last night and this morning. Then I found you here arguing with Reika.” She held her data pad in her hand again.
Bane pinched his lips together to stop the retort on the tip of his tongue. She was the one he most wanted to see him as more than a patient. That wouldn’t happen if he acted on emotion. Calming his wildly swinging anger, he spoke through gritted teeth. “No point. I’ve contacted a friend for help. Officially, surgery wasn’t a success.”
She glanced up from the data pad and pursed her lips. “I see.”
Nothing else.
Bane stared and waited but proving he wasn’t her first unruly patient, Dharma merely stared back. Her nostrils flared then her mouth firmed with annoyance and she shot a glare in his direction.
Against his will, a smile twisted his lips. Fiery. Dharma tried to hide it but she was a female of fiery passion and Bane was intrigued enough to want to know more. So far she’d resisted his casual interest. He’d have to be blatant about wanting to know more about her and if she reciprocated the attraction.
Bane studied the angles of her implacable face, the mutinous set to her mouth and admitted ruefully that today probably wasn’t the day. Neither of them were in a good frame of mind to talk.
As if in agreement, spasms shot up from his calves to his thighs. He cursed loud and vicious.
“Bane, are you having trouble?” Of course Dharma would notice immediately and respond. He definitely had her attention now.
The painful contractions continued and Bane found it hard to speak. He grimaced and reached behind him but the table was far enough away he couldn’t touch it. He’d have to keep standing in this spot or reveal his weakness and collapse against the bars. Bane could admit his attraction to the medic assistant had him hesitating to appear weak in front of her. Then his legs buckled, taking the choice from him.
He was on pace for a fast fall to the floor when a shoulder slammed under his arm and soft hands caught at his waist. Bane tried to brace himself but he wasn’t much help, his grip slick on the bars as his elbows folded. His shirt slid up and skin to skin contact with her wrists about his waist and hips was made. Bane hissed, breath whistling through his teeth as he wondered how much humiliation he could suffer.
“A moment,” she murmured.
The chair he’d knocked over earlier with Reika scraped across the floor as Dharma stretched her leg and hooked the bottom rung with her foot and pulled it close. The moment it was near, Bane collapsed gratefully into the seat. Dharma’s hands slid slowly away, the stroke of her arms along his bare torso enough to leave him with one of many uncomfortable erections around her.
The thin shorts he wore were no match for the prominent thrust of his cock against the material. He dropped his head toward the floor and stifled a groan. How much worst could this get?
“Bane?”
He looked up. Her cheeks were aflame but that could be exertion, not arousal. He was big, solid all over, yet she’d caught his weight and sustained it enough to get him safely seated so he didn’t have to deal with the indignity of landing on the floor. He eyed her frame closely, reevaluating the perception he’d formed about her body.
Instead of soft, full curves under her uniform, he envisioned toned muscles better in line with the nature of her work. Hidden strength. His cock throbbed and he bit off another groan. Strength appealed to him. Caught his eye more than delicate femininity.
Gesturing to his slumped position on the chair and sprawled legs, Dharma said, “This is why we need to figure out what went wrong.”
Concentration gave her brown eyes a startling sheen. His dramatic almost fall had loosened her hair, strands falling about her round face. Her nose was broad with a slight flatness in the middle. Full lips maintained a constant pout that begged for a man to ride between them while her uniform shirt clung to the fullness of her chest.
Then there were her thighs. Bane’s cock hardened to its full length in readiness. Unlike the slender form of Enotian females, her legs appeared thick. Capable of riding a male. What he wouldn’t give to be able to sex share with her. It was becoming a driving thought each time he was alone with her. Having her stand between his spread thighs only reinforced the idea.
One tug and he could pull her directly onto his lap. With a little effort and maneuvering, he was confident he could get them both to satisfaction.
Dharma’s gaze drifted to the apex of his thighs then jerked back up much to Bane’s amusement. He wanted her eyes on him. To see what she did, the effect her closeness had on him. A hungry growl rolled from his chest.
“I’m going to study your test results again. Let’s get you back to your room.”
The transition to his hover chair went a lot easier. Neither spoke, but when they got to the automated shaft, she stopped. He noticed the way her hands curled into fists and the brief tensing of her lips. “I’ll meet you in your room.”
Was it her annoyance with him that made her go separately? She didn’t leave him a choice and strode away. Cursing, Bane maneuvered the hover chair forward. He stared at the numbers on the panel display. When the doors opened on his floor, Dharma was waiting. He guided the chair to his room as Dharma marched at his side, her stride long and hurried. She opened his room door and entered first. Bane followed all the while wondering if he should speak.
“If you don’t need help, good day, Jutak Hardusho.” She turned to leave.
Irritation rode him hard at the noticeable change between them. He wasn’t sure why she was back to being cold and withdrawn. They both knew she aroused him. It wasn’t like he could hide the signs. He slammed his hand down on the arm of the chair and snarled, “Bane!”