Benny remained in place. “Karma? Do you want to stay here by the fire for a little while to see if Linda makes contact? Maybe with fewer people around, she’ll show?”
Karma squirmed. It was obvious she wasn’t accustomed to people asking her opinion or what she wanted. The idea just pissed Benny off. Finally, she cleared her throat. “Yes. That’s a good suggestion,” she said.
Benny smiled. “We’ll do that and then maybe join you all to look through more data.”
The other three left, and Benny stretched out his legs toward the fire. “Do you want more coffee?” He glanced at her half-empty mug.
“I am fine,” she said softly, watching the flickering flames. “That really was nice of you this morning—wearing the skirt.”
He took another swig of the excellent coffee Karma had made. “Did you get the point?”
“Of course.” She sipped delicately, and the firelight caressed her heart-shaped face the way Benny wanted to do. “I think I should like to train when I get the girls free. It’s doubtful I’ll have time before that.” She turned toward him, her eyes a glimmering hue. “Maybe a few lessons before I go? It would be nice to know some self-defense.”
He kept her hand in his while he searched for the right words. Too much of her life had been out of her control, and as much as he wanted to tell her what to do, he wouldn’t. So he fought himself for the moment. “The coffee is wonderful. Thank you for making it.”
She ducked her head, and a lock of her sunshine-colored hair fell onto her cheekbone. “I am happy to help. In fact, I truly enjoy cooking and baking. I’ve lived so many years underground. Being aboveground and growing herbs is a hobby I would like to pursue further.”
He jolted. “Really? No kidding?” His heart leaped.
She laughed softly. “Yes. It’s the truth.”
Oh, thank God. “Then you’re hired while we’re here, if you don’t mind. I love to cook, and we could have some fun creating dishes.” The idea of having decent food enticed him almost as much as the female herself. Her sweet scent wafted his way. What was that? The scent of flowers growing beside a lake? It was all her, and he could wrap himself up in the smell and happily remain beside her.
She took a deep breath.
All right. He was starting to recognize her tells, and she had something to say. Something she was gearing up to communicate. He waited patiently, which was not one of his strong suits.
“Benjamin?”
“Yes?” He turned back to the fire to make it easier for her to ask or say whatever she wanted. The woman was shy.
She waited a beat. “I enjoyed the other morning.”
His cock jumped against his denim jeans, and he bit back a groan. “Me, too.”
“I was wondering, if it wouldn’t be too much trouble—” She shifted restlessly next to him. “I would like one night with you before I return to the Kurjans. A real night. You and me as partners. Just once.”
His ears heated and damn if his head didn’t almost blow off his entire body.
* * * *
Karma couldn’t believe she’d just been so forward with a male. But she wanted one night to feel such pleasure again before she returned to hell, just in case she failed to get the girls out. She was unencumbered by the mating mark, and she could do with her body as she chose. For now, anyway. “I know about modern women,” she said softly. “That they have a choice and that one night doesn’t have to mean forever.” The idea intrigued her, as did ripped abs and prolonged orgasms like she’d read about in the books.
Benjamin made a strangled sound.
Heat flushed into her face, burning her cheeks. “I’m sorry to be forward.” It was entirely possible that he didn’t want her in that manner. Oh, he’d been interested the other day, but the physical part hadn’t progressed very far. Perhaps she’d insulted him. “I also apologize if I’ve insulted you in any way. I am not saying you’re easy.” She’d heard the expression from the new mate of a Kurjan lower soldier, and it probably applied in this situation.
He sucked in air and made a gulping sound.
Oh, she could just die. She tried to pull her hand free from underneath his arm and firm palm, but he held her tight.
“Karma.” He turned to face her, and his eyes blazed through the darkness. “We need to get a couple of things straight. More things. Besides the fighting-with-a-skirt problem that isn’t really a problem.”
Was it her imagination, or was Benjamin having difficulty speaking in complete sentences? Had he injured his head that morning when fighting with the other soldiers? She leaned in closer to check his pupils just in case he was concussed. “Are you all right?”
“No, I’m not all right,” he sputtered. “You have me harder than a rock, and it’s all I can do not to bend you over the nearest table and take what you’ve so generously offered.”
“Oh.” She sat back, her body relaxing. He did want her. She had thought so, but it was nice to have the idea affirmed. “Why do you sound pained?”
His flash of teeth didn’t reassure her. “I’m pained because I’m hard and I want to do something about it.” Then he took a deep breath, exhaled slowly, and did it two more times. “Here’s the deal. Yes, I’d like a night with you. In fact, I’d like a whole lot of nights with you. I’m not easy, you’re not easy, nobody is easy. That’s just a dumb word. We can do whatever we want so long as it’s consensual. That’s number one. Got it?”
She quite liked that line of thought. “That makes sense to me.”
“Good.” His hand tightened on hers. “I’ve been honest about not wanting to mate, even though I want you with a desperation that burns. Although, from what I’ve seen around here, if we do indulge, I may throw caution to the wind like the rest of these morons and mate anyway. I mean, with your consent.”
Her mouth dropped open. “Um…”
He chuckled and brushed a curl off her forehead. “What I meant is that if mating is on the table, we should discuss it. I like you, you like me, and we definitely have chemistry. But I don’t think you should mate somebody just because you think that’s what you’re supposed to do. You can do anything and be anything you want in this world.”
Oh, she just could love him forever. “I know, Benjamin.” She wasn’t an innocent young girl.
He winced. “Also, I’ve been a warrior for hundreds of years and don’t know a thing about kids. I wouldn’t want to hurt your little girls or scare them or screw them up. It’s probably much better if I stay away from them.”