| 
“You’ll have to remove
your clothes.” Mia’s head shot up at Ric’s comment. “Excuse
me?” He motioned to her jumpsuit. “Naked. You can’t
travel in clothing, they’ll burn up.” Naked. Great. First she couldn’t pack anything, then
she arrived at tunnel seven only to find this tube-like thing
that she was supposed to travel light years through the galaxies
in. And now she had to do it with her ass bared? “I don’t
think so.” Ric crossed his arms. “You have no choice. Either travel
naked or die.” Well, those were rather limiting choices, neither of which
she cared for. This trip was becoming more and more dismal
by the second. “Fine. Let’s get naked then, and get our show
on the road.” She grabbed the zipper, then noticed him
just standing there watching. “Well? If I’ve gotta
strip, so do you.” He smirked. “I’m not undressing.” “Why not?” Was this some kind of sexual come on?
If so, she wasn’t in the mood. “I’ll become gaseous in flight.” Mia placed her hands on her hips. “Look, I don’t
really care to hear about your intestinal problems with space
flight. I have my own worries.” He laughed then, rich, dark and tripping along her nerve endings.
She resisted the urge to shiver at his husky tone. “Not that kind of gas, filor. I will shift into gaseous
state for the trip.” Oh, shit, that’s right. M’Loran’s were shapeshifters.
Where the hell had her brain gone today? “What’s
filor mean?” “Woman.” “The name’s Mia and I already know my gender.” “Time is of the essence here,” he continued, ignoring
her. “Undress so I can cocoon you.” She really hated her job some days. Grabbing the zipper of
her jumpsuit, she yanked it down, stopping halfway. “Do
you have to watch?” His lips curved in a sensual smile. Her body reacted with
puckering nipples. Traitorous damn female hormones. “I will be placing you in the cocoon. I’ll see
you completely naked then. It seems that your modesty is a
little unwarranted, don’t you think?” “Whatever, let’s just get this over with.” She
unzipped the suit and stepped out of it, feeling exposed in
more ways than she wanted to think about. His eyes roamed over
her body as if he were assessing her in depth. She resisted
the urge to cover herself and stood still, hands on her hips. “Look,
M’Loran. Don’t get any funny ideas about having
your way with me in my sleep, okay? Because I’ll know
it if it happens.” “Indeed, you certainly would,” he said, mirth
evident in his laughing voice. He directed her to a transparent, upright tube. She was no
scientist so she didn’t have the slightest idea what
the M’Lorans used for space travel. It looked like an
old fashioned tanning bed to her. “You’re overly
confident in your sexual abilities, aren’t you?” “No. Just honest.” “Quit staring at me. You might as well give up any notions
that you’re going to fuck me, because it isn’t
going to happen.” “I don’t want to fuck you.” “Good.” She slid into the chamber, but before
he could close it she grabbed his wrist. “Why not?” He tilted his head. “Why not what?” “Why wouldn’t you want to fuck me?” “You’re not my type. I’m going to close
this now, and when I do—“ “You sure know how to sweep a girl off her feet don’t
you? And what do you mean I’m not your type?” He leaned against the chamber. “Why do you care? You
just said you weren’t going to fuck me.” She shrugged and said, “Just curious, that’s all.
I’m not repulsive, you know.” “On M’Lora you would be.” Wonderful. Now she was really looking forward to the trip.
Would she have to be enshrouded in veils to hide her hideous
face and body? “Why am I repulsive?” “You’re not like our women. You’re too skinny.
M’Loran men like their women to have some substance-curves,
flesh, a little meat on them.” “I don’t have time to eat much. I’m very
busy,” she said in defense of her too-skinny body. Damn
him for making her feel inadequate. She’d never cared
before what men thought of her appearance, so why now? “Perhaps on M’Lora you’ll eat better and
add some curves. Although there’s no hope for your tits.” He closed the door, shutting out the stream of curses she
flung at him. No tits, indeed. Asshole. She flipped her middle
finger in the universal sign of fuck you, but he smiled and
waved his hand over the controls. | 
