Nate's Fated Mate(52)

"In love, he is," Sheena teased.

"Stop," Nate ordered. "Don't make fun of his speech."

Sheena snorted. "Bri's right. You really need to get a sense of humor. Darcone thinks it's funny."

Nate chuckled in her ear. "He thinks it's funny when Bri does it. He wants to sleep with her. Everything your sister does is pretty much okay with him."

"Well, there's nothing stopping them from having a relationship," Sheena said.

"Except that he's obligated to take a mate home to his planet. That won't be Brianna now, will it?"

Sheena sighed. "All these complicated rules. Love is not supposed to be this hard, Nate."

"Now you sound like Angus and Erin."

"Well, they're right about this," Sheena said, raising her head to meet his gaze. "And they're right about giving the alien matches a wedding send off. If you want this program to really work, you're going to have to let the two groups mingle and get real. Those fucking computer match-ups are driving Erin crazy. It's only so long before the woman blows up about it."

Nate sighed and then laughed. "You don't have to convince me. I've seen her blow up. I hide in my office when it happens. She's one of those women who gets angry during their menses."

"So do I. Did you really hit on her?"

Nate chuckled. "Jealous much?"

"Yes."

His laughter over her instant answer earned him a couple punches to his chest. "Nothing happened. I was just attracted at first. She reminded me of you. It was pathetic how much in love with Angus she was. Stupid idiot almost messed it up. I kept having to get between them."

"You played matchmaker?" Sheena asked.

"More like I refereed and mopped up the blood. I thought Angus was going to pickle himself with alien ale before they worked things out."

"Are we going to work things out?" Sheena asked.

"Yes. We are going to work things out," Nate said firmly. "I can't lose you again. I punched out my own father to save an alien because of you. You make me do the right things, whether I want to or not. I need a strong woman in my life."

"I'm not campaigning to be your mother."

Nate snickered. "Okay. Then marry me-again. Be my wife. I'll do better this time."



       
         
       
        

"Can I think about it?" Sheena asked.

"Sure. I have my own methods of convincing you," Nate said, sliding open his desk drawer. He pulled out a remote. "See? I have cool toys too." The door clicked and locked.

He lifted Sheena until she straddled his lap. "I think this office needs to be christened with a screaming orgasm, mostly because I need back inside you. I'm having withdrawal."

"Sex in your most sacred space. Why Admiral Tiberius, I don't know what to say."

"Say yes, Dr. MacNamara. Just say yes."

Nate decided Sheena's hot, needy mouth on his was far better than hearing the words.





Chapter Eighteen





Nate was reading the summary of her father's notes that Sheena had sent him when the call from his mother came through. The door to his office was closed so he took the call on his desk com.

"Greetings, Provost. Thank you for approving my request for Brianna's reassignment to the AAS airship. She is very pleased …  as is her sister."

"I couldn't pull Captain off, but being Commander MacNamara should suffice for her duties there. I hope you know what you're doing in taking her on. Brianna was a good agent, but my one complaint was that she did not have the self-discipline to pull back when the odds were against her. It's been a lot of work keeping her alive."

"If she can meet a shuttle without waking me up to help, I'll be satisfied. I need someone to handle things so I can have a break. I may not look it, but I am on my second century of life. The last hundred years has taken a toll."

"You don't have to convince me. I'll be rolling over into another century in a few years myself."

His mother lifted a hand to her hair and said nothing else for several long moments.

"What's wrong, Mother? Is there something else you need to talk about?"

Nate watched the woman who'd molded him tamp down her shock over his personal question and pull herself together. She sighed and closed her eyes, showing the first real weakness to him he could ever remember.

"You're absolutely right. I need to talk to my son a moment, Admiral Tiberius."

Nate straightened in his seat. "I've never been as good as you are about separating my work life from my personal one. Ask any of my wives. You can always talk to me, Mother. What's wrong?"