Free The Bid by Jax Page B

so you would never be careless or blasé. You don’t yet want to realize it, but what she did has saved your life. Or better yet, saved you from a fate worse than death.”
    Najir finally stepped back and with a nod toward the conversation area he indicated a tray of bread goods and what looked like cheeses.
    “It is late and past dinner, but my Lady knew you would crave something when you woke.”
    “Past dinner? With all of this sun?”
    “Night will come tomorrow. You will see. Many things are unique here.”
    With that understatement, the other slave exited through the door, leaving Vejhon with a head full of conflicting input and thoughts. He tried to weed emotion out of it, but hell…becoming a slave on an alien planet was emotional business.
     

    “He didn’t eat.”
    Hanna looked up from her workstation, a ready frown on her lips as Najir reported the fact to her. She stood up and stretched a long arch of her back, trying to move her kinked-up muscles enough to relieve their knots.
    “Not even a little? He must be starved after being in stasis so long.”
    “At his size and muscle mass? I imagine he is. But I think he doesn’t trust us not to drug him.”
    “Would you, after what I did?”
    “Well, he’s being thickheaded, then, because I already re-explained that to him.” Najir frowned this time. “I suppose only time and visible proof and action will convince him.”
    “And I suppose that is my job,” Hanna agreed with a sigh. “What is he doing now?”
    “Sleeping. I believe he was displeased with his performance during our little scuffle, so he spent time exercising and working through fight stances and maneuvers. He also refuses to get dressed. He’s not modest, I’ll give him that.”
    “Don’t criticize,” she chuckled. “You wouldn’t wear clothes for three days. You said you’d rather be dead than dress like a woman. I had not realized that in your culture only women wore trousers. The men wore kilts.”
    “Yes.” Najir’s grin was pure mischief. “Trousers were meant to keep the men out, and kilts made it easy to do just the opposite.”
    “Najir! Naughty man,” she teased, sidling up to him and brushing a hand down his hair.
    “Just how you like me,” he countered.
    The tease brought her up a little short, her body language instantly becoming aloof. He immediately knew why, and he couldn’t help the sting of hurt that raced the edges of his skin.
    “Najir,” she began a little awkwardly, “you realize…”
    “Don’t.” He cut her off. “I am perfectly aware of the situation. I have always been aware of what would happen. I am no adolescent and I can accept what I myself have set in motion, Hanna.”
    “Dearest,” she soothed, instantly moving into his embrace, all coolness vanishing as she hugged herself around him. “I only meant that I need the line to be clear. We enjoyed each other our last time together, did we not?”
    “Immensely,” he assured her, unable to help the return of his wicked smile.
    “So we did. And now that I am certain we understand each other, I want everything to be just as it always was. All our free and easy ways together should stay exactly the same. I won’t change anything else between us. You are my best friend. I would be lost without you.”
    “You exaggerate as usual,” he retorted gruffly, clearing his throat before lowering his head to whisper in her ear. “I will grieve, Hanna. I won’t kid you about that. It’s been ten years between us. But if, as you promise, nothing else changes, then I can bear it. I can bear anything that makes you happy. If I couldn’t…if I were that selfish…I would have walked away from that auction, left him there for Majum and never looked back. Never said a word.”
    “It wouldn’t have occurred to you,” she swore with soft vehemence. “You are incapable of such deception.”
    “Only with those I love.” Najir took her by her chin, tilting her head back and finding her soft