Free GALLANT (The Innerworld Affairs Series, Book 3) by Marilyn Campbell Page A

energy, her zest for life, that radiated from every cell in her body. He had sensed it the first time he saw her because it called to that part of him he tried so hard to deny. Being near her stirred the sleeping barbarian within him, dared the wild animal to escape its civilized cage and generally made him want to grab hold of her until all that energy belonged to him.
    She frightened the hell out of him.
    She was probably the greatest danger he had ever faced.
    And he hungered for her more than any female he'd ever encountered. For the first time in his life he was not free to run away from something that provoked the appetites he was born with.
    He had hoped to ignore her completely, pretending she was an inanimate object. That had been a foolish plan from the start. Then he had hoped to gain her sympathy and understanding, perhaps even her friendship, to ensure her cooperation. The problem was, she didn't trust him enough to be his friend. The fact that her attitude toward him was his own fault didn't alter the situation.
    Before they reached Zoenid, they both needed to be able to trust the other. Not only his mission, but their lives, would depend on it.
    His desire for her was prodding him to tie her to him with the one sure method of bonding. But could he do that and not let the wildness out?
    He'd already had her in his arms twice—when he dragged her off the Fantasy World set and when he carried her on board. He had known instantly that touching her put him at risk but gambling was one of his favorite pastimes and the higher the stakes, the more exhilarating the game. What higher stakes could there be than his own life?
    And revealing exactly what he was could indeed spell the end for him.
    No, he told himself firmly, the only bond he could afford to form with Cherry was friendship.
    Sitting there, so close to her, he could feel the air vibrating between them. If she was aware of the charged atmosphere, she wasn't giving any more indication of it than he was. Then again, she still had reason to be angry with him, so that might be enough for her to ignore any attraction she might feel toward him. Obviously, he was going to have to find a way past her anger to form any kind of bond with her... even friendship.
    For a while there, back in his cabin, he had been sure he was making progress. She had been interested in his story and said she believed him, more or less. She had offered intelligent suggestions as if they were actually working together on the problem and yet, she didn't promise to cooperate when the time came. Perhaps if he had shared a greater confidence, told her why this mission was so important to him personally—
    No! He could never trust her with that knowledge.
    Out of the corner of his eye he saw Cherry shift positions on the narrow bench for the umpteenth time. Drek! Didn't she ever just sit still? Unable to stop himself from noticing her every movement, he left the bridge with the excuse of getting something to eat.
    As soon as he was out of sight, Dot spun around toward Cherry. "Whew! We thought he would never leave."
    Cherry raised her eyebrows in surprise. "I had the impression you adored your captain."
    "Oh, we do. But he is so tense right now that it is making it extremely difficult for us to think straight."
    Cherry again recalled her friend, Falcon, and his ability to absorb others' emotions. "Are you empathic?"
    "No, no. It does not require an empath to know what is wrong with the captain... only a woman."
    Cocking her head, Cherry waited for an elaboration.
    "Surely, you have noticed," Dot said in a secretive manner. "Even Mar, a mere, insensitive male, picked up on it." Mar made a snorting sound and Cherry tried to get a glimpse of Dot's other half. "Do not worry about him. He is the soul of discretion. You can be assured that anything you say will stay between us girls."
    Cherry laughed lightly. "What sort of secrets are you expecting me to spill?"
    "I thought perhaps you might have some