Free No Such Thing by Michelle O'Leary Page A

mother. How could he have
    such a strong effect on her? She barely knew him.
    Staring into the cavern as it dropped away below them, she mulled her reactions over with a frustrated frown until she realized that he was staring at her.
    "Feel better?" he asked.
    She took a moment to assess her condition and was surprised to find that she was back to normal. "Yes, thank you," she answered with puzzled
    politeness. "I feel fine."
    "Good," he said with a lightening of his expression as he docked the trolley. "You saw the highlights, but I’d still like to give
    you the rest of the tour…unless you need to go."
    The sound of that last word was considerably more unpleasant than she would have ever believed possible. Not only would she have to put the damned snood
    back on, but she’d have to walk away from Declan. At the moment, that was something she really didn’t want to do.
    "I’ll need to make sure that Commander Task isn’t looking for me. If I’m not needed, I would love to finish the tour." She
    moved to the side of the grav-trolley and looked at him out of the corner of her eye. "I think it would be best if you helped me this time, though.
    Please."
    She pretended not to see his grin, especially since her heart seemed to want to do strange things in her chest at the sight. He brushed past her, leapt up
    to the main floor, and gave her a dramatic bow, before holding out his hand to her. Smothering a smile of her own, she focused on her skirts as she placed
    her hand in his and stepped carefully out of the trolley. His warm fingers were just as compelling as before and it took all her will power to pull away
    once she was on solid ground. When their fingers parted, Declan sighed heavily and she kept her face turned down, making a pretense of brushing at her
    skirts.
    "Sark me! Did you just—?"
    "Bags! Watch your language, man. Has the Chief been looking for us?" Declan’s voice sounded strained.
    Ryelle looked up to see the Chief’s second gaping at them, eyes bugging a little. His rough face was turning an interesting shade of purplish red all
    the way to his receding hairline, making an odd color contrast with the orange fuzz of his hair. He was shorter than Declan, but was quite a bit thicker
    across the chest and middle. Right now, his bulk was between them and the path to the Chief—this circumstance didn’t look to be changing any
    time soon.
    "Mer Bagera," she said politely, nodding to him. The man continued to stare at them, slack-jawed.
    Declan muttered something impolite that Ryelle didn’t think she was supposed to hear. "Bags, snap out. Has anybody called down for Mem
    Soliere?"
    The other man shook his head sharply as if to clear it before bellowing, "Naw, yer clear. Want I should spell ya?" Then he grinned rather like
    a shark, looking Ryelle up and down with a gleam in his eye that was probably rude, but she only felt amused.
    Declan was not. His jaw went tight and he glared at his fellow sailor with what looked like real anger. "Step off, Bags."
    Bagera shrugged carelessly. "Ah, no sense a’ fun! You want a change a’ face, girlie, y’just let ol’ Bags know, eh?" He
    gave Ryelle an exaggerated wink and another grin before sauntering away.
    "Sorry about him," Declan said stiffly as he ushered her in the opposite direction.
    "No need to apologize," Ryelle responded with a smothered smile. "He’s—colorful. I believe that’s the first time
    I’ve ever been called ‘girlie.’"
    "And the last," she heard him mutter darkly.
    They double checked with the Chief to make certain that Ryelle was not needed and that Declan was free to continue the tour, before picking up where
    they’d left off. Declan showed her all the control areas and explained his support duties as well as the duties of his fellow crew members, as they
    wandered through the different engineering sections. He seemed determined to avoid other crew members, speaking as briefly as possible with the Chief and
    ushering her with all