Free Shielder — A new Science Fiction Romance (Book 1, Shielder Series) by Catherine Spangler

zealous in his desire to help
others.
    Once.
    Now he knew better. Bitter hatred and self
accusation disintegrated the regret. He had learned the hard
way—trust no one. And he'd been a fool to think he could ever be
competent in his chosen profession. How many lives had been lost
because of that self-centered delusion?
    He gripped the console, a flood of memories
churning through him. Anger and disgust burned in his gut. Dragging
in a deep breath, he forced the memories away, for now. He could
never banish them entirely. He turned his concentration back to the
orbit coordinates and relayed them to Sabin.
    Fortunately, his partner had been willing to
change the meeting location. When Chase had received word that
Dansan had been seen on Calt, he'd immediately contacted Sabin,
asking that they rendezvous near Calt instead of Intrepid.
    The coordinates sent, Chase tried to focus
on other matters, but his attention kept returning to Nessa. Her
fixation on the screen hadn't wavered. Giving up all pretenses, he
leaned back in his seat. "What has you so fascinated?"
    She started, glancing at him guiltily. He
knew she wasn't in any unauthorized section of the computer; she
couldn't gain access to anything but general information without a
security code. Only a person with considerable expertise would be
able to locate the PWL file in this system, much less decode it.
Her guilty reactions must be the result of a lifetime of
conditioning.
    She glanced back at the screen, her face
lighting up. "The planet Vilana. Is it true it rotates so fast that
it has three sunrises and three moonrises every standard ship
cycle?"
    She presented an odd blend of suspicious
distrust and childlike simplicity. Chase felt certain her life up
to now had been harsh, yet she radiated innocence. He'd bet a
thousand miterons she'd had minimal experience with men.
    She acted skittish around him, yet at the
same time, he sensed her growing awareness of him as a man. He
recognized the subtle reactions; the way her eyes flared when he
got close, the delicate flush of her skin, the tautening of her
breasts beneath her tunic.
    Her budding sensuality had a startling
effect on him. Even now, as she looked back at him, he hardened.
Blazing hells. There was nothing overtly sexual about her; she
certainly wasn't one of the sophisticated, experienced women he
preferred. He willed back the ironclad control he normally
exercised over his body. It had just been too long since he'd been
with a woman.
    Still, he couldn't resist moving to Nessa's
side, squatting down to eye level. Her eyes widened at this
invasion into her personal space. "It's true. Vilana has three
sunrises and moonrises every single ship cycle. Too bad the weather
is so foul and changeable. The heat scorches the land by day, while
the nights are bitter cold. Three times a day. Hot, cold, hot,
cold, hot…."
    Her delicate scent, compliments of recent
bathing, tantalized him, increasing the pressure due south. But her
eyes pushed him over the edge—dark liquid pools unconsciously
reflecting a response she didn't yet recognize. That, and her full
mouth that quivered enticingly. He couldn't resist. Leaning
forward, he pressed his lips to hers.
    She jerked as if she'd been struck. Holding
her shoulders, he teased her lips with his tongue. She was new and
sweet…and totally ignorant of how to respond. Heat roared through
him like a wildfire. The urgent need to ravage her mouth, to fill
his hands with those small breasts warred with common sense. She
was too innocent for this, and his actions way out of line. What
was he doing?
    He wrenched away, gasping for breath and
sanity. Certain Nessa would be as shocked as he at his behavior, he
wouldn't have been surprised if she fled the cockpit.
    She didn't. Staring at him, her face
flushed, she raised trembling fingers to her lips. "That was a
kiss," she whispered inanely.
    Her absurd remark helped clear his head. He
stood and moved a safe distance away. "Have you never