Free Passionate Desire by Barbara Donlon Bradley

you or my truck…what happened?” He stopped when he spotted the damage, rubbing his hands against the scratched fender.
    “Unconscious man behind the wheel with a scared to death woman trying to steer from the other side of the vehicle. Be glad that was all that happened.” She slammed the door shut and started the engine back up. “Where to?”
    “We can go back.”
    “These people are expecting you and as long as you’re not doing some sort of surgery I should be able to cover for you if it happens again. Let’s go.”
     
    ****
     
    The sun was setting by the time they made it back to his home. He fixed a quick meal with her help and they were ready for their guests.
    She was quiet while they waited.
    “You okay?”
    “Yes.” She smiled at him. “Sorry, I was just wondering what it would be like to have the problem you do. You feel their release right?”
    “Oh, yeah.” He felt uncomfortable talking about was happening to him. His desire for her would be magnified when he tried to explain the mind meld. Even now it was making him think about sex with her.
    “Do you have one as well?”
    He didn’t want to answer.
    “Sorry. I didn’t mean to embarrass you.” She walked to the window and looked out, not saying anything else.
    He knew it was only natural curiosity. If anyone else had found out he would have been hit with a whole lot more questions. “No. I get the erection, but then I’m stuck with it until I can do something about it or it finally goes away.”
    “I have seen no evidence of a woman here.” She turned from the window.
    “That’s because I have been celibate since I moved here. That’s one of the reasons this has become a problem for me.” He saw the flash just before it entered the room. He dove for her, pulling her down and away from the window.
    She glared up at him, his weight pressing her down into the floor.
    “Stay put.” He inched to a small panel near the door. He pressed one button and heard a satisfying yelp. Kuarto knew he should have had the force field on before but Toki distracted him. “We should be fine now.”
    He stood and walked out the door. She could hear him shouting at whoever took a shot at them. He was positive it was Guapo by his tone. Kuarto came in with a smile on his face. “Don’t think he’ll do that again.”
    “You don’t seem upset.”
    “That man is an idiot and a bad shot. He’s also tried this before, not with me,” he added when she looked at him in shock. “But he has a history of trying to frighten people when he doesn’t get his way and is never successful.”
    “What about the family you asked to visit. Is it safe for them to come?”
    “Guapo’s already long gone. He isn’t known for sticking around once he has been found out. The force field I activated will keep him at a safe distance if he tries again.” He pressed a few keys on the panel he had accessed earlier. “But to be safe I have programmed our guests’ DNA into the system so they can pass through where that bane in my side can’t.”
    Toki thought about his erection. If they weren’t going to have guests any minute she would offer herself. He was a wonderful lover and had enjoyed being with her last night yet she knew he would never press the issue again because of his celibacy. She would always have to be the aggressor.
    Knowing he could possibly always have a hard on could really work in her favor. She felt the thrill of the hunt race through her. Now all she had to do was get past any defenses he might throw up to get in her way.
    The young girl and her parents arrived and Toki sat and played with the child while Kuarto spoke to the parents. It took him some time to convince them to see what danger they were putting her in and agree to try to keep her out of the area, or make sure she had an environmental suit on if she was to work there.
    He offered them some of the meal they had made, but they begged off and headed back home.
    “Do they know of your