Free A Seacat's Love (Oceanan Trilogy Book 1) by Jessica Kong

lure all to themselves. She was average in height, even for a woman on his planet. Yet she was tall in comparison to the alien stories he had heard about. However, her telepathy was consistent with those aliens.
    Her face was pleasant to look at, considering she had so many discolored bruises, made more apparent by her shower. He could only imagine her hair’s natural richness, since it hung in dripping strands down to the middle of her back. And the woman had a backside on her, though she was too thin for his taste. It dawned on him that the scientists had starved her. His chest tightened. He was determined to change that.
    His heart had skipped a beat when he first noticed her pupils dilated into slits with the light. Rick remembered they ignited during her fight with the soldiers. After his initial shock, he wassurprised to find that this little trait did not bother him so much. He was, however, glad that her sharp claws returned to normal, more humanlike.
    Those claws impressed him and placed him at ease. Leonora would never have to worry about being weaponless if confronted, unlike his wife. Rick doubted Mary would have used a knife on a person if she had managed to get one, even to save her life. Leonora would, and he approved.
    Leonora moved with the fluidness of a cat. Her skin was velvety soft, and any hair found on her body was similar to that of human hair, not animal fur.
    The human similarities combined with the differences definitely intrigued Rick. However, it was how she placed someone else’s safety before her own, how she showed power and strength when she was ill, that made the most impact.
    Rick’s thoughts drifted back to when they first collided. Leonora’s gaze had touched his body, his face, and his scar repeatedly.
I wonder if she finds me attractive?
    There was a time when every woman found him attractive. He had been a real lady’s man. After meeting his wife, he had eyes only for her. He had received his scar trying to protect her. Since then woman had looked but rarely went near him. The scar meant trouble. Something they did not want. It had suited Rick fine. He was not interested anyway. This was the first time since Mary’s death that it actually bothered him.
    His brows lowered in a deep frown.
What am I thinking? That part of my life is over. Besides, it never should’ve occurred in the first place. I should’ve learned my lesson with what happened to Dad
.
    His right forefinger traced the scar tissue that ran beneath his left eye and along his cheek—a permanent reminder of the promise he made to himself long ago.
    I will not repeat it
. A few seconds later, his mind replayed the sound of Leonora’s voice.
I never did like my name. But hearing her say it, it sounded almost…musical
. His lips pressed together. He did not want to feel anything positive for this woman. She was not human, and she would soon be leaving Earth.
    Rick blamed his body’s responses on Lance. His team leader had been unmerciful the last six months. He had sent Rick on assignments without a break in between. Being around Leonora made it worse. He had to hold strong if he were to keep his promise. Besides, he did not want to be added to her list of abusers.
    It angered him each time he thought of it. How could anyone torture and mutilate a person for being born of a different race? Worse, how could it have been his own government? They were supposed to be the good guys, not Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
    It made no difference. What they did was wrong. Rick made a career out of protecting the innocent and hunting those who were guilty. Now it seemed that he must go against his own government to protect the lives of two innocents. This did not bother him as much as Lance Blaisdale’s behavior did.
    Lance was the closest thing Rick had to an older brother. They were the best of friends for six years. They shared jokes, friends, and insecurities. Lance had been there for Rick, night and day, after Mary’s death. He