Page 28 of Through Uncharted Space

“You already are.”

Dammit. He was right. So, why didn’t he close the distance and touch her? Her skin felt itchy, her belly full of flutters.

“The first move is yours, Dakota. You have to make the choice.”

Damn him. He was going to force her to face her desires. “We have to go. We have a job to do.”

Neither of them moved. She knew Dare Phoenix was dangerous, a risk she couldn’t take—shouldn’t take—but damn, she wanted him.

She took a step closer, her chest brushing his. She heard his swift intake of breath, and she went up on her toes. She traced his mouth with the pad of her finger.

“Are you going to give yourself to me?” His voice was dark, silky, and seductive.

In her gut, Dakota knew he’d take everything, whether she wanted him to or not. She leaned closer, her tongue tracing the seam of his lips. She got a hint of his taste and her desire spiked.

“Dare?” Rynan’s deep voice came through the comm panel. “The shuttle is ready when you are.”

Dakota took a deep breath and stepped back. Saved by the angry brother.

“We’ll get back to this later,” Dare murmured. “You can’t avoid it forever.”

It was a promise, a warning, and a threat all rolled into one.

Soon, they were both seated in one of the Nomad’s shuttles. Dakota fastened her harness and watched as Dare expertly dealt with the take-off sequence.

Nissa gave them clearance, and the shuttle bay doors opened. Dakota saw a purple glimmer across the open doors—a huma-field—which kept the atmosphere inside the ship but would allow solid objects to pass through. The shuttle lifted off, and soon, they were zooming out of the Nomad.

“How far is Sulla?” she asked.

“Not far. Half an hour. Hang tight.”

He was good at the controls. Sure and confident. She hadn’t expected any different. She leaned back in her seat, watching his long fingers move. He’d be the same in bed. Her hands clenched in the silky fabric of her skirt.

She shouldn’t take this risk, but she’d decided to take Dare Phoenix as her lover.

As she always said, without some risks, life wasn’t worth living. She just hoped she survived the encounter unscathed.

Soon, the planet appeared ahead, growing larger until it dominated the viewscreen. Sulla was a gray-green ball that made her think of a Duskan pearl she’d once traded.

“Entering the atmosphere,” Dare said.

The small shuttle shuddered a little, and moments later, Dakota saw white clouds and a blue-green sea.

Wow, it was really pretty. The water was smooth and looked like glass. She wondered if there were any shipwrecks below.

A huge island came into view, with a pointed mountain rising up to dominate the view. Flowing around the base of the hill was a city.

“The capital city of Sulla,” Dare said. “Sion.”

Smooth, white buildings reached into the sky, and there were waterways and graceful bridges. She saw greenery growing down the sides of many buildings—brilliant carpets of green, dotted with white flowers. Small, elegant boats coasted along the narrow canals.

As Dare brought them in closer, she saw landing pads jutting out over the water. She could see the building architecture better now. The buildings all differed in height, and some were square and others cylindrical in shape—but they were all made of gleaming white stone and had walls and roofs covered in lush green plants. It was beautiful.

“Breathtaking, isn’t it?”

She nodded.

He lowered the shuttle onto one of the landing pads. Once he’d powered down the engines, he turned and grabbed her arm.