by Susan Hayes
“A Pheran female running cargo? Aren’t they supposed to be sweet and docile?”
Caldwell shrugged. “I think she’s only half Pheran, and you of all people should know better than to judge someone based on their species.”
“If the combat boot fits…” Dante curled his upper lip, revealing the fangs he usually took care to hide. “Torskis are supposed to be big brutes with short tempers. Sound like anyone you know?”
“Nope, doesn’t sound familiar. And from what I’ve seen, Torskis are only violent when provoked, or someone threatens the people they care about. Anyone dumb enough to provoke a seven-foot tall alien with fangs and fists the size of my head deserves anything that comes their way.” He tapped his glass against Dante’s. “And you’re only what, a quarter Torski? Frankly, I’d be more concerned about your human side. We’re the worst of the lot.”
“Truth.” Dante nodded, then changed the subject. “Your sister seems very happy with her choices. Any trouble keeping your parents in line?”
Cris groaned. “Some. They’ve been complaining about everything since they got here yesterday. Nothing was good enough. Not the food, the location, and most certainly not the grooms. I’ve been running interference for the last twenty-four hours. Now the ceremony is over, I’m finally off-duty. If my parents have any more complaints, they can take it up with Dirk, Lance, and Blade. Those three are so protective of Alyson they might chuck my dear parents out an airlock if they don’t behave themselves.”
“You realize that now your sister has tied the knot so unconventionally, they’re going to be looking to you to balance the scales?”
Cris choked on his drink. “They’re going to have a long fraxxing wait. This career hardly lends itself to domesticity in any form.”
“I don’t know, those two seem to be making it work.” Dante nodded to where Dax and Trinity were dancing, both of them damned near glowing with happiness.
“And I’m happy for them, but I don’t think the IAF is going to be interested in expanding the team every time one of us falls in love.” Cris watched them for a moment, an unreadable expression on his face. “How long do you think it’ll be before we’re attending their wedding?”
“Not long. Those two have been on this trajectory since the day they met. They just took the long way around.”
“That’s our commander. He never does anything the easy way.” Cris downed the rest of his drink. “So, what about you? Ever thought about doing the wedding, wife, and family thing?”
Dante shrugged. “Tried that once. She got a better offer and walked out on me. She decided she didn’t want to be married to a soldier. I can’t blame her for that. Dax and Trin are lucky, they can do this together, no one gets left behind.”
“You think so? Working with someone you love could get complicated…and messy,” Cris ordered another round of drinks from the bartender.
Dante shoved his plate of appetizers in Cris’ direction. “You keep telling yourself that.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Cris demanded.
“It means that I’ve seen the way you look at her. One of these days you’re going to have to decide if she’s worth the risk of things getting messy. Don’t take too long, either, or you’ll be sitting here drinking with me at her wedding before you know what happened.”
Cris looked up from the appetizers to scan the area, and his brow furrowed as he spotted Aria chatting with a handsome human male who was clearly flirting with her. She was sharing a table with Eric, who was having an animated conversation with a pink-haired woman, completely oblivious to anything going on around him.
“Don’t worry, she’s light years out of Royan’s league.” Dante had met the pilot the other night while playing cards, and while he liked the man, he was clearly a player. Aria had more discerning tastes when it came to the men she spent time with.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Cris said, finally tearing his gaze away.
“Sure you don’t. We’re all just one big, platonic family.”
“Yeah. Exactly. But as a platonic family member, I should probably make sure that guy isn’t bothering Aria. You know, like a brother would.”
“You do that.” Dante sat back and watched as Cris took his drink and headed straight for Aria and the flirtatious pilot.
“Platonic family, my ass,” he muttered to himself before turning his attention back to the plate of appetizers in front of him. Food he could understand. Relationships…not so much. Not that he had a lot of experience with the latter.
He was too human to be of interest to most Torski females, and his size and fangs made most human females uneasy. Maybe there was a match out there somewhere for him, but even if she existed, it was a big damned galaxy. It’s not like his ideal woman would show up one day and hurl herself into his arms. The universe just didn’t work that way.
Operation Cobalt
Nova Force – Book Two
Releasing Winter - 2018
He’s looking for a fight. She’s looking for a hero.
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Sergeant Dante Strak hasn’t always fought for the right side. Now that he’s part of Nova Force, he has a chance to make up for the mistakes of his past. After years of fighting, Dante believes he’s ready for anything the universe can throw at him…until a sexy, stubborn doctor crashes into his life and changes everything.
* * *
Dr. Tyra Li is on Bellex 3 to help combat the arrival of cobalt, a new designer drug that turned half the population into addicts almost overnight. When a brazen attack turns her mission of mercy into a fight for survival, a split-second decision leads to unexpected consequences, and a chance at a future she never imagined.
Want to read more stories with book boyfriends
that are out of this world?
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Check out Susan Hayes’ other Science Fiction Romance Titles
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The Drift
Double Down
All In
Wild Card
Three of a Kind
Full House
No Limit
Nova Force
Operation Phoenix
Operation Cobalt
Star-Crossed Alien Mail Order Brides
Joran
Vader
Kash
3013: The Series
3013: RENEGADE
3013: STOWAWAY
3013: TARGETED
3013: FATED
3013: SCARRED
About the Author
Susan lives out on the Canadian west coast surrounded by open water, dear family, and good friends. She’s jumped out of perfectly good airplanes on purpose and accidentally swum with sharks on the Great Barrier Reef.
If the world ends, she plans to survive as the spunky, comedic sidekick to the heroes of the new world, because she’s too damned short and out of shape to make it on her own for long.
To contact her about her books or to arrange end of the world team-ups, you can email her at [email protected].
For all titles by Susan Hayes, please visit her website:
susanhayes.ca
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