Chapter 7

Jagati!"

She winced as she darted into the truck stop. It was quite obvious he was pissed. The startled cashier looked up as she ran by him, heading towards the back of the building.

"You can't go back there, Miss!" He stood as if to follow her. She ignored him and burst into the kitchen, startling the cook.

"What the hell? You can't come back here!" The gangly cook wiped his hands on his stained apron.

"Where's the back door?" She looked around the kitchen, desperate for an exit.

"What?" His face was wary.

"The back door. Where is it?" She pushed past him.

"There." He jerked his head to the right.

Nodding her thanks, she headed towards the door. She darted out it and around the corner and ran smack dab into six feet four inches of pissed off male.

"I ought to paddle your ass!" Bas picked her up and tossed her over his shoulder.

"Put me down!" She struggled for breath. His hard shoulder knocked the wind out of her lungs.

Bas didn't answer as he headed towards the densely forested area behind the truck stop.

"Where are we going?" She wiggled in an attempt to slide off his shoulder.

"Stop it!" Smacking her on her rounded bottom, he continued on his chosen path. She went still as the sting from his slap translated into desire. What the hell is wrong with me? I'm tempted to see if he'll do it again.

"Damn woman, you couldn't resist pushing could you? You had to run. I thought you were many things, chhetri but I never figured you for a coward."

"I'm not a coward!" Jagati smacked his back in frustration and felt tears well in her eyes.

"Really?" Hauling her off his shoulder, he held her with deceptive ease in front of him. Noting the tears in her eyes, he pulled her closer to him.

"I'm not!" Her stubborn words muffled by his chest.

"Hiding isn't going to change the fact you ran from me, Jagati. I've never hurt you and I've always done everything in my power to make you happy. Do you realize how much it hurt me when you left?" She saw the pain in his eyes, when she brought her gaze up to met his. Pain she'd never meant to put there.

"But you're a computer..."

"No, I'm not a computer, damn it!"

"Then what are you?" Disbelief colored her words.

"I had a life before being stuck in your father's damn computer!"

"What are you talking about?" Jagati took a step away from him and wrapped her arms around herself, her eyes wary.

"I don't know!" His movements were abrupt as he ran his hands through his long blond hair. "I've been having dreams about a time and place before I was imprisoned in the machine."

"Oh, Bas." She stepped forward and lifted her hand to touch him.

"Don't!" Jerking back from her out stretched hand, he glared at her. "I don't want your pity."

"It's not pity. You're my friend, Bas! I care about what happens to you. Why else do you think I ran?" She was fairly shouting at him now.

"Really? Could have fooled me." He turned away from her.

"Oh, no you don't!" Grabbing him by his arm, she yanked him around.

"Let go." He turned to her with an icy glare.

"No! You think I want to spend the rest of my life on the run? Damn it, Bas. I can't go back there and marry Anderson. But if I don't, he's going to continue to send men after me and I won't put you through that! I want you to be happy. Take the chance you've been given to find a life, if it's what you want."

The ice in Bas's eyes thawed. Lifting his hand, he cupped the side of her face.

"Bas?"

"I want a life. With you." His head lowered, and leaned in far enough to cover her lips with his. When his lips closed over hers, she stilled, obviously fighting the need to respond. As her lips softened under his, Jagati went limp. I can't fight this anymore. One little taste won't hurt. Just one memory to take with me when I leave.

Bas's moan rumbled in his throat before he lifted and pressed her against the trunk of the nearest cedar tree. Tearing his mouth from hers, he drew a deep breath into his oxygen-deprived lungs. When he ground his aching cock against her mound, she wrapped her slender legs around his waist to pull him closer. The pleasure was like nothing else she'd ever experienced before. I want him! I don't want to stop!

"Bas!" She tried to reach for his mouth but he tipped his head back exposing the column of his throat once more.

"Jagati, chhetri, we can't do this here."

"What?" The desire clouding her mind started to clear.

"Let me take you somewhere with a soft bed. I want to make love to you like you deserve and not up against a tree. Your first time should be special."

She stiffened in his arms. "You're assuming a lot here, Bas. I never said I was going to make love with you. A make-out session does not entitle you to access to my bed. Now, please put me down." Unwrapping her legs from around his lean hips, she tried to slide down his body.

"Why, so you can run away again?"

"Let go of me!"

When he continued to hold her tight, her temper exploded."

"Who died and made you boss? Let me go!" She smacked at his chest in frustration.

"I'm the chhetri, I am the protector of the Starklin and you!"

"What the hell are you talking about? You barely can keep up with me let alone protect this Starklin!"

Bas stood as if thunderstruck.

"No one ever has disrespected my abilities the way you have! You're one small woman! A woman who is fighting me tooth and nail, Jagati! I'm finding you have knack for pissing me off! You are my mate, my other half who will stand at my side for eternity! Your running off on me isn't doing anything other than prolonging the inevitable."

"We'll see about that!" she mumbled under her breath as he dragged her back to her sola-car.

"Yes, we will!"

Kurlack stared at the woman in front of him as the water continued to pound on his shoulders. When she'd joined him in the shower, shock had still been roaring through his system. He couldn't believe he'd given into the ingrained practices of a 'pleasurer'. Surely, my true nature hadn't been beaten down for so long I don't know how to make love without being submissive to my partner's needs?

"What's wrong, Aakil?" Sliding between him and the shower head, a soft moan escaped her as the hot water cascaded over her.

"I'm not submissive!" Jerking her to him he caused her to drop the bottle of cleanser she'd been pouring into her hand.

"I never said you were!" Samantha pressed her hands against his wet chest.

"You will submit to me!" Renewed desire flowed through him, hardening the very large member between his splayed thighs.