Solomon couldn’t help himself. He cupped her cheek, savoring the softness of her skin under his palm. “I am not taking you back to your parents’ house. I’m taking you home to mine.”

She stepped back. “Oh, no you’re not.”

He moved forward, pinning her against the ship. Her soft curves felt like heaven against his weary muscles. “Lucy, please come home with me.” He wanted her to say yes, so he leaned down and kissed her lightly.

She trembled. “Why? Why do you want me to come with you?”

He sighed and rested his forehead on hers. “Because I am tired of worrying about you.”

“That’s ridiculous. I’m fine.” She didn’t step away, though he sensed her frustration with him. He’d have to choose his words more carefully if he didn’t want her to bolt.

“I can take care of myself. I’m not your responsibility,” she said tartly. “It’s not my fault you’re stressed out.”

“I know, Lucinda. I did not say my worry is rational.” He kissed her again, coaxing her lips open with his mouth. She tasted like coffee and mint. He groaned when she slowly slid her arms around his shoulders.

“This is crazy,” she whispered.

“Yes. It is,” he agreed, flushed with arousal. I can’t fight this anymore, he thought, and then she curled a leg around his, grinding her hip into his cock. Her emotions were bright and alluring. He couldn’t keep his empathy under control. The energy stretched out, enveloping her as he caressed her with his mind as well as his body.

“Solomon, what is this? One minute you’re pushing me away, the next you’re kissing me.” She sounded so confused he had to answer her.

“Affinity,” he murmured, taking her mouth again. He pushed her harder against the ship as heat flared between them. Her arousal beat through his empathy, rousing his energy even more. Suddenly, his healing ability triggered and he moaned as pleasure rushed through him. He sucked in a deep breath, fighting for control, but she writhed beneath him, grabbing his shirt in her fists.

“God, what are you doing to me?” she asked brokenly. Solomon nibbled down her jaw, inhaling her sweet scent. “What about the Spiders? Is this safe?” She gripped his shirt tighter.

Solomon rolled his hips as he answered her, pressing his cock into her softness. “They are gone. Greyson and I took care of them. That’s why I had to leave so abruptly earlier,” he said, running his hands down her back to cup her ass.

She went still as his hands lifted her into him and his empathy crackled. She was aroused and yearning and frightened all at the same time.

“Wait, what?” She jerked her head to the side. “What do you mean they’re gone? They were gone months ago!”

He eased away slightly, using his healing energy to soothe the worst of her fear. “There was an infestation. The new sensors I installed picked it up.”

“Oh my God,” she whispered, hand going to her throat.

Solomon frowned and cupped her cheeks. “You are safe. We eradicated the infection.” He didn’t like the way she’d gone pale. Her sudden terror prickled through him like static as his empathy ramped up even higher. His instincts told him to grab her and take her home. “Will you come home with me?”

She stared up at him. “What about my parents?”

“The infestation is gone. They should be fine. And the sensors are still active,” he assured her. He knew there was no reason to take her to his tower, but he was tired of fighting himself. He wanted her in his territory. In his bed. He gritted his teeth as his healing energy surged again, responding to her emotions.

She licked her lips. “I’m scared.”

His heart nearly cracked in two. “I know,” he said, gently brushing a curl away from her temple. “But I can keep you safe. I promise.”

“How?”

He kissed her. He had to. “Do you trust me?” His mind reached out to hers.

She nodded. “Yes, of course.”

“I will not let you die, Lucinda.” She trembled as he kissed her again, licking inside her mouth. He needed to be closer.

“I feel strange,” she whispered. “Like I’m on the verge of a migraine, but instead of pain, it feels good.”

Solomon shivered. He knew exactly what she meant because he was feeling it with her. “I know. I feel it too,” he said, swallowing hard.

She kissed him then, and he moaned as she delicately explored his mouth. “Let me in,” he murmured.

“You healed me,” she said, breathing hard. “I felt you inside my body. Your energy—”

He nodded. “Yes.”

“Is that what this is?”

He didn’t know how to answer that. Instead, he kissed her again, passionately, barely able to think. Lucy cried out and suddenly, her inner barriers faded and his mind surged forward. She grabbed him as he groaned. “Fuck!”

“Sounds like a good idea to me,” she muttered, shaking so hard he could barely keep her upright. He lifted her against his body again, inhaling near her neck. She smelled sweet. Her mind sizzled through his and he abruptly realized there was no going back. When she reached down and undid his pants, he knew for certain that it was already too late.

“Jesus,” she said, gripping his cock in her fist. “You’re huge.”

“Lucy, there is no going back from this,” he managed to say even as he undid her shirt. Her skin intoxicated him. Her mind buzzed against his like electricity. Her generous breasts spilled into his hands.

“I’m tired of being frightened,” she replied, staring up at him. Her brown eyes gleamed in the late afternoon sunlight, almost as if sparks were coming out from her mind to the surface. “If this will help me not have nightmares anymore…” She trailed off and chewed on her bottom lip. “I trust you.”

So beautiful… he thought fuzzily.

He shuddered and pulled her blouse off, tossing it to the ground. His empathy and healing energy fluctuated from nearly nothing to full-throttle and then back down again as he palmed her perfect breasts. For the first time in his long life, he had no control, but he couldn’t bring himself to care. When Lucy shoved at his shirt, he backed up and tore it off. Her hands immediately went to his chest, smoothing up over the muscles. He threw his head back as she struggled to push his pants over his hips. When they dropped to the ground, he toed off his shoes, then went to his knees in front of her.