Claimed by the Zandian (Zandian Brides 6)

“True. But there’s chalk just inside here.” I point to the nav dome. “And some great squishy mats for jumping.” I push the door open. “Come on in, I’ll show you.”

“Are we supposed to…” His mother hesitates.

“Oh, it’s okay,” I say with more confidence than I feel. “I’m early, so I can play with him while I wait. I’m the only one set up for this hour, so we won’t be in the way.”

I head into the area, past the screens and nav setup, over to the mats where Tarek tossed the ball to me. Where we made love.

It’s empty for the moment, so I pick up a smaller tactical ball from the rack. “Let’s toss this one around, okay?”

Kara taps her comm and talks. “Oh, I don’t know if I can come over right now and get it. Braxton is being difficult. I don’t know if I even have twenty minutes.” She sighs. “Maybe another planet rotation…”

“I can watch him for you.” The words come fast.

She turns. “But your session.”

She wants to, I can tell.

“Won’t start for a while. I have time. I’d like to do it.”

She looks around, calculating. I bet she’s doing some complex mental equation, weighing location, trust factor, urgency. Appears to make up her mind. “Well, that would be helpful. If you truly don’t mind.”

I toss the ball and he grabs it. Giggles. “I can comm you at once if there are issues. If you want, you can leave the comm on the whole time.”

“I’ll be fast.” She darts forward and bends down to hug her child. “Mama is going to run an errand and I’ll be back. Can you stay here with Zina while I do that?”

“Go away.” He pushes her with one hand and smiles up at me, enchantingly. “I play with Zina.”

“Okay then.” She rolls her eyes and smiles at me. Mouths “thank you” as she turns to the door. “I’ll just be a few minutes.”

Braxton and I play with the ball, and suddenly I know we’re not alone. I feel him behind me, staring at me. Not with his eyes, with his entire being, the way he does. It’s Tarek. It’s like I maybe smell him, or sense him, I don’t know how it works, but my body tingles.

“I see you have a protégé with you this planet rotation.” His voice is deep and sexy, just like I remembered.

“Yes.” I keep my voice cool as I toss the ball.

Braxton catches it even though I was way off.

“From the looks of it, he surpasses your skills. You are clearly a far better instructor than student.” He’s standing stiffly, staring at Braxton.

If I didn’t know better, I’d think he was almost… afraid of the young. He’s acting like it’s a wild vipn there instead of a toddler.

“That is not very motivational, Tarek. I’d have expected more from Zandia’s top nav trainer.”

I put my hands on my hips and narrow my eyes, turning to look at him. “I hope you don’t talk to all your hopeful trainees like that.”

His lips twitch. “Of course not, Zina, I flower them with sweet feminine compliments. The best way to train warriors is to coddle them.” He’s still focused on the child. I wonder what his sensors are telling him.

“I’m sorry I brought him in,” I say, even though I’m not. “We were early, so I told his mother I could play with him in here.”

“Yes… we’ll be discussing that.”

A shiver of excitement runs through me at his authoritative tone.

“You should have asked first. This dome can be dangerous, Zina.” He frowns at me. “If we had one of the training sets up, he could injure himself on the test weapons. Not to mention this dome is anything but young-proofed.” He glances around. “I don’t think we’ve ever had a young in here.”

“Can he stay for now until his mother returns? It will be just a few minutes?” I examine the surroundings carefully. “I don’t see anything fatal-ish.”

“If you maintain control over him.” He sounds reluctant. “And I mean total control.”