He scowled. “Of course not. You’re not a prisoner.”
“So I can come and go as I please?”
His jaw twitched. “Yes, of course.”
“So how are you going to stop me from having sex with other men?”
“Now it’s other men?” Anger flared in his eyes again.
She ignored the comment and strode toward the door. “You mentioned there’s a special lounge where people can go to have sex. I’m sure I’ll find someone there who’ll want to be with me.”
Chapter Nine
“Crystal, wait.”
She turned to glare at him. “Are you going to stop me?”
He hesitated, his lips compressed in a straight line, but finally he shook his head. “No, but I’m asking you not to go.”
As soon as she opened her mouth to protest, he shook his head.
“Don’t go to the red room. If you really want to…” He frowned, his hands clenching and unclenching. “If you really want to have sex with someone else, let me set it up.”
Her eyes narrowed. “Why would you do that?”
She hardened her heart to the pain lancing across his face.
“Because I don’t think you should be with just anyone. I think you should be with someone who understands your culture. And who speaks your language. Not everyone on the ship does.”
What he said made sense.
“Okay.”
It felt weird that he was going to set her up with someone, but this was good. It showed that he was willing to face the fact that she would not be his one-and-only. Because she refused to be in a monogamous relationship with any man. She valued her freedom far too much.
Even though
being with Terrien held a stronger appeal than she dared to admit.
Terrien walked along the corridor, his heart aching. He wanted Crystal to be his and his alone, but the woman just wouldn’t accept that. It was killing him inside knowing she wanted to be with another man, that he couldn’t satisfy her enough to keep her happy.
Dahran, how could she want to be with someone else? She was meant to be with him. And he with her.
He stepped into the lounge and saw Larson sitting at a table waiting, a drink in front of him. Terrien walked to the bar and ordered a drink too, then carried it to the table.
“You look like you need a friend,” Larson said as Terrien sat.
Terrien took a sip, then nodded. “I have a favor to ask, and it’s a strange one.”
“Is it about Crystal?”
Terrien nodded and wrapped his fingers around the glass. “I’ll understand if you say no, especially since you have your own tanash’ai to deal with.”
“Just ask.”
“Crystal wants to have sex with another man.”
Larson frowned. “You’re not okay with this, so why are you asking?”