Read Alien Overnight for Free Online Page B

as with most dreams, the mood-altering effect would wear off soon and she would revert to her usual oddball self. Then she could tell him where to shove his guards.
    “Perhaps you should return to your quarters and rest until the afternoon orientation.”
    “Thank you, but that won’t be necessary,” she assured him, sorting through papers like she had some earthly idea what she was doing. “Did you need something?”
    “No. I was merely…concerned about you.”
    His hesitation made her look up.
    “Oh. Well, as you can see, I’m fine.” God, what she wouldn’t give for a poker face like his! Those lapis eyes were disconcerting in their study of her. She’d thought herself accustomed to the unblinking Garathani stare, until this moment, when it was trained so intently on her.
    Phantom sensations from her dream chose that instant to bedevil her, prickling her nipples and arrowing straight down between her thighs. An alien invasion , he’d said, and she’d known instinctively he wasn’t talking on a planetary scale.
    The heat that rushed up her neck this time was excruciating, consuming her entire face in a fireball of humiliation as her heart pounded beneath her breastbone. She closed the folder with hands that wanted to tremble and reached down to open a file drawer, desperate to escape his questing gaze.
    His fingers curled under her chin and urged her face up for his inspection.
    “You don’t look fine, little Terran.”
    Little Terran . If his hot touch on her skin hadn’t made her freeze, the echo from her dream sure as hell would have. Had he ever called her that before? It was hard to remember, with her brain shorting out like she’d plugged in one appliance too many.
    She’d certainly picked a hell of a day to leave off the war paint. Would this infernal blush never fade?
    26
    Alien Overnight
    It was way past time to go on the offensive. Jerking her chin out of his hold, Monica stood up and met his eyes with steely determination. Okay, rubbery determination.
    “I promise you, I’m fine.” Drawing a shaky breath, she asked, “Why do you have guards watching me?”
    “Ah.” And here she’d thought his gaze couldn’t get any more penetrating. His head tipped to one side, causing that gold and brown mane to ripple. “So that’s what’s bothering you.”
    “Damn right it’s bothering me.” She crossed her arms over her ribs. “It’s true, isn’t it? They’re guarding me .”
    He regarded her impassively for a moment, then nodded slowly. “Yes, they are.”
    “Goddamn it, Commander, I told you I’d avoid—”
    “They’re for your protection, Doctor.”
    “ My protection,” she snorted. “What do I need protection for? You’re the one who’s—” Monica clamped her jaw shut to stem the flow of revealing words.
    “I’m the one who’s…” Kellen looked fascinated. “Do go on, Doctor.”
    “Well, you are a likely target for violence from xenophobic Earthlings,” she improvised, absurdly pleased with herself for coming up with something plausible under stress.
    “Your susceptibility to our pheromones makes you a far more likely target for the unscrupulous advances of desperate men.”
    “Oh, give me a break. They’d have to be pretty damn desperate.”
    “Which is precisely why we’re on Earth, if you’ll recall.”
    She noticed he didn’t deny her contention. Ouch .
    “Listen, Commander, I’m sure you think you’re doing me a favor, but the fact is, I can’t live under constant surveillance. You can just call off the guards now and I’ll take my chances.” Such as they are .
    “I’m sorry, but I can’t do that.” Before she could object, he held up a hand and continued, “You may be willing to take the chance, but you’re hardly the only one with anything at stake here. If you happened to be attacked, it’s not inconceivable that this entire program could be stalled indefinitely by the political fallout.”
    She ground her teeth. “But it’s