"How do you like it?" he forced himself to ask.
"I like it a lot. I've been spending a lot of time here working with it." She brightened. "I think I've gotten quite good at it."
"I'll inform Ne'Rin you've approval to continue."
"Approval? My world is very different," she said, brow furrowing.
"I've assessed that your men can't control their women," he said.
She gave a startled laugh. "No, and the women wouldn't let them anyway," she said. "It's closer to the opposite."
"If you've nothing more to tell me, send in Ne'Rin," he directed.
"It was nice talking to you," she said. "Have a safe trip."
She walked toward the door. The woman was more peculiar than any ten-legged creature he'd met on any other planet. Her mannerisms, her features, her obliviousness to the world around her, her soft voice. Oddly enough, he was beginning to like the challenging package that was his nishani.
He'd see her in less than a day, if the Council didn't absorb all his time.
* * *
The next morning, she started her normal daily routine and made her way to the courtyard where she trained with the boys. Sunlight blinded her as she walked onto the field. When she could focus again, she stopped short.
A'Ran was with the boys.
His naked back was to her. The man was built like a god! Thick, bronze skin coated layers of roped, rippling muscles. His tucked waist and hips were clad in dark brown, his feet bare. Dark hair was tucked into a tight knot at the base of his neck. In the short time since he left, she had forgotten how buff he was. He appeared much smaller on the communications viewer. She watched him move, intimidated by his size.
She had been pretty mouthy with him from a distance. She felt the urge to retreat to her room and stay there until he left again. One of the boys noticed her. Instead of the welcoming smile, a frantic look crossed his face.
If the giant of a man before her decided to be angry at her for breaking the rules, she'd panic as well. She was about to sneak away when A'Ran's sword lowered, and he turned, alerted by the boy's reaction. Kiera stared at him, struggling to focus on his face when all she wanted to do was study every inch of his perfect body. His chest was wide and sprinkled with dark hairs that trailed his ridged belly and disappeared into the dark pants.