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“A library.” She nodded. “Okay, that sounds promising.”

“I’ll have an appropriate outfit delivered to your cabin. In the meantime, I’m going to call Vero.”

Dakota nodded again.

“One last thing. Sullan men require women to wear strong scents.”

Dakota sighed. “I hate wearing perfume.”

He reached out and touched her cheek. “I like how you smell, but for this trip, find a scent.”

She tilted her head. “There’s something else?”

“They also remove all their body hair…except the hair on their heads.”

“You’re kidding me.” She held up a hand. “No, you’re not. All their hair?”

Dare thought for a second about smoothing the hair off Dakota’s slim calves, thighs, between her legs. He felt his cock throb. “Yes.”

“Stars, this treasure better be worth it.” She turned and stalked away.

He watched her. She had a faint saunter to her stride. Like she was daring the world to take her on.

Dare wanted to take her on. He shook his head. She was nothing like what he enjoyed in a woman, and she was distracting.

Focus. For now, he needed to get the part for the Nomad and to find the information on Caleb Stock. And he had to keep Dakota safe while they did that.

CHAPTER SEVEN

Dakota was fuming. She fiddled with her outfit again and when she heard the chime of the cabin door, she spun around, hands on her hips. “You cannot be serious about this get-up⁠—”

“I warned you,” he said.

But all her righteous indignation at her clothes tangled in her throat. His outfit was… Stars, the man was put together like a woman’s wet dream. Long and lean. Dark and dangerous. Black leather trousers encased his strong legs and lean hips. His shirt was a drape of royal-blue fabric that dipped low in front in a wide V, leaving most of his chest and his muscled arms bare. Her gaze went straight to his hard abs, tracing the defined ridges.

She swallowed. How could she keep resisting him if he looked like this, and if he kept helping her? She sucked in a breath and mentally imagined shoring up her internal walls one brick at a time.

She had to remember that once this mission was done, and she had the treasure, she’d be leaving Dare Phoenix behind. She wasn’t putting herself in a position where she made herself vulnerable to him.

His gaze ran over her. “You look…”

“Like a harem girl from some teenage boy’s fantasy?”

His lips quirked. “Yes, that’s a pretty accurate description.”

The twist of copper metal barely covered her breasts. The waistband of the skirt was made of the same metal and was draped with floor-length panels of fabric in the same deep blue as his shirt. She was showing a whole lot of skin, and when she moved the fabric panels shifted, showing her legs.

Dare walked closer, and her belly went tight.

“Not only a teenager’s fantasy,” he murmured. “You look beautiful, and although I hate the idea, every man on Sulla will be mesmerized by you.” He reached out and tucked a tendril of her hair back. She had piled it all up on top of her head, but a few dark strands were loose.

“I don’t want every Sullan man mesmerized by me.” She huffed out a breath and lifted a panel of the skirt. “Besides, this is not me.”

“I think you look better in your synth pants. They hug your ass in a way that makes me want to bend you over and touch it. Touch you. All over.”

She felt the air between them turn hot. He didn’t move any closer, but those few centimeters between them felt like nothing. She could so easily imagine the touch of his hands on her. Dare wouldn’t be gentle.

Her breathing turned fast. “I don’t want to get involved with you.”