His breath seemed to stop.

"But that's not appropriate for us," she rushed on. "We sleep together. We... we fuck, but we don't... we don't make love."

"I must disagree, Daria." Sweetheart. "Making love... this is exactly what we do."

She shook her head. "No," she said, as vehement as he'd ever heard her. "We don't."

Liar. He knew she lied. The fright in her eyes made his chest burn with tenderness. "Daria, I do lo--"

Her fingers pressed against his lips, stopping him. "Stop. Don't..."

He kissed her palm, and she took her hand away.

"We have nothing in common." Her voice sounded higher than usual. Desperate. "You're wealthy, powerful... before I met you, I had ten credits and no place to live."

Foolish woman. Why did she fight her feelings? "That does not mean we have nothing in common."

"You don't know me at all."

"I know you very well indeed." He brushed the backs of his fingers against her cheek. "I know how to bring a blush to your lovely face. I know you're strong and brave... brave enough to fight two criminals by yourself. I know your fierce pride makes you long to return credits that you desperately need."

He cupped her bare breast, drew his thumb over the nipple, and felt her shiver. "I know what makes you cry out with pleasure."

But he wanted more than passion from her. He wanted her love. Her trust. He gazed into her eyes. "And I would know why you dislike the darkness, so I could ease your fears."

She didn't speak, but her eyes were huge.

"You see?" he prodded. "I know much about you."

"Maybe... maybe I don't really know you."

"Then I'll tell you who I am." And he knew where to begin. He took a deep breath. "My aunt... my Prendarian aunt..."

She said nothing, didn't nod or look a question at him. She merely waited, her expression serious and unblinking.

"My aunt is the Premier Leader."

No reaction. No shock. As if she'd known all along.

Could she possibly have known? Few people on Earth had ever heard of his existence. Who could have told her? She hadn't been alone with any of the delegates, or with Hento.

"Oh," she said at last.

Perhaps she was too startled to react. At least she didn't appear to think of him any differently.

"No wonder this constitution means so much to you." Her voice seemed calm.

"My aunt would see the government on Earth integrated, as on Prendara. But the constitution means even more to me than it does to her."

"Why?"

Hard to explain something he had never discussed with another living being. Yet he wanted her to understand. To know him, as a partner should.

Best to start at the beginning. "I was taken from Earth as a child. When we arrived on Prendara, my uncle and I were kept as slaves for several years." Several horrible years. Without his uncle, he'd never have survived.

"Then my uncle partnered with my aunt, and I went to live with her." The best thing that ever happened to me... until I met you. He touched her shoulder gently, just to have a connection to her. "My aunt saw me trained in diplomacy. When I was old enough, she gave me a diplomatic position. As a negotiator."

Daria nodded, encouraging him.

He stroked down her arm and held her hand gently. "I had some success in my missions.

She elevated me to a position of more stature. Again and again. I learned much. I did improve. But I always wondered..."

No. He couldn't say it aloud.

Daria didn't say anything, just looked at him steadily with her usual patience. Didn't she wish to know his thoughts? Perhaps her shyness made her reluctant to press him.

He took a deep breath. "I've always wondered if I succeeded on my own merit, or because of her influence."

"Her influence? Would she threaten people if they didn't see things your way?"

"Threaten? No. She would have no need to do so. The mere fact that I'm her nephew --"

"Oh," she interrupted. "I see."

"But here on Earth, even though she has dominion, she is not present. Her influence is remote. She cannot control what happens here. People will judge me on my own merits. If I succeed, it will be because of my own strengths."

"And if anything goes wrong with the constitution, you'll think it's your fault."

"It would be my fault."

She shook her head. "You don't control what others do, Gray. If they vote against the constitution --"

"But I am expected to influence them. To persuade them to vote in favor. If I fail, then I was never anything more than a... a... I don't know the English word. A therkan."

"A fraud," she supplied. "You know, you're demanding a lot of yourself. One... one failure doesn't mean that all of your past successes were frauds."

She didn't really understand. "On Prendara, everyone recognizes me. Everyone. Wherever I go, I am the nephew of the Premier Leader."

"But you can be yourself here?"

"Yes, but that is not my meaning. On Prendara, I had no opportunity to succeed on my own. Whether I willed it or not, my relationship to the Premier Leader influenced every meeting I conducted. Every treaty I negotiated. Every woman I --"

No, he wouldn't tell her that.

Her lips quirked in a wry smile. "Yes, I'm sure a good-looking man like you can only pick up women because you're related to the Premier Leader."

He laughed. "Pick up women? Truly, your expressions are bizarre."

She shrugged a little. "I can't explain that one. But seriously, Gray, you can't believe that's the only reason women would sleep with you."

"Perhaps not the only reason. But many women seek political favors in bed."

"Well, at least some things are the same all over the universe." She put a gentle hand on his chest. "But here... being her nephew might actually work against you."

"What do you mean?"

She glanced away for a moment. "Not everyone on Earth is impressed by your aunt."

"True. There are those who will fight me because they resent her power." He'd relish the challenge. "My victory will be all the sweeter."

"So you want to see this constitution ratified just to prove a point to yourself." Her voice sounded oddly flat.

"That isn't the only reason. I truly believe this is the best plan for Earth. And surely you would like to see the power distributed more fairly."

"I guess that would be better than nothing."

He frowned. "I don't understand."

She shook her head. "It doesn't matter. And we'd better get up, or we'll be late."

They'd passed nearly an hour in conversation. With nothing resolved but the fact that he must exercise patience with her. Sanwar.

Perhaps this was just as well. Daria would be with him, living with him, spending her days with him. And her nights. He could grant her patience.

The constitution should be his primary concern. And though it wasn't -- not any longer -he would still succeed.

In both of his primary concerns.

Chapter Eight.

For the second morning in a row, Daria sat at the table while Gray stood at the stove, cooking her breakfast. The man certainly knew the way to a woman's heart.

He smothered a gigantic yawn with one hand.

She couldn't resist. "That'll teach you to keep me up half the night."

He turned and smiled at her, an odd spatula-like implement in his hand. "Me? I distinctly recall you begging me to --"

"Begging you to let me sleep."

He flipped something in the pan. "That is not what you begged me for, Daria," he said over his shoulder. "Perhaps later I shall remind you."

"Do you promise?" God, what was wrong with her? Teasing him as if they were... partners , as he'd called it. His smile was unspeakably wicked. "I promise." He faced the stove again and shook the pan with practiced skill.

"Can I help?"

"I thank you, but no. You need your rest."

"You were awake as long as I was." And he had a meeting to preside over this morning, too.

"Yes, but you expended more energy than I."

But he'd been on top. Most of the time. She'd probably regret asking, but she had to know.

"What do you mean?"

He grinned. "You are the one who climaxed three times. Not I."

She'd begged for that third one... and he'd resisted for half an hour, tormenting her

ruthlessly, until she'd almost cried from frustrated need. "I'm working up to five."

His laughter nearly brought tears to her eyes. God, she was a fool. Why had she ever thought she could sleep with a man and not get attached to him? Especially a man like Gray.

"I am happy to exert myself toward your efforts." He carried the pan to the table and lifted an oblong slice of sizzling... something to her plate.

"What is this?"

"Tenfar. A kind of plant food."

She cut a piece off with her fork and took a cautious bite. The texture was firm, the flavor mild. A little like salmon, actually. "I like it."

He sat across from her. "I am pleased."

She took another bite. "Where did you learn to cook?"

He looked up from serving himself, his eyebrows raised in surprise. "Is this not a common skill?"

She shrugged. "Most everyone can heat up prepared foods, but not many can cook from individual ingredients." And especially not people as rich as Gray. He'd probably had servants waiting on him right and left for most of his life.

"Hmm." He took a bite himself. "On Prendara, cooking is considered a necessary skill. And it's expedient. In the morning, I prefer not to take my meals with the ship's crew."

Thank God for that. She couldn't face another room full of Prendarians, all looking at her in blatant speculation.

"I can't imagine the Premier Leader cooking a meal."

He swallowed before answering. "In truth, I doubt my aunt can cook with any expertise.

Other activities consume much of her time." Must take a lot of time, planning ways to make sure Earth stayed in Prendarian hands. "I imagine so."