“What is it with you?”

He froze. “I don’t understand the question.”

She inched back again, putting a little more space between them. “You smell good, and I stop thinking rationally every time you stare at me or touch me.” She grew suspicious. “Is it some freaky hormone thing? You know, do you give off a certain scent to make a woman have crazy thoughts about jumping you?”

His eyebrows rose and he appeared confused. “I don’t understand.”

“You’re different.” She tried to find words that he’d comprehend. “You and I are not the same. I don’t know you, but I’m attracted to you when you get really close to me. Do you put off crazy pheromones that draw a woman to you? I’m an animal control officer and I study them in my free time so I know some can draw the opposite sex with their scent.” She paused. “You’ve got animal traits like your teeth and you growl, so I’m wondering if you have other traits that aren’t visible.”

He said nothing for long seconds. “You think my scent arouses you?”

“Whoa!” She inched farther along the log away from him. “I didn’t say anything about being turned on. I said attracted, which is not the same.”

His nostrils flared. “You scent good to me as well.”

“You didn’t answer my question.”

“To my knowledge, my scent holds no affect on women.”

She studied him carefully, not seeing deceit there. She couldn’t be a hundred percent sure but she was willing to believe him. Great, I’m losing my mind. I’m getting all hot and bothered over an alien. She looked away from him to focus on her food, purposely not glancing his way. The meat strips were mouthwateringly good and she was starving. She ate every piece that was inside the bag and then turned her head to glance at Coto.

He watched his friends. She took a deep breath. “I really should be going. There’s a cabin not far from here. My people will search for me in the morning if I don’t get back.” She met and held his gaze as he turned to stare down at her. “I won’t mention seeing you if that’s what you’re worried about. You can trust me. I don’t want any harm to come to you, and your friends saved me from those coyotes. I owe them.”

His displeased expression was instant. “It is dangerous here and you are alone without a male’s protection. I won’t allow you to leave my side or you could be harmed. You are safe with me, and the other males will not touch you. “

There was that protection thing again. “Where you come from, do men protect women? You know, guard them or something?”

He nodded. “Yes. They need protection. We take them into our homes to care for them.”

Shock rolled through her. What kind of barbaric world did he come from? Her fingers rubbed against the empty food bag in her hand as she tried to make sense of his words. They were obviously more technologically advanced than humans. They traveled in space, were able to visit other planets, and made kickass instant food in a bag that not only made it easy to carry but also heated just by opening the thing.

“Men and women aren’t equal?”

His expression was almost comical, and she was insulted at the sheer amusement he displayed. He actually had the balls to laugh. “No. Men are much stronger than women.”

Lynn was tempted to call him a male-chauvinist pig but then her gaze flickered over his broad shoulders, those huge guns he had for biceps, and took in his general massive size. The men would definitely have a vast physical advantage if the women of his kind were her size.

She turned her head to glance at the other aliens, all muscular, big guys in the over-six-feet-tall range. She looked back at Coto, saw that his amusement had died down. He studied her closely, his expression now serious, and it was clear that the wheels of his mind were turning.

“Have I insulted you in some way?” His voice softened. “That was not my intention. I am aware that women such as you think you are equal here. Your men are weaker than I am. Where I come from, our men are very aggressive and a woman without protection would be in danger.”

“Am I in danger?”

He shook his head. “I would fight them if one tried to touch you, and even though I am injured, I would win.”

“Fight? As in seriously punch each other out?”

She was stunned and partially horrified. They fought over women? For real? Damn, that is kind of hot but disturbing at the same time. No guy had ever gotten into a fight over her.

He flashed a grin. “Do your men not fight over women they wish to claim?”

An image of Coto pinning her down and caging her inside his arms flashed in her mind and her nipples tightened as her stomach quivered. Was it even possible for them to have sex? She wondered what he hid under those kinky leather Speedos he wore. The idea of finding out became a little tempting. He was the only guy she’d ever seen who looked sexy wearing those things.

A twig snapped, making her jump as she jerked her head in the direction of the sound.

Holion stood feet from them, watching them with an angry expression. “Coto,” he nearly growled the name, “Yavil will clean and bandage your injuries better now that we have set up camp. I have assigned Kollen the duty of protecting us while we rest until morning light. Then we will hunt for Vhon and the Collis.”

Coto slowly stood, his body tense. “I give the orders.”

The other man lowered his furious gaze as his head dipped. “You were busy speaking to the Earther, so I took charge.”

Earther. Ah-ha. Holion had slipped up on that one. Neither man seemed to notice the word he’d dropped by accident as they locked gazes when Holion lifted his head. Coto growled, a deep, rumbling sound that startled her just a little. It was a mean, harsh noise that the translator didn’t give words for. She watched in rapt curiosity as Holion backed up, his head dropped again and his hands clasped behind his back. It was a submissive gesture that Lynn couldn’t fail to notice. Her gaze jerked to Coto and his angry expression as he glared at the other man.

Whoa boy. Coto is the big dog in this pack. With her job, she knew her alphas, and it was crystal clear who it was with these men. Coto took a deep breath and then slowly expelled it. He took another, his harsh expression softening a bit.

“Do not take authority again but your orders may stand. Make certain that Kollen keeps to the high ground. I doubt they are expecting us to have survived but they could be hunting us. I do not want the woman put in jeopardy if they attack.”