It took all of her willpower to keep from dragging her hand away from his grasp. The feel of his harsh insect skin made her want to vomit.

“The cargo’s ready to load and needs to be delivered within 24 hours.” Sackor held her hand steady under his. “As soon as it’s signed for, the credits will be automatically deposited into your personal account.”

“I know the procedure.” Alex pushed the tall stool back and stood up. His skin against hers made her itch all over. Insects had this effect on her, no matter how big or small they were.

He didn’t budge when she made a move to pull her hand away.

“Alex, I may even be able to add a little extra to the usual fee, if you meet me back here in 48 hours to fulfill your promise of intimacy.” The excitement made his shell glossy with moisture.

She glared at him for a moment. How dare he? I might be a little impulsive with sex and get involved with men a little too quickly, but I’ve never accepted payment in exchange. She wasn’t about to start now.

“Sure, whatever.” Alex managed to pull her hand out from under his, but not without cutting the skin between her thumb and index finger on the spiked edges. Damn!It stung like hell.

Sackor looked down at his fingers, noticed a few drops of her blood, and lapped them up with his long tongue. “Delicious. I can’t wait to taste your other liquids.”

Alex didn’t even acknowledge the disgusting comment. She hadn’t realized a sexual encounter with this thing could sound even worse, but it did. She would no doubt have nightmares about the insane imagery, but for now, she had a new job to focus on. With some luck, she wouldn’t need to sleep again for several days and could forget this encounter.