Page 17 of Stealing the Star Stone
He grinned. Sure, she’d consider herself ‘lucky.’
“I don’t think I had as much familiarity with my husband’s cock as I do with yours,” she said, striding past him to yank out gray cargo pants and a baby pink T-shirt.
“You haven’t sucked mine.”
Her cheeks flushed, and she shifted her gaze away.
He paused. Or had she? His breath hitched, and he dipped his chin, hiding his expression while he sifted through his memories.
Regret slammed into him with the endless faces blurring into one another.
No, he couldn’t recall ever meeting her.
He’d have remembered someone as dynamic as her.
Maybe the blush was because she’d been thinking of sex with him or her late husband.
He’d take that as encouragement. “How many cocks have you known?” he asked, and received a slap in the face with a T-shirt.
She waltzed off, swinging her ass. Gone was his swagger.
He started to berate her, but the door slid open.
“Frederik, for fuck’s sake.” She leaped in and stood between the bodyguard and a semi-dressed Eli. “Didn’t your mother teach you to knock?”
“I could knock, but I’ll enter whether you allow it or not.” He shrugged. “So why bother?” He stepped aside for the breakfast trolley. “And never mention my mother again, Mr. Thorne.”
Ice slithered down Eli’s spine when the tension in the air thickened to menacing.
He whipped on the closest thing, which, judging by the silkiness of the fabric, had to be a summer dress.
If he had to protect Nova, being fully clothed was as prepared as he could be.
Under the circumstances when he had no weapon.
He eyed a stiletto and grabbed the pair.
“Thank you for breakfast,” he said, sinking onto the couch to slip on the shoes. It was years since Alien in Lipstick . He hoped he hadn’t lost the agility required to walk in six-inch heels without falling.
“And these.” Frederik flipped aside the trolley’s cloth to reveal a stack of weathered note books and a deck of cards. “All I could gather.”
Eli beamed. “You’re such a sweetheart,” he said.
The aroma of bacon teased him off the couch to lift the largest cloche. Layers of crisp bacon, rows of sausages, and a heap of scrambled eggs made his mouth water.
“How long before the tests start?” Nova asked, shoving a plate at Eli, who’d plucked a sausage with his bare fingers.
“I’ll collect you in half an hour,” Frederik said, watching their interactions. With a shake of his head, he left, granting them a little privacy.
Eli waved the half-eaten sausage in her face. “Quit doing that.”
“What?” she asked, scooping bacon onto her plate, a slice of toast, a pat of butter, and a dollop of marmalade.
“Trying to shield my nudity.”
She harumphed and flopped onto the couch. “It might be okay for you that the entire galaxy knows about that mole on your ass, but I’m not like you.”
“What do you expect from me?” He swept out a hand, pointing to the door. “I have as much warning as you do.”
She huffed, shoving a forkful of bacon into her mouth. Silence followed as she chewed. He should’ve known it wouldn’t last for long.
“Have you had that mole looked at?” Up she jumped, heading to the tea station. “Dark, irregular, growing—all the markers.”
He frowned. “I have, and it’s fine. My dermatologist offered to remove it, but it’s like a trademark, y’know.”
She giggled, which was odd on a grown man. “Sure, the mole’s what makes your butt recognizable.”
“It does,” he said, biting into his toast.
“So the double dimple in your left cheek has no part in this?”
He stilled, heat scorching his cheeks, traveling down his throat to his breasts. A slow ache built. Was this what desire felt like for a woman? “Nova, how do you know that?”
She shrugged. “You have the galaxy’s most photographed ass.”
“Um, no.” He sucked butter off his thumb. “All outlets and photographers know to hide the dimples or I sue.”
Her face paled, and she swiveled, giving him her back. “I saw it somewhere.” But her voice was soft, a rasp.
“A scar from when I was ten.”
“I peeked,” she hurried to say.
“Yeah?” He arched a brow, knowing damn well she was lying. The way she wouldn’t meet his gaze said it all. And her cheeks had yet to regain their color. “Show me where.”
“In the bathroom mirror.” She waved a fork in that direction.
“No, where exactly on my ass.”
“I don’t know why you’re reacting like this.” She sipped from her tea cup, trying to appear nonchalant and failing. “I saw it. The end.”
“You, my dear infuriating pilot, need to learn how to lie better.”
She opened her mouth to argue then snapped it shut, choosing instead to browse the breakfast trolley.
“Women are cuter when they’re quiet.” Then he ducked, a sausage whizzing past his head. “Oh, I must have hit a nerve.” He chuckled. “Now, when Frederik takes you to the lab, try and seduce someone. We need allies.”
“Seduce—” She coughed, choking on a bite of toast. He threw up an arm when crumbs flew everywhere.
“For me, there isn’t much to pick from. I doubt Doukas can even get it up.” He poured a coffee and settled back, cradling the mug in his cleavage—what a perfect spot. “For you, the blonde might be a good start.”
“I’m not fucking anyone in your body,” Nova snapped, then shuddered. “Argh, just the thought gives me the hives.”
“You’d swear I was asking for a kidney. A wink, a drawl, a kiss… Do it. We need this.”
She flicked a messy braid aside. “I’m not pimping myself.”
“Fine. I’ll do it. Female, male, it won’t matter.”
She blustered, garbling any words she tried to utter.
“Yeah, yeah, this is your body. I’m just borrowing it.” He pulled an apple pastry closer. “You won’t mind a few extra pounds on your hips and ass, would you?”
Her eyes narrowed, anger burning in their depths. “Two can play at that game.”
He sighed. “True. I just have this craving for it. I’ve never been one to indulge.”
Her interest perked up. “Oh?” A smirk crawled across her lips. “Let’s hope we’ve swapped back before then.”
As warnings went, that one reached into his gut and twisted it. “What? Why?”
“You’ll have cravings, mood swings, sensitive body parts, and if you’re stuck in me forever, then welcome to the monthlies.”
He froze, his mouth falling open.
“It ain’t pretty,” she drawled, standing to rub her stomach. “I wonder if—”
A chime pinged through the cabin a second before the door opened. “I knocked,” Frederik said. “It’s your turn for X-rays, Ms. Blake.”
Eli lowered his coffee and rose, teetering on his heels. “Call me Nova, Frederik.” Eli cast a glance at Nova. “See you in a bit.”
As Frederik led him along the passages to the cargo hold, Eli tried to map the path while learning how to walk in heels.
Nova had said there was a shuttle they could steal.
Finding it easily would be step one of any plan.
And yes, they strolled past it with Viator IV in gold.
What had happened to the three earlier shuttles bearing that same name?
Regardless, its fuel wouldn’t be enough for a lengthy trip, especially if they escaped now. Orien had said it was five hours from Artivar, which meant, sneaking out of the premiere was a definite.
He showed no interest, marching past their possible escape route to where a young man waited.
His dirty blond hair was parted down the middle, and he had a lovely pair of blue eyes.
He was handsome in a bookish way, even though his chin was a little soft.
Eli added an extra sway to his hips as he wobbled toward him, praying no one noticed how unstable he was in the stilettos.
He flashed the man a smile, testing out his charm in Nova’s body.
She was a beautiful woman, and men did fuck anything on two sexy legs.
He had to hope this was the case for X. Payne.
“Oh,” Eli gasped, splaying his fingers across his cleavage. “What does the ‘X’ stand for?”
“Xander,” the man said, a telltale pink splashing across his cheeks. “I’ll take it from here,” he said to Frederik.
“We’ll be fine,” Eli said to the burly bodyguard and followed Xander into the lab. “Thorne didn’t mention you. How long have you worked for Lord Orien?” He flicked his hair aside, wishing he’d taken the time to brush it. “Sorry, I’m a mess.”
“Not at all,” Xander said, catching Eli’s hand to guide him to stand before a strange panel.
Frederik stood guard at the door, his arms folded across his chest. A ferocious scowl contorted his features. Eli tossed him a glare.
“Do I need to strip?” he asked, casting a glance between Frederik and Xander as if nervous. “He’s seen me naked too many times.” He hitched a thumb at Frederik.
The man scoffed and offered his back, making it clear he wasn’t leaving.
Fuck . With a resigned sigh, Eli let the opportunity pass him by. Convincing the young man to forsake his future couldn’t be done under Frederik’s steady judgment. Eli needed privacy, in case his vast experience made not a lick of difference in Nova’s body.