Page 4 of Stealing the Star Stone

Chapter Two

On an L-Class Entertainment Cruiser.

Heading to a movie premiere on Artivar Station. Against my will, mind you.

As exhilarating as the surfing had been, Ms. Bee-up-her-butt had ruined it for Eli.

What was Nova’s problem anyway? He’d been the picture of charming since he’d boarded this ship.

If only she knew how he didn’t want to travel to the outskirts of the galaxy to where yet another premiere was being held.

.. He sank onto the couch, letting the pseudo leather embrace him.

Still, he couldn’t shake the image of her sexy ass from his memory.

She had the best he’d ever seen. And those thighs…

He swallowed hard and reached for a bottle of water on the coffee table.

Long copper-tinted hair, amber-colored eyes, and plump lips downturned in a perpetual pout?

He shook his head, trying to clear it. She hated his guts for whatever reason he couldn’t fathom.

The way ‘Thorne’ snapped off her tongue said it all.

He pushed off the couch, taking the bottle of water to the bathroom with him.

The mirror above the vanity showed an all-too-familiar face, one plastered across the media.

Fame hadn’t been the goal. He smirked and glanced away.

Billions of credits were nice, though. What had drawn him to acting was the skills he’d be taught.

As a child, he’d marveled at how actors had to learn to ride horses and solarcycles, fence, swordfight, archery, how to use all manner of guns, box, ‘speak’ languages, fake accents, and romance women.

All while being paid. He doubted a better job existed.

His last movie had required he learn how to fly speeders.

He hadn’t needed to earn his pilot’s license, but he’d insisted as part of the contract. Ten thousand hours to master anything, or so the urban legend went. He was far from that, but at least, he’d made a dent.

This cruise to Artivar was supposed to be a break from his many hobbies.

Doing nothing didn’t sit well with him when there was so much he didn’t know. He hadn’t always thought like this. In the early days of his career, the fame had swept him away on a tidal wave of drugs and sex. Those memories he left in the wasteland of his mind.

Although, this trip had introduced him to…Nova. Even her name promised something spectacular.

The shower was topnotch, the pressure almost too much. The spray pummeled his body like a mini-massage, easing the tension he hadn’t realized he’d carried.

She’d fired a missile like it was commonplace. No hesitation.

That ricocheted in his thoughts.

But her tumbling away had sent a shiver of fear through him. He grinned, flicking water off his cheeks. Her butt in his face…priceless. She’d filled his arms perfectly for that split second when she’d righted herself.

Just a pity she was such a viper.

Well, challenge accepted.

He washed his semi-hard cock, admitting Sharon’s ministrations were acceptable. But taming the shrew, now that was irresistible.

“Eli, you there?” Graham called.

“Yeah,” Eli said, wrapping the towel around his hips and padding into the lounge. “What’s the buzz?”

On the massive screen mounted to the wall, a perfectly coiffed Graham was in crisp focus. “Good. You ready for the premiere? Found a date? Emphasis on singular.” He arched a gray brow. “Let’s not repeat the last debacle.”

Eli grunted, although, said debacle had been fun.

“Galactic Studios wants you for another space western, if you’re up for it.” Graham chuckled. “If your ass has recovered.”

That hadn’t been his first…rodeo. Except hours, days, spent in the saddle had hardened him beyond the physical. “How soon?” he asked.

“In about two months. I told them you needed a breather.”

Eli smiled. “And that’s why I pay you an exorbitant salary.”

“You…seem different,” Graham said, his tone speculative.

Eli shrugged. “Just got in from cloud-surfing.” And blowing up stray ships. How could she get away with that? Surely some owner would be up in arms? And to state it was drone-operated without checking first? That woman was reckless, fearless…

He fucking loved that.

“Did you record it?” Graham frowned. “Publicity matters,” he said like a long-suffering father.

“Nope. Was having too good of a time.” Eli’s heart whispered it was the company, but being snapped at, glared at, and treated like a child…

The latter had sucked, but the rest he hadn’t minded.

For once a woman wasn’t swooning over him, telling him how handsome and rich he was.

Some tried the ‘you’re such a good actor’ angle.

With Nova, he got the sense her hatred was genuine and not a trick to get between his sheets.

His cock hardened at the thought of her beneath him.

Shifting in the chair, he angled his groin away from the screen.

He didn’t need another lecture on abstinence and how amazing it was for the soul.

If Graham wanted to be a monk, that was his choice.

For Eli, orgasms were a mini-escape from reality.

He could pretend he wasn’t stuck on a cruiser heading to yet another premiere. If he could skip those, he would.

It’s part of the job , Graham would say.

Been to one, been to them all. Eli learned nothing new except how to waste hours of his life. Sure, his fellow actors made fools of themselves. That was mildly entertaining, but again, nothing new.

He quieted. Now if he could get Nova to be his plus-one…

“You can work miracles, right, Graham?”

The older man narrowed his eyes. “What do you want now?”

“There’s a certain pilot on this ship who hates my guts. I want her to be my date.” Eli chuckled. Oh, she was so going to love this. Pity he couldn’t be there when she was ordered to do it.

“No way, Eli. That’s just going to lead to more shenanigans. I’m still recovering from your last mess.”

“Except for a reel of me getting champagne thrown in my face or my shin kicked, I don’t think it will be that bad.”

Her flushed cheeks, those amber eyes spitting venom at him, her breasts heaving with each ragged breath… Hell, he couldn’t wait. “Do this for me, and we won’t have to delay Galactic Studios.”

Graham’s eyebrows shot up. “Wow. I’ve never seen you this…interested. Why her?”

“She’s amusing,” he said.

Her muttered, “How useless can you be?” had been the final nail in the proverbial coffin. Here she thought him spoilt, coddled, his ego the size of this ship, no doubt.

But how could he change her opinion of him? Drowning her in gifts might earn him a slap. His breath lodged in his chest. He was tempted to order a shit ton of goodies just for her reaction alone.

“All expenses paid, of course. I can’t have her looking less than perfect.” His mind went there, conjuring images of her in a skintight gown, a slit exposing her toes to her thigh, her hair unbound… Fuck, he salivated just at the thought of seeing her curviness celebrated.

“Make it happen,” he said, his voice hoarse. “Promise anything.”

“Whoa, now wait a minute.” Graham jerked back. “Getting women for you isn’t in my job spec.”

Eli met his gaze. “You forget who you’re talking to.”

“Yeah, yeah, heart throb of the century.”

“I have less chance of her doing anything sexual with me than I do winning an award for my last performance.” He grimaced. Space westerns didn’t require stellar acting, no pun intended.

“Mm, maybe I should meet this angel.” Graham smiled.

“Fair warning; she’s more likely to bite your head off than give you the time of day.

” Eli slid the closet door aside and chose a pair of yoga pants.

Tonight, he wasn’t interested in anything carnal.

Some time alone might just be what he needed.

Hidden behind a wall, he dropped the towel and pulled on his sleepwear.

“Got plans?” Graham asked.

Eli peered around the partition. “An early night.”

“What? No woman to sing you a lullaby?” Graham sipped from a glass of green sludge: kale, spinach, lemongrass, apple and pear—all imported from Tarnis. “Maybe it’s your known philandering that’s off-putting.”

“Oh, you smooth talker,” Eli teased, settling on the couch again.

“Hang on a minute, let me talk to Captain Harolds.” Graham’s image switched to an ‘on-hold’ message.

Eli drank from his bottle, content to wait. It wouldn’t be long. He couldn’t see anyone forcing Nova to do anything against her will. Headstrong, opinionated, all fire, and hell, if she didn’t bring a little brimstone with her.

In the past days, what staff worked on board were but a handful.

The chef was on par with some of the six star restaurants he’d frequented.

But every other task fell on the captain, Petr, Sharon, and Nova.

She’d been the one to drag his ass off Auralis, although, he’d been too stunned to react.

With the help of the hotel’s security, he’d been hustled from between twins and into a shuttle, all in darkness.

No publicity had leaked. No images of semi-naked him mid-fuck.

No half-lidded blurred shots of him trying to hide his face. Nothing.

Graham should hire her hands down.

But that had been thirty minutes of his life he couldn’t recall well. Had he been less drunk, he might have enjoyed watching her move him around like he was a chess pawn.

Yes, she’d be the queen, all regal, standoffish, and proud.

He almost rubbed his palms together, the urge to cackle gripping him. Knocking her off her pedestal would be his interim hobby.

“The captain said he’d talk to her.” Graham’s face flickered to life on the screen, closer than before.

“He sounded skeptical, Eli. Do you have a back-up plan? If you arrive at the premiere without a date, all hell’s going to break loose.

They’ll be blaring it about that you’ve lost your mojo, are dying, are pining…

Oh, dear Lord.” He rubbed his face, his manicured fingers trembling.

“Of course I have a spare,” Eli said. Although he’d prefer not to take Sharon, he couldn’t see her declining a night in the lights. After all, she’d succumbed to his wiles with not much effort on his part.

“Good boy,” Graham said, slumping. “Almost had me in a panic. The press would imply you hadn’t gotten over Bella yet.”

Ah, Bella. The second she’d slammed out of his life, he’d moved on.

And yet, she tried every social event they both attended to win him back, turning nasty when he ignored her.

As an actor, he saw too many sides to people.

Which was fine when he was playing a role, but real life required honesty. Why hide who he was?

“Well, that’s it for me. I’ll let you know what the captain says.”

“Word for word?” Eli arched a brow.

“I’ll record it. Happy?” Graham clicked off, leaving Eli alone, in silence, with a muted hum of either the air filtration system or the engines.

He pulled his tablet nearer and typed ‘Nova Blake’ into the search engine. If he was to get under her skin, he needed ammunition. Nova Blake. Age: 29. Marital status: widowed.

His finger hovered an inch from the screen, shock stiffening his shoulders.

Losing a loved one changed a person. That explained much about her no-nonsense attitude.

He flicked through images of her and four women, happier than he’d seen her since boarding the ship.

One woman was much older, but the similar features said grandmother.

The other three women had to be her sisters.

Top of her class in flight training, said one comment. That he would believe. He doubted she did anything without giving her all. Which meant, she’d loved her husband with her entire being.

What would it feel like to be someone’s world? He had no idea.

If it wasn’t for his aunt and uncle, he and his siblings wouldn’t have known what family meant. His chest ached, and he rubbed it, a sudden homesickness sweeping over him.

Thinking of you . He sent the text, not expecting a response. They knew he loved them. That was one thing his fortune had taken care of…a place for them to call home. How long since he’d visited? Guilt made his heart twinge.

Before the next acting gig, he’d pop by and spoil them a little.

Light tapping on his door stole his focus.

Sharon . Not that he answered, instead, sinking deeper into the couch and cradling the tablet closer.

He flicked through image after image of Nova and her sisters until a man’s face stopped him.

This had to be her late husband. She clung to him, her gaze adoring.

He tossed the tablet aside. Researching her had done nothing to aid his mission. And he was damn sure not going to let her loss soften his resolve.

What he should do is find ways to annoy her. Regardless of whether she agreed to escorting him to the premiere, he needed more: between now and Artivar were many planets he could force her to ‘visit.’

What followed was an hour listing activities that would crack her shell—something he wanted with too much eagerness.

Tarnis had orchards and tea emporiums. Nyxara offered ice farming and hot springs.

If the Valiance had a speeder, stone skipping along Velis’ rings would be somewhat new.

On Caerule, he could go kangaroo hopping.

He chuckled as he messaged Captain Harolds, copying Graham in the request. Now, if only he could be there when she reacted to this.

He tapped his chin, running his fingertip along the dimple in his chin. “Petr….”

A laugh slipped free, and he leaned back. Oh, yes, he’d convince Petr to share the security feeds or his name wasn’t Eli Thorne.