Page 6 of The Interdimensional Lord's Earthly Delight

When the duke reached for one sizeable carton, Rayna beat him to it. “No,” she exclaimed. “You can’t see this one.”

He lifted his dark eyebrows imperiously over royalblue eyes. “Oh?” Despite the arrogant tone, he let his bride-to-be stack the box on an anti-grav loader.

“It’s my dress,” she said, a blush staining her cheeks under her tawny skin. “It’s an Earther tradition that the groom not see the dress before the wedding.”

Nor tilted his head. “So he doesn’t know how much treasure she stole?” He gave an approving ex-pirate nod. “Very tricky. And wise.”

Trixie snickered. “It keeps the mystery going a little longer.”

The duke put his hands on his hips, his lips pursed as if he wasn’t sure he approved of mysteries. “But I’ve seen everything already.” And he flashed a grin at Rayna that was as wickedly inappropriate as anything from his reprobate half-brother.

Rayna smacked his shoulder. “Just for that, I shouldn’t give you anything else untilafter the wedding.”

His smirk gentled sensuously. “I’d like to see you try.”

Ugh. Fifth wheel. So awkward.

Lishelle cleared her throat, about to say her goodnights—although it was clear everyone else would be having amuchbetter night than she did—when a tall, lean alien emerged from the shuttle.

He was white. Not just Anglo-Saxon Protestant white, but Snow White and the Rest of the Pre-DiversityPrincesses white. Even his eyes were totally white. And yet a part of her perked in interest. She needed a date for the wedding…

“Who’s that?” she hissed.

Rayna followed her gaze, then nudged the duke. “Who’s the new guy?”

“That’s Idrin,” Nor answered. “Freelance personal recovery agent.”

“A bounty hunter?” Trixie sniffed.

“Bounty hunter,” he confirmed. “The penitentiary authorities finallygot around to sending one. They were supposed to manage Blackworm’s imprisonment but they’ve been dragging out their investigation into his escape. Said it wasn’t a priority since he’s dead.”

“What with flying my flagship dreadnaught into a black hole,” the duke muttered.

“In Blackworm’s defense,” Nor said, “he wanted to fly the dreadnaughtpastthe black hole. I’m the one who locked in thespeed that prevented him from escaping the singularity’s gravity.”

“Why defend him?” The duke punched at his half-brother’s shoulder. “Whose side are you on?”

Nor leaned smoothly out of the way. “Your side, of course. Since you made me your best manandgave me the station to oversee.”

The duke subsided. “Well, don’t flyitinto the black hole.”

Lishelle eyed the very white Idrin with suddenmisgiving. “You don’t hire a bounty hunter for a dead man.”

“Blackworm had conspirators who aided his escape,” Rayna said. “Assuming not all of them went down in the dreadnaught with him, finding and punishingthemwould be good too. Blackworm may’ve been a grief-crazed psychopath trying to petition the gods to return his lover, but the people he paid were just plain greedy and evil.”

“No defense,”Trixie agreed with a growl that was about as intimidating as the mishkeet’s purr. “And if they are on Azthronos, they can answer to our justice instead of the transgalactic council’s incompetence.”

Nor chucked and pulled her under his arm. “My bloodthirsty Black Hole Bride,” he said affectionately.

She butted her head against his shoulder, the one he’d ducked away from the duke, and he tookit. “I hate that name.”

“But it brought you here, where I could find you.” He kissed the crown of her blond hair.

Ooo-kay. Enough was enough. Lishelle turned away. “I’m going to take the mystery dress and the rest of this load to the bridal suite,” she announced to no one. “See you girls tomorrow for the final cake tasting?”

The duke perked up. “Is cake tasting allowed for males before theceremony?”

“I’ll give you all the sweetness you need,” Rayna said.