Page 15 of Stealing the Star Stone
She held his gaze, thwarting him.“I like it.Way better than outside, to be honest.”
He gave up and took a sip.The fragrance was floral and citrusy, promising a double whammy of flavor, and yet it was far too bitter for him.
“Not to your liking?”she asked, taking back the cup.
“If I could add honey, maybe…”
She scoffed.“Spoken like a rich man.”
He butt-hopped across the seat to rise.Time to end this.As far as he was concerned, nothing beat water.
“Didya likey?”Arell asked, her expression hopeful.
He swiped his wrist over the paypoint.“This was the best tea I ever tasted.”Which wasn’t a lie, per say.
Nova snorted into her cup as she finished her tea.
He didn’t spare her a glance, not wanting to draw Arell’s attention to her.“Do you know where the Invenire Gallery is?”
“O’course.”She snatched his hand and pulled him out of the shop.With a shaking finger, she pointed to elevator doors.“Take that t’planet.Gal’ry in welcomin’ center.”
He caught her fingers and pressed a kiss to her knuckles, then left the blushing woman to hurry Nova.His attempts to charm her had been harder than he’d expected.As much as he liked her spitting at him with anger in her eyes, every smile from her was a victory.He wanted her swinging from fury to laughter and back.Keep them on their toes, his aunt said.
“Are you done?”he asked, clicking his fingers at Nova.
Her eyes widened, then narrowed, and just like that, the spitfire was back.
He grinned.“Or do you need me to haul your ass out of here?”
She brushed past him, anger in her stride.
He winked at Arell and trailed Nova, content to watch her storm ahead.
“Hope you’re not afraid of heights?”she crooned, gesturing to the elevator doors when they opened.
“Not at—all.”The elevator pod was nothing but a glass cylinder in a tube.The view was spectacular until they shot down at a speed that should have plastered his ass to the pod’s roof.
“Sky elevator,” she sang, her beaming smile unpleasant to observe.
Tea roiled in his gut, threatening to spill.He splayed his hand on his stomach and prayed for a miracle.
“Parido Meadows,” she said, tapping the holographic map while space whizzed past at a nauseating blur.“We could find out if they’ll let us pick fruit or herbs—anything organic.”She bounced on her toes, not the slightest bit deterred by their current situation.
He bent over, his face cold, and tea-flavored bile coated the back of his tongue.
“Here.”She held out a vomit bag like that was being helpful.
He straightened to glare at her.In that moment, hatred bubbled up and burned his tongue.“You can be nicer.After all, I just paid for your tea addiction.”
She laughed.“Bowl a girl over with extravagance, Thorne.”
Peace seized his chest.There had to be something wrong with him if he’d missed her snapping his last name at him.
“Jewelry or flowers would be thrown at my face.No, there’ll be no gifts for a cranky pilot until she can behave herself.”
She huffed and threw the vomit bag at him.“Why don’t you hold your breath?”She flashed him a saccharine smile.“Please.I insist.”Folding her arms across her chest, she offered him her back as the scenery whizzed past.
He did the same, more so to hide his smile.
