Page 23 of Stealing the Star Stone
He was better than Orien, though.Well, to be fair, it might have been entertaining had those two arrogant asses swapped bodies.She drew in a shuddering breath.Now?No, it wasn’t amusing at all.
She frowned when the pod’s occupant gaped at her.Athim.Shit.His face was exposed.His sunglasses were…in the hotel room.And the coat.Double shit.Captain was going to beupset.Sort of.Under these surreal circumstances, he’d understand.
She hurried across the foyer and onto the wide, well-lit walkway.So far so good.
A squeal snapped her head up.
What now?
“Eli Thorne!”
Like the spreading of an infectious disease, his name turned into a chant amid a group of young women.One broke away, inching nearer to ‘Thorne.’Nova wasn’t going to wait around to see if they wanted a cup of tea.She bolted, sprinting toward safety with the station-sec signs guiding her.A miasma of perfumes tickled her nose as they closed the distance, driving her on when capture was imminent.Inside station-sec, she skidded to a halt, almost slamming into an officer.Throwing peeks over her shoulder at the many faces of eager women at the entrance, she inched around the desk, placing it between her and Thorne’s fans.
“Morning,” she said to the desk officer.“I’d like to see Nova Blake.”
“Too late,” he snapped, not even bothering to meet her gaze.
“What—” she gasped.“What do you mean?”
“Lord Orien dropped the charges and took the woman for breakfast.”
“He did what?”Shit.This is bad.Orien’s got my body.“Why?”
The officer blinked at Nova, then without a word, moved onto the next person in the queue.She eyed the crowds being shooed from the door.Leaving wouldn’t happen anytime soon.
“Mr.Thorne?”A muscular man cresting seven feet paused beside her.“I do recall Lord Orien inviting you to join him this morning.”
For breakfast, too?Act the part, woman, or else finding your body is a hell-no.“Yes.Yes, he did.But as you can see, I’m trapped.”
The man frowned, studied the gathering masses, then said, “Follow me.”
Nova almost latched onto his ass as he led the way out of the station, cutting a wide path through the women.
“Touch Mr.Thorne and youwillbeshot,” he boomed.
Just like that, they dispersed with a few lingering glances.Nova would have done the same.The man was impressive.He hadn’t even drawn the blaster strapped to his side.But his deep voice, his sheer size, his confidence…
“You’re hired,” she said.“That is, if you ever get tired of working for Orien.”
She almost laughed.Not even in Thorne’s shoes for ten minutes and she was making life-altering decisions.
“My thanks,” he said, guiding her toward the domed balcony.
There at its center was the five-star Skycrop Café—too expensive for Nova to ever afford.But as Thorne… She grinned and increased her pace, eager for something warm and delicious to fill the hollowness in her belly.In Thorne’s…Argh.That was going to get tiresome fast.
Eli watched throughhereyes as she approached.Dark circles under her eyes had to be from having slept on that hard bench.A quick scan proved Thorne hadn’t done anything to her body…yet.
“Lord Orien,” she greeted the distinguished man, her memory flicking through yesterday’s memories of his mottled face and tantrum.
“Call me Vex,” he said, flashing a smile.“How was last night?”
She almost fumbled with the chair when she pulled it out.What happened between Thorne and Orien?“Entertaining?”she hazarded.
He beamed.“Excellent.Beth showed such an interest in you; I had to ensure she fulfilled her dreams.”
Beth?The blonde?What dreams?Oh, yes, getting a chance to sleep with Thorne.Nova smirked.Yeah, when that was all the beauty had gotten.Compared to Sharon in looks, Beth was in the stratosphere.Then again, having done the actual deed with Thorne, Nova could say, without a doubt, the woman hadn’t missed out on much.
“Lady Grey tea,” she said the instant a server appeared.“How was your night…Vex?”she asked, finding it awkward not to.
