Page 39 of Stealing the Star Stone
“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 isyourbody.I’m justborrowingit.”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 withViator IVin 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?”
