Read Online The Huntress by Michelle O'Leary - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Michelle O'Leary
Ads: Link
tomorrow.”
“Bragan’s tomorrow.”
He tugged on a lock of her dark hair with affectionate censure. “You should take better care of yourself.”
Patting him on the chest, she squeezed by him then stopped when a memory surfaced. “Hey, where’d you two go earlier?”
“Stone wanted to get familiar with the ship’s systems. I showed him how to retrieve info, namely his own files. He seemed to know how to pilot already.”
So he still hadn’t believed she’d actually changed his identity. Shaking her head in exasperation, she turned to go.
“I’m not sure you want this guy for a partner. His record isn’t exactly clean, you know.”
“I know.”
She continued down the hall and entered the cargo bay, momentarily alarmed to find that the overhead lights were off, until she saw Stone’s shadowy form. Her eyes adjusted quickly—each cryotube was softly lit, providing adequate light to navigate the room.
“Just checking the meat popsicles,” she said into the stiff silence. “Nightly routine.”
He said nothing, of course, and she began making a slow circuit around the bay, inspecting each cryotube with a critical eye. There were eight in all, but only five were filled, two of which she had acquired on the moon outpost.
Near the end of her inspection, Stone finally chose to acknowledge her. “How come I’m not in one of these things?”
She shrugged with a smirk. “Be my guest. Not the coziest beds, though—”
He continued as if she hadn’t spoken, “It doesn’t make sense, woman. Why would you do that for me? You’re a goddamned hunter, and I’m a convict.” At least he now believed that she’d done the switch. A small step in the right direction.
“Still looking for my ulterior motive?” she asked with an arched brow, but he didn’t reply, arms folded across his chest. Beyond irritated at his stoicism, she changed tactics. “Fine. You want another motive?” Gliding forward, she watched him through narrowed eyes. “Try this one.”
Mea placed a hand on his folded arms and felt muscles bunch under warm skin. Heat spilled through her as she leaned up to bring their lips into the barest, tingling contact, eyes locked on his dark ones in steady challenge. When he didn’t move, she nudged closer, molding their lips in a sensual glide that sparked a raging hunger for more. God, he felt good—she loved the sensation of smooth, firm flesh and stubbled chin, the warm, male scent of him.
He didn’t exactly participate, arm muscles rigid under her touch and mouth moving only infinitesimally against hers. But he didn’t pull back, head slowly angling down, increasing the contact and giving her better access. It was all she could do not to pull him down to the floor with her. With a little moan, she slid away from his tantalizing mouth and left the bay on quick feet.
Pausing in the corridor, Mea rested her hot face against the metal wall and tried to slow her racing heart. She had not expected to feel so intense over one simple kiss. It was a little unnerving to know that he could push her to the edge of control without even trying. A fire burned wild and deep underneath her skin, but as much as she wanted to go back in there and finish what she started, she knew he wasn’t ready. He didn’t trust her. He would probably see it as some kind of ploy. A way to force him and trap him. Now was not the time for such intimacy.
With a low sound of protest, she forced her feet down the hall and into her quarters, flopping on the bed like a puppet with its strings cut. Sleep was hard to come by.
*******
Stone ground his teeth together, desperate not to follow her. Or maybe he was just desperate. She’d been temptation itself from the second she’d stepped through that door. He’d smelled her skin, damp from a shower, and had tortured himself with images of what was under that shapeless wrap. Remembering that she was dangerous to him took a huge effort—which she’d brushed out of his
“Bragan’s tomorrow.”
He tugged on a lock of her dark hair with affectionate censure. “You should take better care of yourself.”
Patting him on the chest, she squeezed by him then stopped when a memory surfaced. “Hey, where’d you two go earlier?”
“Stone wanted to get familiar with the ship’s systems. I showed him how to retrieve info, namely his own files. He seemed to know how to pilot already.”
So he still hadn’t believed she’d actually changed his identity. Shaking her head in exasperation, she turned to go.
“I’m not sure you want this guy for a partner. His record isn’t exactly clean, you know.”
“I know.”
She continued down the hall and entered the cargo bay, momentarily alarmed to find that the overhead lights were off, until she saw Stone’s shadowy form. Her eyes adjusted quickly—each cryotube was softly lit, providing adequate light to navigate the room.
“Just checking the meat popsicles,” she said into the stiff silence. “Nightly routine.”
He said nothing, of course, and she began making a slow circuit around the bay, inspecting each cryotube with a critical eye. There were eight in all, but only five were filled, two of which she had acquired on the moon outpost.
Near the end of her inspection, Stone finally chose to acknowledge her. “How come I’m not in one of these things?”
She shrugged with a smirk. “Be my guest. Not the coziest beds, though—”
He continued as if she hadn’t spoken, “It doesn’t make sense, woman. Why would you do that for me? You’re a goddamned hunter, and I’m a convict.” At least he now believed that she’d done the switch. A small step in the right direction.
“Still looking for my ulterior motive?” she asked with an arched brow, but he didn’t reply, arms folded across his chest. Beyond irritated at his stoicism, she changed tactics. “Fine. You want another motive?” Gliding forward, she watched him through narrowed eyes. “Try this one.”
Mea placed a hand on his folded arms and felt muscles bunch under warm skin. Heat spilled through her as she leaned up to bring their lips into the barest, tingling contact, eyes locked on his dark ones in steady challenge. When he didn’t move, she nudged closer, molding their lips in a sensual glide that sparked a raging hunger for more. God, he felt good—she loved the sensation of smooth, firm flesh and stubbled chin, the warm, male scent of him.
He didn’t exactly participate, arm muscles rigid under her touch and mouth moving only infinitesimally against hers. But he didn’t pull back, head slowly angling down, increasing the contact and giving her better access. It was all she could do not to pull him down to the floor with her. With a little moan, she slid away from his tantalizing mouth and left the bay on quick feet.
Pausing in the corridor, Mea rested her hot face against the metal wall and tried to slow her racing heart. She had not expected to feel so intense over one simple kiss. It was a little unnerving to know that he could push her to the edge of control without even trying. A fire burned wild and deep underneath her skin, but as much as she wanted to go back in there and finish what she started, she knew he wasn’t ready. He didn’t trust her. He would probably see it as some kind of ploy. A way to force him and trap him. Now was not the time for such intimacy.
With a low sound of protest, she forced her feet down the hall and into her quarters, flopping on the bed like a puppet with its strings cut. Sleep was hard to come by.
*******
Stone ground his teeth together, desperate not to follow her. Or maybe he was just desperate. She’d been temptation itself from the second she’d stepped through that door. He’d smelled her skin, damp from a shower, and had tortured himself with images of what was under that shapeless wrap. Remembering that she was dangerous to him took a huge effort—which she’d brushed out of his
Similar Books
