Page 22 of Smuggler's Beauty

The word punched through Evelyn’s defenses. Any attempt at playing it cool around Aiden felt completely absurd now — and if she was honest with herself, they’d been pretty poor attempts to begin with. She’d felt an almost magnetic pull towards him since she woke up with his lips on hers.

“Thoroughly” was full of promise. “Thoroughly” meant she wasn’t imagining the chemistry she was feeling in every atom of her body, that it wasn’t just her hormones imprinting like a horny baby duck on the first man she’d seen in decades, that she wasn’tjusta job for him — although, admittedly, that was a factor.

A knock broke the tension of the moment. Aiden and Evelyn both jumped, turning to the door with twin guilty expressions as though they’d been caught in a far more compromising situation. Veselko stood in the hallway, a knowing grin plastered on his face. Evelyn was glad she was already flushed; she didn’t need the blush of embarrassment making the moment more awkward. She supposed she was a bit grateful the interruption prevented her from saying something like “Nifty!” since that was the level of eloquence her brain was capable of at the moment.

“Got a line on Vinnie. Well, less of a line and more of another interesting fact to add to your board.”

As he turned to grab a marker to add the information to his board, Aiden ran his hand down Evelyn’s arm, leaving a trail of heat that made her insides flutter.

“What did you hear?” Aiden asked.

“Friend that Tariel and I play cards with sometimes says Vinnie asked him what the fastest turn around he could do for a full identity package would be. Seemed to infer money was no object.” Crossing his arms, Veselko leaned up against the doorway. His muscles bulged, and Evelyn was surprised she wasn’t moved at all. She studied him, taking in the smooth golden skin, well sculpted frame, and perfectly trimmed goatee. Usually she appreciated an attractive man more than this.

Then again, she usually didn’t havethoroughlydelicious possibilities centering around a certain bearded man running through her head.

“Is this a reliable source or a degenerate that you two fleece out of poker money?” Aiden asked, the tip of the marker hovering above the board. The timber of his voice warmed something in Evelyn’s blood. The lack of interest in Veselko made still more sense with every word. An attractive man couldn’t hold a candle to the way her body felt whenever Aiden was near.

“This is the guy Tariel goes to when he doesn’t have time to print a job. He’s quick, professional, and meets his standards. I’d say he’s a reliable source.”

Aiden nodded and wrote

needs quick papers

on the board under the known quantities heading. “The question is who are the papers for?”

“Vinnie didn’t specify who they were for, just wanted to know how much and how fast. Full galactic transport access, full background. Didn’t flinch at the price.”

“She never does, does she?”

Veselko chuckled in response.

“They mustn’t be for her own use,” Evelyn said. “If she has the sort of connections and business dealings you say she does, I’d be surprised if she didn’t have half a dozen identities she could burn through. She must want to have the option of giving me an exit strategy. But why bother to kidnap me if she’s not going to use me for leverage?”

“Extract. Let’s say ‘extract.’ It feels so much less creepy,” Aiden said, not looking away from the board.

“Aiden prefers to pretty things up when he can,” Veselko said. He eyed the cardigan Evelyn was wearing. She looked down at it, making sure she hadn’t smeared chocolate on the sleeve.

“I’m an optimist,” Aiden said.

Both Evelyn and Veselko laughed at that.

“Those are all words,” Evelyn agreed. “Sure.”

Aiden added

for Evelyn?

to the board.

“Anyway. I’ll keep poking around. Bright side, we’ll know for sure what she wants in a few days,” Veselko said, removing himself from the wall. He gestured toward Evelyn. “You should keep the sweater. It’s a good fit on you.”

“Uh, thanks? Is it yours?” Evelyn frowned, looking from his muscular frame to her much smaller one. He was at least three sizes larger than her, she figured.

“Yeah.”

Strange. She wondered if the material had some sort of fitting technology that was created while she was in stasis. “It’s incredibly soft. I’m half in love with it.”

He grinned. “That’s palakan for you. See ya.”