Frozen. Morgan Q O'Reilly

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СКАЧАТЬ as the daydream faded, leaving behind a very familiar hollow ache between her legs. She squeezed her thighs together, and let the fantasy go with a sigh.

      “I’m from no place in particular. I travel a lot.”

      “But where were you born? Where are your people from? If you have an aunt from here, are you related by your mother or father?”

      She felt his eyes on her profile. If he looked close enough he’d see the signs. She hadn’t quite convinced herself to alter her appearance permanently with any of the surgeries available across the universe. So far, she’d stuck to superficial means with the help of skilled technicians.

      Hair, naturally every bit as white blonde as Gunnar’s, now was a hot red. Not sweet, golden red. Cherry red that glowed like the clouds burning from the last ray of the sun. Deep blue eyes were hidden under even deeper brown artificial lenses. Skin as pale as his was naturally disguised after years under every sun she could find. At first she’d burned as bright red as her hair color, but special creams had helped her brown until she was almost the shade of the warm furs caressing her body through the silk. A color that, even now, she could feel fading, despite spending the last hours on the inter-galaxy ship under sun lights. Hopefully the sun light she had packed in her luggage would arrive unharmed.

      “My people were wanderers.” She evaded the direct question. Even under torture she wouldn’t admit she’d been born within a hundred light years of this iceball.

      “Humanoid.”

      “Obviously,” she scoffed.

      “Where were you born? Your accent almost sounds as if you’re from here.”

      Great. A speech specialist was he? “My accent reflects many places. What about you? Do you travel far?”

      “Only as far as this transport can carry me,” he said tightly.

      Peasant, she thought again, despite his own speech and the admission of a noble title. “You’ve never been off the planet surface? Not even to cross the continent or ocean?”

      “I’ve had no reason to leave the planet surface or my home. Everything I need is here, including boats to cross the sea.”

      “Except your Promised One,” she muttered.

      “Yes,” he answered shortly.

      Damn, he had good ears to have heard that over the sounds of the vehicle and the instruments on the consol. She’d have to be careful. A bad habit, she often blurted out her thoughts without realizing it. Good thing she’d decided to never be a politician. “So what is your mission in life, Duke Gunnar Zaren? Who are your people?”

      Glancing toward him, she saw his jaw clench slightly. Didn’t like her bored tone of voice, did he? Maybe, if she used it more, he’d leave her in silence.

      “Who wants to know?”

      “I do.”

      “But who are you?”

      “I’m Noreen Tibbetts, just as your communication said.”

      “That’s just a name. Who are you?”

      “I’m a humanoid woman of mysterious origins. I arrange travel across the universe for adventurous beings.” And travel even more just for fun when not working.

      “What is a travel agent doing on Nordia?”

      Travel agent. It worked. It was either that or pose as a reporter or research scientist. “I’ve been invited to write an article.”

      “Tourists are few and far between.”

      “Someone wants to change that.” Certainly not her. There was little to recommend here, and the best features could be found on more pleasant planets.

      “Nobody wants more tourists.”

      Noreen shrugged. She couldn’t agree with him more, but for now she had a role to play. “Tourists bring in revenue.”

      “We don’t need money.”

      True, the planet was quite well-off for an iceball. Mining for rare minerals brought in huge sums for tiny amounts. Not to mention the market for rare furs and exotic wools. Many companies also leased acreage for deep cold research. Poverty was not a problem on Nordia.

      “Look, I was invited to come and write an article. I’m not even sure I can recommend this place with a good conscience, so don’t get your nappies in a knot.”

      “Nappies?”

      There was that arched brow again.

      “Absorbent underwear. For infants.”

      Gunnar snorted. “Diapers? You think I wear diapers?”

      “If they fit…” she let the comment drift away.

      “Is this common off-world?” He scowled in her direction.

      “Is what common?”

      “This…sarcasm.”

      “You’ve never heard sarcasm before?” No, he didn’t like the astonished tone of voice, if his deep frown and flush were a good indication.

      “It isn’t common here.”

      It would be if she still lived here. “A pity. I find sarcasm helps one to laugh in situations that would normally make one cry or shoot something.”

      “Shoot?”

      “As in to use a firestick to inflict great injury, possibly even death, upon another being,” she explained as politely as she could.

      “Ah, use of a gun.”

      “Exactly.” Give him points for a little education. Guns weren’t permitted on Nordia, even for research. She’d found them fascinating the first time she’d seen one in use. Until she’d seen the carnage they could wreak on living things.

      “You must think I’m an idiot,” he accused her.

      “Only depends which planet you’re standing on at the time.” She sighed and looked out the side window again. A lesson she’d learned well after blasting off this particular iceball. And here she was, trapped in this damn transport for three long days with the very man she’d left this planet to avoid. The One, waiting for his female equivalent to appear. Dritt.

      Was this some elaborate plan of Odin? Thor? Freya? One of Loki’s pranks?

      Which brought her back to the problem of sleeping arrangements. There was no way in Hell, or on this frozen version of it, she would sleep next to this man. Not all versions of Hell were hot. In fact, the cold could burn just a badly as fire. Given a choice, she’d take flames over ice any day.

      

       Chapter 2

      Gunnar looked at the СКАЧАТЬ