Stark Pleasure; the Space Magnate's Mistress (The LodeStar Series) Read Free Page A

same smooth voice. “Should we make the mutual decision for sex later … I suppose it depends on how you define twisty.”
    She stared up at him, that heat leaping across the short distance between them. She truly was a gambler at heart, because instead of dousing her desire, his warning only enhanced it. She had a sudden, searing image of him over her, commanding her to let him do very naughty, intimate things. And of herself agreeing.  
    Oh, black holes and quarks. She was in trouble enough without getting into some weird sex tangle. There were clubs where wealthy people did all sorts of things. Some of the girls who’d been in trade school with her had gone into prostitution before they were even of age, saying they were going to find a rich being to keep them in style, not work at a trade until they were tired and broken. Kiri had considered it for about five secs, until she thought of nameless and possibly repulsive beings touching her.  
    Logan Stark was the opposite of repulsive, but if he expected her to go along to one of those places, she’d have to be ready to run. Unless … she used the opportunity to get some credit out of him. If he wanted a particular sex act badly enough, he’d be willing to pay for it, wouldn’t he?
    Except that— no. Seven hells,no. If she prostituted herself, even with him, she’d end up hollow as a modelbot, moving and posing with an artificial smile and empty eyes. What was she willing to do to stop her fall? Not that. The decision was a relief, as if a heavy choice she hadn’t even known she’d been carrying had slid off her shoulders.
    He took her arm and gently but inexorably guided her across the bay. “Let’s take it one step at a time, shall we?”
    He nodded to the pilot. “Giles. Ms. te Nawa will be joining me for dinner at Jasmine.”
    “Very good, sir.” The pilot nodded respectfully to both of them.  
    The attendant, a slim woman with silver hair, smiled as they walked through the podway.
    “Good starfall, sir, ma’am.”
    “Opal, this is Ms. te Nawa. Kiri, Opal will show you where you can freshen up before we take off.”
    Kiri followed the other woman through the cruiser, taking in the sheer, quiet luxury of the compact interior. It was all done in soft grays and blues, the floor firm but soft under foot, with chairs that were so wide and deep she could curl up in one and stay for hours.  
    She stroked her fingers over a chair back as she passed. Was that skrog leather? It was as soft as the inside of her wrist, at least the parts that weren’t scarred from scalding-hot coffee. She couldn’t afford ‘gesics that grew new skin, just the cheap kind that doused the pain enough to keep working.  
    The lavatory gleamed with spotless cerametal and mirrors of faultless reflective material. Opal showed her how to work the toilet and cleansing unit and indicated a discreet section of storage stocked with cosmetics and toiletries.  
    As soon as the attendant left, closing the hatch behind her, Kiri touched the mirror wonderingly. Real glass, slick and cool under her fingers. Oh, she’d smudged it. Hastily she pulled a cleansing cloth from the commode and wiped the slight mark of her fingertips from the glass. She cringed at the thought of Logan Stark or his employees knowing she was such a slummer she never saw real glass.
    She stared at herself in the mirror—the familiar reflection of short, dark hair framing an oval face with winged ebony brows, eyes that were brown or amber depending on the color she wore, but which currently had dark shadows beneath them and a mouth that was too soft for her liking. Males liked it, though. She could get them to add extras to their coffee order if she was in the mood to pour on the sex appeal. When she was out at the clubs, she could get pretty much any guy who took her fancy.
    Logan Stark thought she was beautiful. She lifted her hands to her face, tracing the curve of high cheekbones and stubborn jaw. Of course he