When Sparks Fly

When Sparks Fly by Autumn Dawn Read Free Book Online

Book: When Sparks Fly by Autumn Dawn Read Free Book Online
Authors: Autumn Dawn
Tags: scifi action adventure romance shape shifter
for that money, plans to improve The Spark and secure
their future. She wasn’t about to hand it over to some virtual
stranger just because a drunken miner had taken a potshot at
her.
    No, she decided, she was on her own.
    She worked a bit longer before going to look
for food. In the kitchen, she was surprised to be openly glared at
by the head chef. For a moment she wondered if the fruit in her
hand had been destined for a cook pot, and she asked, “What?”
    “Your man has eaten the cheese tarts for the
wake! All of them! I want his head.” Jamir slammed his
cleaver down, burying it in his chopping block.
    Gem glanced at the empty serving tray and
frowned. If Blue didn’t stop his raiding, he really was going to
get a cleaver in the back. “I’ll speak to him,” she promised. She
ignored the reference to Blue being “her man.” Jamir had called him
that for some time, but he only meant her “hired man.” Since nobody
else gave Blue orders, she supposed it was a logical
conclusion.
    Ignoring the grumbling behind her, she
entered the garden and searched for Blue. Past the garden was the
shed, and she could see a man with a bare chest out there, working.
As she got closer she could see he was hitting a punching bag that
had been strung from a stout post and beam. It hadn’t been there
the last time she’d walked out that way.
    He ignored her as she approached, sweat
making his body gleam. While she was no judge of martial arts, she
was glad she wasn’t the bag. It didn’t take an expert to realize
one blow from him could kill.
    Which made her consider the cops’
suspicions. But if Blue had been behind the shooting at the
spaceport, why not just kill her outright? Had he been staging it
to get money later through an offer of protection? Could that
shooting have been an elaborate hoax?
    Gem touched the side of her head and
shivered. It was doubtful. That bullet had come too close to be a
ruse, no matter what Blue had claimed about the gunman trying to
scare her. Another inch or two and it would have been buried in her
brain. It would have been easier to shoot at her feet or something
if the intent had been to frighten. And, badly as she wanted to
believe that the incident was random, she couldn’t. Somebody wanted
her dead.
    She sat on a bench and watched Blue work
out, unwillingly mesmerized. He was a beautiful man. When she saw
him like this, the urge to touch him was stronger than she liked to
admit. Instinct made her want to lean on him, made her want to let
him hold her. Maybe he really could make it better.
    Yeah, right.
    Blinking at where her mind was going, she
changed the track of her thoughts. “You have to stop raiding
Jamir’s special trays. One of these days he’s going to fricassee you.”
    Blue snorted. “He can try.”
    “You like to annoy him,” Gem pointed
out.
    “He’s a righteous little prig.”
    “I’m asking,” she clarified.
    That made him turn. “What’s my
incentive?”
    “I won’t have to fire you.”
    Blue grinned. “I’m not on your payroll
anymore.”
    “What?”
    Hyna Blue slowly shook his head. “I’ve given
up being your errand boy. That’s not what you need from me.”
    She let that dangerous comment simmer, then
said slowly, “This is an inn, not a flophouse for ex-cons. I won’t
have a loose cannon on my property. You can’t stay here unless
you’re working or being served, Blue.”
    “Then it’s time to get serving.” He moved
toward her, his eyes full of hot intent.
    Gem stood up in a hurry, ready to ward him
off, but he only reached for the towel beside her. She noticed it
was one of her good towels, and he was using it as a sweat sop. Her
blood burned with both adrenaline and anger. At least now she had a
good reason to tremble. “You’re going to ruin that! We’ll never get
the smell out.”
    He smiled, his eyes glowing as he stared at
her. “Do you really care?”
    She gritted her teeth, hating his arrogance.
“I care. I care that you’re

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