Ride the Stars/once Bitten Read Online Free PDF

about making an impression." The coughing died down, but he still sounded amused. "Was he interested?"
    Reluctant to admit anything, she let the moment drag out. "He danced with me, but I think it was because he was bored."
    "Oh?" There was a wealth of interest in that one word.
    "Mm. He’s picking me up to go sightseeing tomorrow." Just the thought of it made her blush. It wasn’t a real date, but it felt like one.
    Icki crowed. "Hah! I knew you’d hit it off. You’re just his type."
    He sounded so smug she wanted to hit him. "He’s just doing you some kind of favor." She sounded petulant and hated it. "There’s no real interest there."
    Icki’s silence sounded thoughtful. "No reason why he should. Tell me the truth--can you see yourself kissing him?"
    Heat flashed through her insides, making her breathless. "The subject didn’t come up." Bali winced at the difference in her voice. No way would Icki miss it.
    She could almost see his deep, knowing smile.
    "Don’t expect him to ask first," Icki warned. "Dracs don’t. Domino’s a conqueror to his core. Keep that in mind when you get involved. For him, ‘possessive’ and ‘women’ go together. He’s not going to want to let you go."
    Uneasy, she sat up, still hugging the pillow. "You’re jumping way ahead. We don’t know that’s ever going to happen. Right now I’m a curiosity, a friend of a friend. And you can’t tell me he’s in the habit of keeping women around long. He’s too much like you."
    "This is different." He sounded annoyed. "Under the circumstances, he’s not going to play with you, and that’s what we want. Dracs don’t go around biting just anybody."
    Afraid to ask, she let it go. Guilt already rode her hard over this biting thing. Maybe it was the necessary intimacy involved. It was scary enough without walking through a play-by-play of what might happen.
    Her voice flat, she said, "I’d better get some sleep."
    Gently, he said, "Don’t stay up worrying, hon. He’s not going to break your heart." He disconnected.
    She sat there, holding the phone, and prayed he was right.

Chapter 8
    Domino walked into the cool hotel and sucked in his breath. Bali was waiting for him, and she was a vision to still a man’s heart.
    A beaded blue slip with matching fringe at the bottom hugged her body from bust to mid-thigh. Strappy sandals laced up her calves, enhancing their delicate curves.
    Someone must have told her about the social rule of braided hair--on Tantalus women were judged promiscuous if they refused to wear braids. The bare minimum of two braids tipped with azure beads fell to her shoulders in front of her ears. The rest of her hair was twisted up and secured with sapphire crystal hair sticks. Most provocative of all was the cerulean gauze cape that floated around her body like a mystical cloud. The throat clasp was formed of sequined, blue lace motif frogs. A matching motif adorned the top of her hood, which was pulled over her luscious hair. He stood cemented to the floor, staring with a rising hunger.
    Bali laughed self-consciously and twirled her sunglasses in her hand. "It’s a little much, I know, but it is cooler than leather."
    Domino blinked. "Turn around," he managed hoarsely. It was worse than he thought. The fringe drew attention to the sweet curves just above it, and the cape’s swirling folds excited with the glimpse of the coyly visible body beneath. She was going to cause a riot, and he would have his hands full.
    Aware of her questioning, vulnerable look, he cleared his throat. His voice came out an octave lower than usual. "Beautiful. You should have warned me. I’d have come armed." At her puzzled look, he explained, "Men are going to rush us."
    Pink whispered across her cheeks, and he felt his heart lurch. In self-defense, he placed a light hand at her back and escorted her to the door. "You’ve challenged me. A dress like that deserves an unforgettable day. Let’s see what I can do to live up to it."
    He took