This is a short excerpt from one of my favourite scenes in Starheart. Do please note the use of coarse language. It’s one of Jess’s characteristics, so if you object to swearing, this book is probably not for you. In this scene Admiral Hudson has had Jess’s ship stopped. She has been brought to his office to be interviewed.
Hudson hardly had time to make himself comfortable in his chair when his clerk said via his implant, “Captain Sondijk is here, Sir.”
He sat back in his seat, watching the door when she entered. Her grey ship suit was unzipped at the front and the scoop-necked white shirt she wore underneath revealed a tantalizing expanse of breast. The last time she’d been brought aboard she’d dressed for the occasion but this time she probably didn’t even realize. Her eyes blazed with fury as she barged into his office, flanked by a lieutenant and two troopers. No, intimidation didn’t work on Jess Sondijk.
“What in blazes is this about? Annoyed I stood you up?”
“Thank you, Lieutenant, you may go,” Hudson said.
He waited until the door closed behind the troopers. “I admit, I’m not accustomed to being stood up.”
She slammed both her palms on his desk and leaned toward him, affording him a lovely view of her cleavage. “You are not the fucking center of the universe.”
His gaze slid down to admire the swell of her breasts. Nice. Exquisite. Two delicious handfuls. His mouth watered. The prospect of a close and personal encounter with that body was enough to give a man a hard-on.
She pushed herself upright. “Oh, for goodness sake. Do you ever think about anything but your cock?”
He leaned back, grinning. “If you flaunt your assets, my dear, you can hardly blame me for looking.”
Scowling, she zipped up her suit.
“Very good. Now sit.” He pointed at the visitor’s chair beside her.
“Go to hell. You have no reason, no right to stop me and impound my ship. I’ve done nothing wrong and I’ve other things to do apart from some … some sort of verbal foreplay with you.” She folded her arms, staring down at him.
“You’re supposed to be having dinner with me at Aristides in a few hours’ time. Instead, you’ve careered off Nordheim as if all the demons in hell were after you. Where are you going and why?”
“None of your business.”
He held her gaze. “We can continue with this for as long as you like. But you will not be moving out of this office, let alone off this ship, unless you can give me a good reason.”
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Jess is a feisty lady but Hudson’s up for the task. (If you’ll excuse the double-entendre). Starheart is a full-on, high stakes mystery with a slow-burn romance. Find out more here.
