by Frost Kay
“To me you’re mouthwatering. It’s so tantalizing that I just want…” He blew out a breath, his rare smile turning into more of a grimace. “It’s distracting,” he muttered.
Something about his honest comment made her smile. He didn’t owe her anything after what she’d said to him earlier, and yet he gave her kindness and honesty at the expense of himself. Allie gave him a small smile and glanced back at Coal. He shoved his hand out and stared at her. She raised one brow.
“I’m sorry,” he mumbled.
Allie thought about gloating for a moment, but instead she slipped her hand into his and accepted his apology like an adult, hard as it was. “Accepted.”
He nodded and jerked his chin toward the doors. “If you’re ready to go home, I can take you.”
Weaving through traffic flashed through her mind. “No!” she said, a little too forcefully. “I’ll wait until Zune or Eve can take me home.”
Lev sidled up to his brother’s side and slapped him on the shoulder, grinning at her. “Well, at least this won’t happen very often.” He paused, his brows slanting together. “Wait, how often do Humans go into season?”
All she wanted to do was run screaming from this line of questioning. Maybe she really was a prude. The surrounding aliens were really making her rethink what she knew about herself. But one thing was for sure, she wasn’t a coward. Allie squared her shoulders and lifted her chin. If they wanted to know, she’d tell them.
“Every month.”
Both males gaped at her.
“Every month?” Kale murmured with wide eyes. “Human men are lucky indeed.”
A curse pulled her attention to Blade. His entire body seemed to be vibrating as he glared at the floor.
“Are you okay?” she asked.
His onyx gaze snapped to hers and another curse slipped out. He ran his hands through his inky hair and laced them behind his neck, like he was holding himself back. “Every single month?” he asked tightly.
“Yeah,” she said slowly.
“I’m out.” He held his hands up and began striding across the room toward the doors. “This is your fault, Lev,” he yelled over his shoulder.
Allie glanced back at Lev. His unique gaze clashed with hers for a moment before he turned his attention back to Blade. “Don’t blame me for your choices. We all have to deal with the consequences of our actions. This one is just more unfortunate than most.”
Blade didn’t acknowledge him but picked up his speed. He slammed his palm against the door sensor and slid through the frosted glass, disappearing from view.
She stared blankly at the frosted glass doors. “Well,” she mumbled, “maybe I do stink.”
5
Harness Dresses and Chauvinists
“What the hell happened?” Coal demanded.
Allie shook her head, her ear ringing, and heaved herself up from the floor. “Test twenty-three.” How many more times would they fail? Her body couldn’t take much more abuse.
His silver eyes narrowed on her. “Everyone else okay?”
A chorus of yeses echoed around the lab. Eve popped her head up from behind her lab table, her light purple hair sticking up in every direction. “I’m fine.”
Allie stumbled over to Zune, who still lay on his back. She gasped when she got a good look at his face. He’d singed his eyebrows completely off. A giggle slipped out when he raised a hairless eyebrow and winced.
“That bad?” he asked as he pushed himself back to his feet.
“Your eyebrows are gone.”
He grinned at her. “Battle scars.”
Allie chuckled at the Kiterra. “Not quite battle scars, but a good story at least.”
Zune leaned closer, plucked something from her hair, and held it up. A piece of glass. Her eyes rounded, and she reached to pat her head when a hand wrapped around her wrist. She glanced up into Blade’s face. Uh oh, the dangerous Av looked like he wanted to kill something.
“There’s more glass in there. You’ll cut yourself if you try to get it out yourself.” He dropped her wrist and hollered at Eve, “She needs help with her hair.”
Eve left her herbs and gestured for Allie to follow her.
“Have her try on some outfits for the gala. I think she’s spent enough time in the lab today,” Lev called.
She twisted around and walked backwards and held up her hands. “I told you I was the family failure when it came to making moonshine.”
Lev shook his head. “The moonshine is fine, but Zune needs you out of the way. You’re distracting him.”
Her gaze moved to the large Kiterra in question, a little hurt he didn’t want her around. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I like your company.” He scratched at his markings and gave her a sheepish smile. “But you’re too interesting to ignore. I messed up this last time. We’re lucky you weren’t hurt worse.”
That took some sting out of his comments. Allie paused and bowed in a grand gesture. “I’ll leave you to your grand truth-serum-creating ways, my lord.”
Coal snorted and waved a hand toward her. “If only she was that respectful every day. I miss the days when she was scared stiff of us.”
She grinned. The last couple months had turned out to be fun. Well, most of the time. “I was never scared of you, just repulsed.” She sniggered and skipped toward the dressing area, a smile stretched across her face. Coal’s expression was priceless. But that smile melted when Eve pulled out her outfits.
Allie stabbed a finger at the scraps of clothing, if you could call them that. “I’m not wearing that.”
Eve rolled her eyes and gestured for Allie to come closer. “Stop being such a kit. Get over here, so I can get the glass out of your hair.”
“No, no, no, no!” Allie exclaimed. She stared into the mirror in horror. The dress was see-through. As in, everything was visible.
“Let me see it,” Eve said, her voice carrying through the heavy black material that hung around the makeshift dressing room.
“It’s vulgar,” she complained. “I’m not wearing it.”
“You come out or I’m coming in.”
“Fine, you come in, because I’m not leaving this room.”
Eve pushed through the curtains; Allie crossed one arm over her chest, and the other over the juncture of her thighs. The Av woman adjusted her black glasses and her mouth bobbed. “Well, it’s…”
Allie waved her hands around for Eve to continue.
Eve gasped. “It’s awful.”
“Thank the moons,” she said, covering herself with her hands again.
Eve retreated out of the dressing room. “You’re not wearing that one.”
“No kidding,” Allie retorted.
She stripped off the gauzy dress, kicked it unceremoniously to the corner, and snatched a shimmery golden dress from the hanger. This one was short, but at least the fabric wasn’t see-through. She pulled it over her head and wiggled into the fitted, strapless dress. It fit nice and the sweetheart cut showed off her shoulders, but that was about it. She cringed and tugged at the bottom of the dress. It barely covered her lady bits. What were these damn aliens thinking?
Carefully, she spun and gasped. There wasn’t any back to it. Now, she loved a backless dress as much as the next girl, but it was right at her butt crack, and the skirt brushed right below her butt cheeks.
“Do you have the next one on yet?” Eve called.
“Yes,” she grumbled. “But it’s not much better than the last one.”
“Can you see through it?”
“No.”
“Then come out.”
Allie gritted her teeth and poked her head out to glare at Eve. “It’s terrible.”
“Let me see.”
Reluctantly, she pushed through the curtains and held her arms out. Eve cocked her head and scanned her from head to toe.
“The cut is just right. It’s a little on the short side, but you are trying to catch a male’s attention, so it works. What’s the pr
oblem?”
She eyed the rest of the team. No one was looking her way. Quickly, she spun, flashing Eve her back and probably her butt. Eve’s eyes were wide when she spun back around.
“Your…” Eve waved her hand, “…were hanging out. That’s not the right dress.”
She jerked when a whistle cut through the air. Kale sauntered in their direction, a sexy smile on his face.
“I don’t think I’ve seen an inch of your skin before, Allie. You’ve been holding out on us. Humanity looks good.”
She rolled her eyes and skittered backward into the dressing room. “I don’t know if you realize how creepy you sound.”
He chuckled. “Any other female would have been flattered.”
A snort. “I’m not any other female.”
She roughly yanked the dress up and heard the seams pop. Hopefully they didn’t spend too much on it. There wasn’t that much fabric anyway. She tossed the golden dress on top of the other unsuitable dress and grabbed for the next.
This one took some time. There were so many straps and buckles, she thought she’d never get into it. Finally, once everything was in place, she looked into the mirror.
“This is ridiculous!” she shouted.
It was a glorified harness with a short, black flowy skirt. One wrong move and she’d flash someone.
“I’m not wearing this. It looks like something that came from a barn.” The longer she stared at it, the angrier she became. She hadn’t signed up for this. She could play the seductress, but she would not dress like a woman of the night to do it. She stormed out and halted in her tracks. The entire team had plopped themselves into the chairs surrounding the dressing room like she was their entertainment.
Coal whistled. “That’ll get his attention.”
Allie wanted to run and hide, but her feet were rooted to the floor.
“My wife wore something like that one time. It was a wild—”
“Nobody wants to know,” Zune grumbled.
She straightened and took a slow step back toward the dressing room, praying her outfit didn’t malfunction.
“It’s perfect.”
Those two little words burned through all her embarrassment. Allie glared at Lev, who stared stoically back. “What did you say?”
“It’s perfect. You’ll attract his attention.” He clapped. “Well done.”
“No, not well done,” she argued. “I’m not wearing this.”
“Yes, you are. It’s not a usual outfit,” he reasoned. Lev sketched an hourglass in the air. “But with your curves, it will garner attention.” A satisfied smile spread across his face. “The king will never know what hit him.”
She threw her hands into the air. “That’s because I’m practically naked. Did you pick this out?”
Lev shook his head and pointed at Coal and Virgil. “They did.”
Coal smirked at her and Allie rolled her eyes. “No wonder I look awful. You had men pick out my outfit.”
“Yes,” Virgil drawled. “Because it’s a man you need to attract.”
“I’m not wearing this. Not for every credit in the entire galaxy. This is my body, and I’m not sharing it with anyone I don’t want to.” She stabbed a finger at Lev. “I’m not a whore, and I won’t act like one. Not for you, my friends, or anyone else.”
“Pretty sure that’s what you signed up for when you accepted the deal.”
Allie had been avoiding Blade’s gaze but glared in his direction. He’d been a real pain in the butt the last few weeks. He was turning into as big of a jackwagon as Coal, and that was saying something. Guess it was a family trait.
“So, how do you propose to catch his attention?” Lev asked. “You need to stand out.”
An idea took root in her mind. She grinned at them. “I need something from my apartment.” She winked at Coal. “Since you’re such a fast driver, you should go get it.”
He smiled back at her. “Sure.”
Her evil side giggled in delight. “Jer has it,” she tossed over her shoulder before sauntering back into the dressing room and unbuckling one strap.
“Oh, come on, now. Don’t be cruel, Allie Sai.”
Jer hated Coal. Hated him. She took delight in irritating the Av. “Better yet, bring her with you.”
“This is a restricted Lock facility,” Blade called.
She unclipped another strap and smiled. “You know speaking to Jer about what goes on in here was in my agreement. She’s privy to everything that’s occurred so far. Stop stalling and go get her.”
“So bossy,” Virgil commented. “You give them one inch and they—”
“You finish that sentence, Virgil Bex, and I’ll tell your wife,” Eve threatened.
Allie sniggered when Virgil gasped in outrage.
“You wouldn’t be so cruel. You don’t have a mean bone in your body, Eve.”
“Try me, old man.”
“Well, I never…” Virgil sniffed.
Allie tugged at one of the straps and somehow it got tangled in another one. She yanked on it and only managed to tighten the whole thing. “Eve,” she yelled. “I’m stuck.”
Someone laughed, followed by a thud.
“Ouch, that hurt,” Coal complained loudly.
“Don’t make fun of her. You know what happened last time,” Zune warned.
She shook her head and eyed her reflection. It had started out as the worst circumstances, but amazingly, she’d found friends. She’d almost be sad when her task was complete. Almost. The thought took her by surprise. She shook her head. Only she would be sad to leave people who had blackmailed her.
“I’m such a sap,” she muttered.
“What was that?” Eve asked, pushing through the curtains.
“Nothing, just talking to myself.”
Her friend tugged on the harness dress and frowned at Allie over her shoulder. “How did you manage to get this tangled in such a short time?”
She shrugged. “It’s a gift.”
“A gift of mayhem,” Eve muttered.
“Your outfit better work, Allie, or you’re going in the black dress,” Lev said.
Eve cursed and pulled something from her pocket. A pocketknife. Both women grinned at each other. The black dress wouldn’t survive the hour.
“Sure thing,” Allie paused, her smile positively diabolical. “Sugar.”
Jer was like a summer storm. You could hear her coming from miles away.
“Get your hand off me, you filthy wretch.”
“How original,” Coal taunted.
Allie poked her head through the curtains and grinned at her best friend. Jer rolled her eyes and shoved past the white and black-haired Av, her black boots thumping across the floor. Coal’s gaze narrowed on her red-haired friend and then connected with Allie’s.
“You owe me,” he grumped.
“Let’s consider us even.”
“Even?” he demanded.
“Turnabout’s fair play. Consider that payback for the ride you gave me.” She glanced to Jer and shoved her hand out for the garment bag. “Thanks, girlie.”
Jer unceremoniously slapped the dress over her arm. “You owe me.”
Allie jerked back into her dressing room. “I sure do,” she yelled while hanging the garment bag.
“You don’t have to yell. All that’s separating us is fabric,” Jer hollered back.
“Why are you yelling, then?”
“Cuz I want to.”
Allie shook her head and unzipped the bag, pulling her dress out. Quickly she stepped into the dress and pulled the soft material over her body. She tied the straps behind her neck and pulled the side zipper up. She smiled softly into the mirror, then smoothed her hands along her sides and down the vintage dress. Absently, she traced the blue and pink floral pattern along the sweetheart neckline. She still remembered seeing this dress for the first time.
It was so pretty, it stopped her in her tracks. That day, her papa happened to be shopping with her. He was as grumpy as she was. T
hey both hated shopping, but when he noticed how she looked at the dress, he forced her to try it on. They slipped into the vintage store and it fit perfectly, accenting her toned shoulders and arms, and small waist. But when she saw the price tag, she about swallowed her tongue. She’d never forget the expression on his face when he saw her step out. His eyes had misted, and he had smiled. “Baby, you’re beautiful,” he had said.
“Are you coming out yet?” Lev complained. “We don’t have all night.”
Allie jolted out of her memory and swallowed over the lump in her throat. Stars above, she missed her papa. She pulled the blue closed-toe pumps out of the bag and slipped her feet into them. She twisted back and forth, the full skirt just brushing her knees. Every time she wore it, she felt like a princess. She rolled her shoulders back, smoothed her dress once more, and pushed through the curtain. Allie threw her hands out and spun.
All speaking ceased.
Her smile faded as she faced the crowd. She shifted in her heels, a little self-conscious at all the staring. “Do you like it?” she forced herself to ask.
“Beauty, lead, and I will follow,” Blade breathed. He snapped his mouth shut and crossed his muscular arms across his broad chest.
Allie’s face heated while she gaped at the usually stoic Av. Virgil slapped him on the back and grinned at her.
“You look beautiful.”
“She sure does.” Kale winked at her. “Who knew you had all that hiding underneath your suits.”
Coal and Jer zeroed in on the Kanji at the same time. Allie winced as both smacked him.
Carefully, she looked to Lev, who had stayed silent. His turquoise gaze flickered over her and then met her gaze.
“So, what do you think?” she asked.
“It’s different. I don’t know if it will work.”
Her nervousness evaporated. Time to sell it.
She straightened to her full height and cocked a hip. “Different is what we’re looking for.” Allie gathered up her courage and began strutting in front of the group. “Alluring and sexy are not synonymous with being naked or showing skin. Modesty can be more enticing than bare skin. Take, for instance, the slope of the neck and shoulder.” She trailed a finger down her neck and shoulder. “This line leads to other intriguing things. It’s about teasing, leaving them wanting more.” She paused and gestured to her legs. “My legs look longer and slimmer. They draw the eye.”