His green gaze settled on Brinn. “Well, my lady. Shall we allow ourselves to be kidnapped?”
Surprise skated through her. “After you.”
As the girl tugged him away, he reached out and grabbed Brinn’s hand. She tried to pull her hand back, but he held fast.
Damn it, she didn’t want to cause a fuss. She let herself be pulled along and worked to ignore the sensation of being so close to him.
They didn’t go far. He jerked to a halt and Brinn bumped into his broad back.
“Now you must honor Fria,” the little girl pronounced, pointing above them.
Oh, no. With dread churning in her gut, Brinn looked up. Sure enough, a small bunch of mistel, with its green leaves and white berries, hung above them on a wooden arch.
“Who’s Fria?” Savan asked.
The girl bounced on her heels. “The wife of Odinn. Goddess of the frost but also goddess of love. Now you kiss.”
If things had been different, Brinn would have laughed at the surprise on Savan’s features. The girl’s excited face looked up at them expectantly.
Brinn waited for Savan to disappoint the girl, but when he gripped Brinn’s wrist, she gasped.
“The Code of Conduct says a negotiator must follow the customs of the world he’s visiting.” His hands slid up her arms.
“Bardan—”
He tugged her close to his body. “I wouldn’t want to insult your goddess.”
She felt small beside this man. Protected. Feminine. She pressed her gloved hands to his chest, trying to keep some distance between them. He was a merciless trader, and because of him she’d lost so much. He was a cold man with no feelings.
Except after watching him drink glogg, give an apology and humor a small girl, Brinn wasn’t so sure her first impression of him was correct.
He pulled her closer, until the scent of him filled her senses. Pure male. He smelled like warm skin and the sea breezes she’d smelled on the ocean planet, Duna. And under it a darker, intoxicating scent that was all Savan.
He tilted her head back. “One quick kiss. For tradition’s sake.”
This was nothing but business. He was just following the rules. Odinn, the man was tall. They were just keeping a little girl happy.
His head lowered, and in her mind, Brinn cursed herself as weak. Because despite everything, despite what she blamed this man for, she desperately wanted to feel his lips on hers.
Chapter Three
Savan was shocked at the desire coursing through him. Desire for this icy Perman negotiator.
He rubbed a strand of her golden hair between his fingers. Hated that he was wearing gloves and couldn’t feel the silk of it.
She lifted her face and her cheeks were flushed, her blue eyes glowing.
The young girl and the Code of Conduct were just excuses. He wanted to taste this woman.
Before he could examine his motivations, he leaned down until their lips were a whisper apart. He smelled the spicy fragrance of wine on her lips. She sucked in a breath, her fingers gripping his suit.
Then he kissed her.
She was stiff at first, her body rigid against him, her mouth closed. But as he teased her lips, traced them with his tongue and slid an arm around her waist, she started to melt.
Her slim body leaned into the shelter of him, and he felt the press of slim curves and small, high breasts. Rendarian women were shorter, curvier, and Brinn’s long, lean contrast made her all the more alluring.
Desperate for her taste, he deepened the kiss. Her mouth opened and he swept his tongue inside. Then she gripped his arms and kissed him back.
Heat roared through Savan. Desire was a sharp ache that begged for more of her. Every day he contained himself, controlled his reactions at the trade table. The only time he let it loose was on the all-too-rare occasion he took a woman to bed.
Now he wanted Brinn Fjord naked beneath him, her long legs wrapped around his waist. He slid his hands under her heavy coat, anxious to feel her skin.
“Wow, Brinn, way to build Perman-Rendarian relations.”
The sharp female voice crashed through the haze of passion. It was followed by a child’s giggle.
Savan and Brinn jerked away from each other.
He was breathing heavily, and she swiped a hand across her mouth.
The action made his gut spasm. Like she wanted to wipe away the taste of him.
The little girl clapped her hands. “That’s the best kiss so far.”
A tall woman stood nearby with a hand on the girl’s shoulder. She looked at Brinn with a grin, but when she turned to Savan, the smile melted away.
She was rugged up in a short gray coat, navy blue cargo pants and scarred boots. Her short blond hair just peeked out from beneath a black woolen hat.
“If I’d known this was what trade negotiation involved, I might have joined the Guild instead of becoming a mining engineer.”
“Elin, what are you doing here?” Brinn didn’t sound happy to see the woman.
“Just enjoying Yule’s Eve like everyone else.” Elin let her gaze drift between Brinn and Savan. “Not as much as you though.”
Brinn fiddled with her beret. “Elin, this is Negotiator Bardan. Bardan, this is my cousin, Elin Soland. She works at the ice mines.”
“A pleasure to meet you, Ms. Soland.”
Her eyes were a solid blue, shades brighter than her cousin’s, but no more friendly. She crossed her arms over her chest. “I know who you are, Bardan. I lost an uncle because of you.”
Savan frowned, not certain what she was talking about.
Brinn rushed forward. “Enough, Elin. We need to meet the elders.”
The girl tugged on Savan’s leg. “You honored Fria well. You must be in love.” She shoved something into his hands.
As Brinn shooed off her cousin and the girl, Savan stared blankly at the bunch of leaves and berries that had started all this. Love. That was a concept as foreign as families.
People on Rendar had given up marriage and monogamous relationships a long time ago. A few entered into partnership contracts to protect their assets, but contracts were easily created and even more easily dissolved.
No, all he felt for Brinn Fjord was a desire hotter than the fusion crystals he was here to buy.
The thought of the crystals had him straightening. He should be focused on the trade deal, not Brinn’s lush lips and slim body.
Kolar had suggested Savan seduce her, but his boss probably hadn’t thought Savan would be so lost in the seduction that he couldn’t think straight.
Brinn stood. “The elders are waiting.” She didn’t look at him.
“Brinn—”
“You don’t need to say anything.” She strode through the crowd.
So she wanted to ignore what happened? Well, he couldn’t agree more, but he still felt stung. “About that kiss—”
She waved a hand in the air. “Nothing more than a Yule tradition to keep a young one happy.”
That was it, was it? “It was a hell of a kiss to be just that.”
“What the hell do you want from me, Bardan?” She looked at him now, her eyes glinting. “You’ve got the right to first-offer. I’m going to deal with you.”
Savan wanted to curse. The past would always lie between them. She’d never forget that he was one of the traders who had delayed Perma’s membership.
“Look, let’s just get this damn deal done.” Her glance was frigid. “Tomorrow’s Yule and I plan to spend it with my family. I just want you gone.”
Jaw tight, Savan followed her into the center of the square. She wanted him gone. Well, he wanted to be gone too. With an e-record of a deal for the crystals in his hand.
The meeting with the elders was as cold as the temperat
ure. They were polite but eyed him with cool distrust.
“Elder Jorde, Elder Stian and Elder Marit.” Brinn gestured to each. “May I present Negotiator Bardan of Rendar.”
“Rendar.” Elder Jorde sniffed. He was painfully thin with hair the color of fresh snow.
The other two elders showed their age, as well. Elder Marit was a graceful woman with a serene face full of wrinkles, and Elder Stian was tall, with hair the color of mixed spices.
These elders’ faces showed the wear and tear of their lives. Another thing Savan saw only on other worlds. On Rendar, hair and skin could be manipulated to maintain its youth.
“It’s my pleasure to be here.” He lowered his head in respect.
“I’m sure you find little pleasure on our ice world. Gods-forsaken, your people call it, don’t they?” Elder Stian asked.
Savan didn’t possess the charm of some traders, who let lies slip silkily off their tongues like used tradeship dealers hawking their wares with galaxy-wide smiles. He preferred truth. It was the soldier in him. “Some.”
“And what do you think of our world, Negotiator Bardan?” Elder Marit’s dark blue eyes were piercing.
“I’ve never been to an ice world before.” He couldn’t help it when his gaze lingered on Brinn before scanning the light-lit square. “It’s beautiful.”
The female elder glanced at Brinn with a smile before nodding. “I hope you find the ice mines and their crystals as fascinating.”
They made some further small talk before Brinn and Savan finally left for the transport.
“You did well,” Brinn said. “With the elders.”
“I didn’t realize it was a test.”
“Not officially. But these people have owned this land for centuries. They could have made things difficult.”
“And they’ll share their profits with everyone on Perma?”
“Yes. It’s our way.” She slowed. “That’s not how it is on Rendar, right?”
He snorted. “It’s about as opposite to Rendar as possible. Everyone on my planet lives to find the maximum individual fulfillment. We spend much of our lives dedicated to reaching the pinnacle of success in our careers. And—” he let his gaze run over the clean lines of her face, unmarked by the paints of Rendarian women, “—indulge our every pleasure and desire in the name of personal experience.”
She bit down on her lip. “Sounds selfish.”
“It is. Self-interest is the cornerstone of Rendarian life.”
“Well, it’s no wonder you don’t have holidays. It’s all about spending time with others. Giving. Sharing.”
Savan wondered, just for second, what it would be like to have someone to share things with. Someone to give gifts to. Someone to laugh with him.
He scowled. That kind of life wasn’t for him. He didn’t laugh. Becoming Rendar’s head negotiator, that’s what would fulfill him.
Brinn would be here eating and laughing with her family. He’d be back on Rendar. Working to forget the horrors of his past. Alone. As he’d always been. He liked being alone.
A few hours in the company of one prickly Perman woman wouldn’t make him doubt his life.
* * *
Snow was falling thick and heavy.
Brinn gripped the wheel, her gaze glued to the windshield. The temperature outside was dropping and ice was forming on the road. She couldn’t wait until they reached the mine.
She ignored Bardan. As much as she could. His presence dominated the small confines of the transport.
And that kiss kept creeping into the front of her mind.
Fria, she was as bad as a syrena bird in heat. Wanting a man who was as cold as the ice forming outside. A man she didn’t like.
Except he’d protected her from the tank blast without even thinking. He’d enjoyed the Yule fair in Skeolan and even indulged a young girl after he admitted to knowing nothing about children.
Brinn had seen hints of the man beneath the cool.
No. She had Savan Bardan pegged. She’d nursed the image of the cold, arrogant trader through many a dark day since her father died.
She didn’t want that image shattered.
Her fingers dug hard into the wheel. Just a few hours. Then he’d be gone.
“The weather’s turned foul,” he noted.
The red lights from the dash cast shadows over his angular face. “This time of year, the mountains can throw anything at you.” She peered through the windshield and saw only the flurries of snow pouring out the darkness. “Black ice, blizzards, avalanches.”
“Nice.”
She detected the faintest whiff of sarcasm in his almost-expressionless tone. She smiled. “Don’t worry. The onboard computer will detect any hazards before we hit them. We’re entirely safe.”
“Tell me about the mines.”
“The huge caverns are stunning. The crystals form from the roof. It’s really cold, far below freezing. The miners do very short shifts to withstand the extreme temperature.” She was running on, but at least talking stopped thoughts of this man burrowing farther into her head.
“Do you have the capacity to expand production if our deal requires it?”
“Yes. But we won’t compromise the environment. We have stringent regulations to ensure we don’t unbalance or pollute the ecosystem.”
He nodded. “It seems you’ve spent a great deal on ensuring you look after the Perman environment.”
It was the one advantage that had come from being forced to wait for their Guild membership. They learned from the mistakes of many other planets and formulated strong regulations to protect their own. “We used the last few years wisely.”
He turned in his seat. “That’s why I pushed to delay Perma’s membership.”
Her stomach did an uncomfortable somersault. “You held us back. Intentionally.”
“Yes.”
One easy word said without a single regret. “Damn you.” She slammed a hand against the wheel. “What right did you have to do that?”
“The right that comes with time and experience.”
“We could have had so much tech earlier. Offered our people more opportunities. Saved lives.”
He leaned across the center console and gripped her arm. “I’ve seen too many worlds implode from an inrush of tech they weren’t ready for.”
“Worlds need to make those decisions for themselves.”
“Not all of them are as sensible as yours.” His green gaze almost singed her skin. “Don’t you think Perma would have aerial traffic and, gods know, a bunch of other tech that could have destroyed your delicate environment?”
She turned away, looking forward but seeing nothing. A burn of something tore through her. Fria, no, she would not agree with the man. But she knew Perma would have made different decisions than they had.
Brinn gripped on to the anger and grief she kept simmering inside her. “Because of your high-handed decision, my father died four stellar years ago. Of Nailan Pox.”
She heard Bardan draw a breath.
She stared straight ahead, tears burning in her eyes. “A disease your precious Rendar eradicated decades ago.”
“I’m sorry you lost your father.”
“I don’t want your sympathy.” She looked at him now. Unashamed of her tears. “Do you admit you made the wrong decision?”
He held her gaze. “No.”
She shook her head. “I should have known.” She spat the words. “Rendar always knows best.”
“Eight years ago, I sold the B’naari noxanium.”
Her stomach turned to lead. The B’naari had gone on to create weapons so powerful, they not only destroyed their world but all the inhabited moons circling their planet.
“Twelve billion people died.” His voice was bar
ely more than a harsh whisper. “All because I pushed for their admittance to the Guild, knowing I could sell them cargoship after cargoship of noxanium ore.”
She didn’t know what to say. She’d been so lost in her grief, she’d never, ever considered Bardan had a motivation beyond arrogance. “Perma isn’t B’naar.”
“No. But none of us knew that five years ago.”
Brinn felt like she’d been cut open. That the ground beneath her was rolling and pitching and she couldn’t find her balance.
“I want to find a deal that benefits both our worlds, Brinn.”
She wanted to believe him. “Let’s wait until you see the crystals. Negotiations can wait for the trade table.”
They drove in silence, but Brinn noticed every little thing about Bardan. It was like she’d become attuned to his smallest actions. Mostly he sat straight and silent. She’d never met a more self-contained and disciplined man. But she noticed the way his eyes sometimes strayed her way.
As they entered the tightest hairpin turns in the road, she was forced to turn her attention back to driving.
A small warning beep sounded from the dash.
“Warning.” A modulated computer voice. “Obstacle on road ahead.”
“Shit.” Brinn gripped the wheel, slowing the transport. “Computer, activate spotlights.”
Bright lights mounted on the transport roof flared to life.
And illuminated a transport-sized chunk of ice in the center of the road.
Brinn just reacted.
She wrenched the wheel and the transport veered wildly. The ice chunk scraped the side of the vehicle with a screech of metal.
“Keep it steady.” Savan’s voice was unruffled. “Stay calm.”
Heart in her throat, she managed to get the transport straight again. Then the vehicle slid, the wheels losing traction.
Black ice.
The transport spun sideways. Sliding. Sliding.
They veered perilously close to the edge of the road.
The darkness cloaked what she knew was a sickening drop into the valley below.
“Odinn and Fria.” Her hands shook as she fought the vehicle for control. Her pulse rate tripled, her heart rapping hard against her ribs.
A Galactic Holiday Page 22