Page 40 of Stars in Halo

Her mind whirled as he stared at her face so close to his.

She bucked in his embrace as her eyes spotted sight of her purse, which had fallen a few feet behind him.

‘My bag,’ she whispered.

He turned his head to retrieve it, and in that moment, Katya managed to slip the ruby into her mouth covertly.

When he whipped his head back, she served him with a smile.

Which began an impressive series of tricks to hide the prize gem.

First, a sneeze delivered it from her hands and into her small bag, where it bulged, needing an alternative hiding place.

She slid the clutch out of view below the table, and in her lap, she wrapped the gemstone in a tissue she had removed from her purse.

‘You OK?’ Xion murmured, with concern in his glowing meta gaze.

‘I will be,’ she breathed, patting her hair down with her free hand. ‘I’ll even be better when I have that drink you promised in my hand.’

He gave her a narrowed look, lips turning up.

When he rose to get a drink from the bar, she waited for a beat before slipping the wrapped gem between her breasts.

Studying him at the counter, bosom heaving, she wondered whether he’d caught the entire juggling act.

Fokk, it’d been a close call.

That was why she had to be on her A-game with this man; she could not be sure his stumble had not been deliberate.

But how would he have known about the heist?

She bristled, perplexed emotions running riot through her.

She wanted to run from it all but couldn’t escape yet.

Not until she had what she needed from him.

Xion went on a charm offensive.

The bar was the perfect setting for it.

It helped that the fine liquor put him in the right mood and the woman in question as sexy as fokk.

He brought back a bottle of rare whisky for himself and the bubbliest of top-shelf champagne for her.

He poured with a liberal hand.

Katya was a stunning woman, and he sensed her relax as he unleashed his charisma.

She responded with laughs and smiles that weren’t saucy, fake or unreal.

As they bantered back and forth, Xion steered the conversation away from sensitive topics like heists, robberies and the gem nestled in between her lush tits.

Soon, her husky laugh echoed in the room as he shared stories of his adventures running security for Eden II.

He sensed Katya’s walls beginning to crack as he manipulated their chat, luring her in with his enticing yarns.

‘You’re quite the storyteller, Sable,’ Katya remarked with a hint of admiration as she leaned in closer, her guard lowered for a moment.

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