Page 45 of The Edge of Dawn

Tight—his arm.

Bare skin, broad chest, and rippling muscle.

The warm wind whipping all around them.

And the roar of engines—strangely muted and alien-sounding because they were alien.

She closed her eyes. She couldn’t bear to look anymore. They were so high above the ground, just hanging there, the thin metal cable hauling them up at impossible speed.

It was so thin and flimsy-looking, and Dragek just trusted it would hold them both? She braced, anticipating the snap, the fall…

But it never came.

And his grip on her never relented, even when she stiffened and clung to him so tightly she might crush him, her legs wrapped around his like a clamp.

All of a sudden, the noise stopped. They were somewhere silent and cool, and the warm rush of the wind and the gentle burn of the sun on her face—those familiar things were gone.

He set her down on a solid surface.

She became aware of the pounding inside her chest and the harsh rasp of her breath. She became aware of the excruciating pain in her foot and in her hand and his overwhelming presence…

Still wrapped around her.

Slowly, she opened her eyes…

And came face-to-face with his overwhelming presence.

They were in a dim cabin of sorts, a quiet, empty space illuminated with soft blue light. The walls and ceiling were pitch-black, organically curved like the inside of a seed pod.

The dark background only accentuated his pale, silvery features. His obsidian eyes gleamed in the faint blue light, framed by long, dark lashes that were surprisingly delicate.

Her arms were still wrapped around his neck. Through the thin cotton of her shirt, she could feel his smooth, bare skin, his warmth, the steady rise and fall of his chest.

Her heart was hammering wildly, and her breaths were shallow and rapid, as if she’d just sprinted around the block.

He was completely unaffected, as cold and calm as still, icy water.

Could anything faze this guy?

“Don’t be alarmed,” he said quietly. “We’re on a small cruiser bound for the Darkstar facility on Earth. This might look different to what you’re used to, but there’s nothing sinister about it.”

“I…” She looked around, trying to make sense of the ship, hardly believing she was here—on an actual alien ship. “Are we moving?”

“We are.”

“Wow. It’s so quiet.”

“It has superior sound-dampening technology.” One corner of his mouth curved upwards, betraying his amusement. “This is a fairly ordinary ship.”

Jade felt a strange ripple: warm, faintly tingling, and not entirely unpleasant, as if she’d been engulfed by magical energy. It danced across her skin, raising goosebumps on her arms. It traced down her spine and swirled through her belly, fluttering through her chest and sending a frisson of heat between her thighs.

They were so close.

So close she could feel his raw, physical power against her tired, aching body. And suddenly, she didn’t feel so tired anymore, almost as if she’d absorbed some of his dark energy.

So close she could smell him—crisp, clear, undeniably masculine. Some highly irrational part of her wanted to bury her nose in the hollow of his neck and inhale him.

No. What?

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