Dancing the Stars

Excerpt

Sluggish senses burst into full alert and indescribable inner heat flooded through her when she noticed the occupant of the lean-to. He crouched with his wide back to her, a long braid centered between his shoulder blades. Deep purple tints glinted where the light hit the braid.

A startled gasp passed her lips when the muscles in his legs lifted him fluidly to standing. Irisa stared dry-mouthed at those muscles. The movement of his turn drew her gaze up past his broad chest to his face. He wore nothing but a brief loincloth--and a timid smile. One long-fingered hand gestured toward the light.

The man frowned, his face a mask of concentration. "Welcome. It is warm." The words were enunciated carefully and slowly in a deep and resonate voice. Surprise flooded through Irisa. The language was the same as hers, only his intriguing accent making it different. How was that possible? Did he come from…? He held out his large hand to her, effectively halting her internal questions. "Enter. Please?"

A wall of warm air brushed her face when she took a small step forward. The wind whistled at her back, lifted her short hair away from her neck and forced snow under her collar. Irisa shivered and glanced behind her. The animal that had guided her there sat back on its haunches, lifted a short muzzle to the sky and howled. The sound filled her with remarkable, unexpected joy.

Even while she told herself strange men on even stranger planets should be avoided, her hand lifted toward him. The light lured her closer and she let him wrap his fingers around hers and pull her completely into the blessed warmth of the lean-to.

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