Page 3 of Sterling Stone

“Words are powerful things.”

“They certainly can be.” I’ve heard the best and worst of words. Both have hurt me in the end.

Shaking the negative thoughts, I note that she’s slightly shorter than me, slim with wider hips. The perfect notch at her waist looks like an exact fit for my hands.

I shut down that thought as well.

Another moment of us staring at each other passes before I watch the column of her throat roll when she clears it.

“Well, thanks for the dance.”

I chuckle in reference to our one-two misstep and scratch at the back of my neck. Pivoting a half pace to my right, allowing her the path forward down the hallway, I point in the opposite direction.

“I’ll go this way, I guess,” I state, uncertain why I’ve tacked on that disclaimer. Like I’m not ready to leave her when there’s no reason to stay in this hallway.

“And I’ll go that way.” She flops the book forward, using it to point her direction.

I wave my hand, allowing her to go first so we don’t have any more left-right dancing or head knocking.

As she passes me, I watch her move. The subtle sway of those hips. The brush of a long skirt in multiple layers that reaches her ankles. The fit of her long-sleeved shirt outlines her waist.

She moves with grace.

“Have a good night,” I call after her, struggling to make my own feet move over the smooth carpet and away from this beautiful creature.

I’m aware I have somewhere to be, and she is headed in the opposite direction, presumably to her hotel room.

Is this what is meant when worlds collide but ricochet into the night?

Maybe it’s more like that elusive moment. A brief glance. A possible chance.

And then the moment is gone.

She spins to face me one final time, walking backwards and holding up the book, waving it gently in the air. Her mouth slowly curls, and she digs her teeth into her lower lip again. “I will,” she says in response to my wishing her a good night. “The story just reached an unexpected plot twist.”

She winks and turns away from me one final time.

With heat in my cheeks, I shake my head. She was definitely flirty with me.

And if I didn’t have a commitment, I might ask her if she’d like to grab a drink.

Instead, I resolutely spin in the opposite direction, edging closer to the elevator bank with every step. When I reach the short hallway, I pause, giving her one last glance.

Wondering if I’m about to walk away from an unexpected plot twist.

2

[Taxi]

Chewing on my lower lip, I fight the urge to giggle.

That might have been the strangest moment of my life.

It’d been my fault we collided. Nose stuck in a book, like I said. Escaping to other worlds. Living out a fictional couple’s romance. Seeking adventure . . . of the sexy sort.

I can only assume he wasn’t paying attention to where he was walking, either. He’d had his phone in his hand, but I somehow doubt he was reading about sensual encounters with aliens.

To my surprise, the second he clutched my arms to steady me, I didn’t bristle like I normally would. He caught me so quickly, I don’t think he was even aware he touched me. And thankfully, he did, or I would have landed on my ass. I’m typically not a fan of unexpected, unanticipated touches. However, a strange energy zinged down my arms and tingled all the way to my fingertips. Beneath the strength of his palms, a sense of calm blanketed my body after the initial shock. Like the first stroke of warm blue in the sky on a new day.