Adiron (Corsair Brothers 1)

Jade runs her fingers through her wild hair, pushing it back, and ignores my laughter. "Got a belt, you giant?"

I turn to the closet and dig around, looking for a spare. I hear her movements—humans really are loud in everything they do—and I know she's heading for the mattress, looking for a blaster. She can take it if it makes her feel less worried. I'm not afraid of her shooting me. It'd probably just make me fall more head over heels for her.

I do love a difficult female.

When I close the closet, I see her adjusting the front of her borrowed clothing, puffing it out, no doubt to hide my blaster that she's got stuffed in there. "I'd use the belt," I point out as I hold it out to her. "I have a holster for that blaster. Don't tuck it into your underclothes or you'll shoot a hole in places that shouldn't be shot."

She looks at me with that too calm gaze, her eyes narrowed. "Why are you giving me a weapon?"

"Because you're my guest?"

"I've heard that line before. It didn't involve me being anyone's guest."

I can just imagine, and my blood boils at how she's probably been mistreated. "I figure if you were going to kill me, you'd have done so already, back on your ship. If it makes you feel better, carry my weapon. Just try not to shoot the a'ani. They really are decent males."

She reluctantly digs into the front of her clothing and then pulls out my blaster. "And your brothers?"

"Not all that decent, but I promise on my balls that they won't harm you."

"And the one in black? Straik?"

I grin. "Him, you can shoot."

She grins back, a genuine grin, and I'm utterly dazzled. This female is so keffing beautiful. Her smile fades as she catches me watching her, and she tilts her head, then considers the blaster in her hand. "I wonder if I should shoot you? Considering you got me drunk so you could wring secrets out of me."

"It wouldn't be the first time an angry female shot me the morning after a drunken bender," I joke. It actually would be, but it sounds good.

Jade just shakes her head at me. "Are you ever serious?"

"Not if I can help it. That's Mathiras's job."

"One of your brothers?"

"Tallest one," I agree. "Looks constipated."

"Probably because he's dealing with your shit," she quips.

Aaaaand I'm in love all over again.

I give her another lovesick grin, and she just rolls her eyes at me, putting the blaster in her belt. "Quit looking at me like that. Anyone ever tell you that you have a rotten poker face?"

"My sister Zoey. Like, a dozen times." I follow her back out of my room and put a hand to the small of her back to guide her. Jade jerks in surprise, watching me, but relaxes when I don't touch her more than that. "She also says I can clear a room with a belch, but that's a lie. Kaspar is much, much worse with that sort of thing."

"Charming."

I actually do wish I was more charming in this moment. Kaspar can be pretty suave when he wants to be, and Mathiras is good with ladies. Me, I just grin like a fool…kind of like I am right now. Not that I've ever really cared about getting a lady-friend, but now that I do, my goofy smile isn't doing me any favors. Jade's shooting me wary looks, like she expects me to pounce on her. I guess I can't blame her…I did get her drunk and trick her. "Can I ask you something?"

The expression on her face has “uh oh” written all over it. "What?"

"How do you and I become friends?"

Her mouth flattens for the barest of moments. "You're very direct, aren't you?"

"I don't know another way to be." I shrug. "I'm not a good pirate for my smarts. I'm good because I'm loyal and I like to run into danger. Mathiras and Kaspar are the smart ones."

"Mmmmhmm."

"So…how? Because I want to be your friend."

Jade keeps walking, her gaze on the hall in front of us, but she gives her head the tiniest, rueful shake. "That cat might be out of the bag. I don't know if I can trust you."

"So…" I continue, not willing to give up. "How do I put that cat back in the bag? Also, what's a cat?"

Her lips twitch, and a hint of a smile curves her lush mouth. All right. If we can't be friends right off the bat, then maybe I can win her over with jokes. Maybe what Jade has needed all her life is a big goofy idiot like myself who doesn't take anything too seriously and loves a good time. Maybe she needs someone like me so she can have a good time, too. So she can relax a little bit because she knows I've got her back.