About Off World: Ceremony

by Stephanie Vaughan
13 pages / 4400 words
Available file types - html, lit, pdf, prc

Join Cal and Sarhaan on another adventure! The boys from the Off World novels are out to play, with Cal on a scavenger hunt, sent by Saarhan to find all manner of gifts to tempt him. Once Cal gathers up all of the things he needs, he goes to find his lover, who has plans for a night Cal can't even imagine in his wildest dreams. What kind of ceremony will these two get up to?

Sample

Doradus Station - 2133

“Take this card and go to 411 Miranda Street.  They know what to do.”

Cal stood outside the business located at the address given on the card, gazing doubtfully up at the sign on the window.  Flynn’s -- Custom-made. 

Great.  Custom-made what?

He didn’t get to this section of Doradus Station very often.  This was only his second time there, as a matter of fact—the first time being an after-dinner stroll following an evening out for Sarhaan and him.  Miranda Street was for people with money, credits to burn, and that wasn’t him.  Not these days anyway.

So why had Sarhaan sent him here?

When he pushed the door open, an old-fashioned bell jangled, alerting the shop owner to his presence.  Stepping out from behind a drapery hung doorway, a short, voluptuous dark-haired woman approached the counter that ran the length of the shop and leaned on an elbow.  Propping her chin on one hand, she gave Cal a through perusal up and down.  “You could only be Caleb.”

“What makes you say that?”  He’d been sent, so it wasn’t a huge stretch.  Still…  It never hurt to see what information people were willing to volunteer.

The woman smiled at him and cocked a brow.  “You were described.  And pretty accurately, too, I’d say.”

“I was, huh?”  Her smile somehow implied that they shared a secret between them, although Cal couldn’t for the life of him figure out either how they could or what it might be.  “By whom?”

“By your boyfriend.  I’m Caroline, by the way and this is my place.”

“My boyfriend?”  It still gave Cal a little thrill to be able to say those words.  Once upon a time he’d thought he’d have to go his whole life hiding who he was, but since coming to Doradus with Sarhaan and the crew of the Vigilant, a lot of things in his life had changed.  “So who’s Flynn, then?”

“That’d be me, of course.”

“Of course,” Caleb nodded agreeably.  Caroline’s grin was infectious and Cal found himself grinning back at her.  “Why ‘of course’?”

Shrugging, Caroline came around the end of the counter, coming to stand an arm’s length from Cal.  “Because it’s my place and because people can be funny about these things.  Certain things they only want to get from a man, so I want the name neutral sounding.  But I know I can do the best job, so I’m only acting in their best interests, you understand.”

“Is that so?”

“Would I lie?”  Caroline slanted him a sidelong look and smiled.

Cal smiled back.  “Would I call you on it if you did?”

“Good answer.”  It was Caroline’s turn to nod as she reached out to run a finger down the lapel of Cal’s jacket.  “I can tell we’re going to get along just fine.  So, c’mon.  Follow me, hon.”