Starlight Cowboy

By Stephanie Beck

From the storybook of the stars.

A groundbreaking mission to the moons of Jupiter should have been Annalina's big ticket for advancement, but instead of captaining her own ship, she's second fiddle to Shields Albright.

Playboy, adventurer, immature.

Shields has been called it all, but really, he just wants to fly and hasn’t spent a lot of time on his social skills. Mutual attraction grows as the walls of the space ship close in, and they come to an arrangement that satisfies them both, while allowing them professional distance. The distance doesn’t last, not as they grow to understand themselves...and each other as someone who just fits.

Not all is as it should be among the stars.

Their ship is attacked, and the moons of Jupiter are not exactly untouched when they finally arrive. The little world they’ve built high above terra firma is about to smack down in the middle of a dangerous, maybe even deadly, reality. If Shields didn't attract trouble like fireflies on a bug zapper, the two might have an actual shot at true love.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Decadent Publishing
• Release date: Oct 3, 2014
• ISBN: 9781613337431

Book preview

The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of a copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by fines and federal imprisonment.

Please purchase only authorized electronic editions and do not participate in, or encourage, the electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Starlight Cowboy

Smashwords Edition

Copyright © 2014 by Stephanie Beck

ISBN: 978-1-61333-743-1

Cover art by Syneca Featherstone

All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work, in whole or in part, in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means now known or hereafter invented, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher.

Published by Decadent Publishing Company, LLC

Look for us online at:

www.decadentpublishing.com

Decadent Publishing Beyond Fairytales

Once Upon a Marriage

A Riddle for Love

Operation Owl

Darkest Magic

You Belong to Me

Coming Soon!

Taliasman

Razor

Saving Sultan

Hunter’s Mark

Her Real Life Hero

Also by Stephanie Beck

Panties Optional

Home to Hellas

Alice’s Dragon

Smut & Spurs Series

Box of 1Night Stands

Starlight Cowboy

by

Stephanie Beck

A Beyond Fairytales Adaptation of

The Sun Brings it to Light

~Dedication~

For my fantasy story-loving mother.

The Storyteller

Nicodemus opened the book, marveling at the creak and moan of the heavy pages.

So many stories started thusly, but the truth always came to light. Did lessons always need to be so difficult to start—requiring such groaning and hesitance?

A map of the stars for the first page.

At one time, all the stories began with a look to the stars, a hope for something just beyond reach.

The next page held light, iridescent, and glowing with power from within.

What did it mean, this light? What would come of it?

The next page, darkness.

Not even the twinkle of stars to alleviate the deepest vestiges of the soul. Could anything find its way out of such darkness? Was there any relief from the black when it had you by the heart?

One more page, ah, the start.

Two faces—one bright with hope, the other guarded with caution. Would the light set them free? Or would the darkness forever drag them apart?

Once Upon a Time…

Chapter One

Candlelight flickered all around, illuminating the otherwise dark, warm room. Annalina needed this, the comfortable quiet combined with human touch, though the human toucher could hurry her ass up.

The clinic door slid open and closed. Annalina relaxed into the massage table pillow. About time you sauntered in, Missy.

Best friends since grade school, Annalina and Missy had long since perfected their banter. Since they were both married to their jobs, Annalina as an air-ship captain, Missy as a doctor, they saw each other when Missy needed to travel or when Annalina needed a checkup or massage.

Sorry, princess. You’re not the only one on my schedule. With three flights going out to the Jupiter moon, I have to sign a lot of paperwork. But I’m done now.

Annalina didn’t have to watch to know Missy glided through her usual routine. Hand wash, lotion, warm blankets, hot stones, and oil all set up to make the ninety-minute massage everything it could be. This would be the last one Annalina would have for two years. The Jupiter moon mission—even in their stellar airships—would take months to get there. Then, depending on what they found, they might have another chunk of time on the moderately habitable space before making the long trek home. This massage would be enjoyed.

So, what does your mother say about this mission? Missy lit another row of candles. This time, Annalina watched, the increasing glow inviting her mind to focus on the tiny flickers. Fire, once so vital to life, had become an obsolete technology. But no hologram compared to the real, calming nature of candlelight, which was why Missy still used it.

Well, you know my mother. She neglected to mention having Devon’s four kids for the day when she invited me for lunch. We ended up taking care of them more than talking. I told her I was leaving for a few years. She gave me the standard ‘you’ll never find a man’ line, and little Maurice threw up on the couch. Then I left.

Give her another chance, Missy said. I think she’s overwhelmed by getting exactly what she always said she wanted.

Well, we’ll talk about it again when I return. Annalina closed her eyes. By then, maybe she’ll have forgotten about me. She’ll treat me like she does all the random strangers she meets. We’ll be besties.

Oh Anna, be patient with her. You know she’s not that bad. Now, are we doing this medically necessary massage or are you going to continue your pity party? If it is the second, I need to get some booze.

Pity party over. Annalina ran her pinched finger and thumb across her lips. I’ve zipped these suckers. Now rub.

Missy laughed. Annalina would have continued being sassy but the warm oil hit her skin, and all she could do was moan. The military paid for one medicinal massage per year. Annalina preferred one every few months, but hadn’t made the time. When she and Anderson had broken up, she should have scheduled with Missy. Instead, she’d thrown herself into work. The upside—she’d gotten the notice of the higher ups to go to on the Jup moon mission. The downsides were too many to count.

How are you since Anderson proved to be an asshole? Missy asked as she smoothed oil across Annalina’s shoulders.

Busy. Working a lot. I don’t see him often. Which is good. The twit shouldn’t have captured so much of her heart, and, in retrospect, he hadn’t. But, for two months, she’d had someone to talk to, someone to touch. Once he was gone again, she’d missed the way she felt having someone special. But it wasn’t meant to be.

You know he’s going to Jupiter, right?

Of course I know. I have a meeting after this for the express intent of not being paired with that jerk. Or Shields.

Missy set hot stones down the line of Annalina’s spine. Which leaves Ellen and Aaron. The odds are pretty high you’ll get Shields or Anderson. The higher ups always pair a male and female to balance things out and, you know, for reproductive reasons.

So stupid. Annalina rolled her eyes. Just because it worked out on the Mars mission, does not mean all airships need to be paired for reproduction. Aren’t we all given the repro shots anyway? That ensures five years of breeding impossibility.

Except you. Missy patted her butt. My darling allergic friend. I do agree with you, though. There’s no science behind the pairings these days, just sentiment from way back when. But you have to admit, it’s pretty romantic.

I admit nothing and counter with—it’s stupid.

Okay, quiet. We’re on to the soothing massage part of this adventure. No more talking shop or thinking about stupid things.

Annalina wished they could talk like they had in their teens. A long conversation over ice cream and bad movies would relax Annalina, but the massage would have to do. One last indulgence before heading off to space for a few years with a stranger.

Quiet wave sounds started as Missy repositioned the stones. This was the life, or at least an escape from life. Was it better than meeting a lover in the hot tub with a bottle of wine after a long day? Nope, but hadn’t she gotten adept in making substitutions?

The door slid open allowing rays of light from the hallway. Oh sorry, Doc. I need my paperwork.

The male voice, deep and mellow, should have jarred her from the session, but instead her lady parts went on meltdown.

Hello, Shields. I’ve already sent your paperwork to your superiors. You passed everything. Inoculations were good. All is well. Now, you’re interrupting a session.

So I see. Hey, Annalina.

Loose, limber, and more turned on than she cared to admit, Annalina raised her hand, middle finger extended.

Cute. All right, see you later at the briefing. Nice ass, by the way. The door closed, shutting the light out once more.

Good grief, he’s a jerk. But whenever he’s around, I want to lick him. Missy sighed. He’s finally stationed where I work, and the furthest I’ve gotten with him is a military physical.

How are the goods? Annalina wished the question back as soon as it was out. She did not need to know.

As a medical professional, I can’t say. Missy’s voice drifted toward the door. "But I can say, you know how I like my men. Not small, but not so large that it’s like, ‘What the hell am I going to do with that?’ The kind where you look and find…inspiration. Licking inspiration."

That’s what Annalina was afraid of. The rugged captain had transferred to the Florida base after she and Anderson had broken up. Annalina had considered attempting a hook up— something to screw the remnants of her relationship out of her mind—but Shields’ constant line of woman made it impossible. She couldn’t blame the guy. If she were in his position, would she tell the ladies no?

And now he’s leaving, on a jet plane. Missy sighed again. I swear, all the good ones are taken or being sent away on missions. It’s enough to make a girl want to give up and switch teams. Are you sure we can’t be lesbians, Anna? I think we’d be good at it.

How many times had they had this discussion? Annalina wished she found women as attractive as men, but it wasn’t the case.

Alas, as rocking as your knockers and ass are, you don’t get my motor running, Missy continued.

Same here, lady. I guess we’ll have to stay friends without benefits.

Fair enough. Now, back to quiet mode. You leave in two days—you need the full effects of this.

Two days and she’d be away from her life for much, much longer than ever before. She’d done six-month exploration tours, but only two in her decade-long career. Most of her experience was in technical support and repairs. The navigation part of her title was based on textbook knowledge rather than experience. That would change in a very big way in the coming months.

Breathe, Missy whispered. I can hear you thinking.

She probably could. Annalina closed her eyes. This was the last massage she’d have for years. She was damn well going to enjoy it.

Chapter Two

The panel should have retired