Page 24 of Fate for the Space Cowboy

Lena smiles at me where she’s seated beside a woman named Helena who gave us a bunch of information. Of the other two women selected, one of them looks exhausted, her eye terribly swollen and cheek bruised. The other is absolutely beautiful and looks utterly terrified.

The prince is sitting beside Jane, the princess. The way he looks at her makes me feel like I’ve walked in on a deeply private moment.

There are several alien cowboys on the ship. They’re all tall, with tails, and despite their imposing presence—larger than the biggest human men I’ve ever encountered, and I wouldn’t dare cross them in a fight. But there’s aprotectivequality to them.

When my eyes finally drift to the front of the spaceship, I see a regal-looking woman in one seat and a man in the other. The second my eyes land on that man, I don’t understand it, but Iknowhe and I are connected.

His head whips around, his golden eyes locking onto mine. It feels as if there’s an electrical force linking us together, shimmering between us. Heat rises, swift and overwhelming, blasting me from head to toe.

I feel like I’m about to go up in smoke.

RAVEN

I’m usually a focused man. So when I feel the hair rise on the back of my neck and my skin prickle with a sensation of electricity and heat, it’s unsettling.

Glancing over my shoulder, my eyes lock with those of a woman. Ahumanwoman who’s just boarded our spaceship to go to our planet and find a mate. She’s dressed in practical clothing, a worn blouse and a pair of pants that are probably older than she is. Auburn hair. Bright green eyes.

I cannot look away from her. In the moment she blinks, Iknow. We are meant for each other.

Standing, I cross the short distance between us. There’s a low murmur of activity around us as the crew readies the ship to leave. I am the lead pilot and shouldn’t be standing here, feet away from this woman.

I notice the dusting of freckles on her cheeks, like a shimmer of gold, the way her eyes tip at the corners like those of a cat. Like Earth, our planet has cats. I suppose cats must be truly universal. They’re too independent to be anything other than that.

I take one more step closer—only about two feet separating us now—and it feels as if heat engulfs me from head to toe. Her presence is intense.

The woman studies me, her green eyes narrowing. “Don’t you have something else to do?” Her tone is sharp.

“Oh, I do,” I say, rising to meet the dare in her gaze. “I just wanted to say one thing.”

Her nostrils flare as she draws in a sharp breath. I savor the sight of the pink flush rising on her cheeks.

It feels as if the air around us is sparking. I wouldn’t be surprised if actual smoke rose from the heat created by our connection.

“I’m Raven,” I murmur. “And you’ve already met your match.”

“Mymatch?” she repeats, eyes flashing. “What do you mean?”