Keiron stared at Linni’s lengthening beard, round-eyed and too flabbergasted to say anything.

She laughed a silvery, happy laugh, and then, poof—her beard was gone, and she looked like a jerriya again.

“I’ve never met a rich-blood with that kind of gift,” he said.

She took a step toward him. “That’s because it’s rare. But not unheard of.”

“All right, I’ll take your word for it.” He peered at her face covered in raised tattoos. “But you still haven’t told me which one is the real you. Unless it’s neither.”

She laughed again, flashing diamond-studded golden teeth—another one of jerriyas’ many ostentations.

And then, without warning, she grabbed his hand and touched it to her cheek. Her skin felt very different from what it looked like. It was soft and satiny smooth, exactly the way he’d imagined her skin would feel. With his hand on her cheek, he inhaled her scent—fresh and uniquely attractive—behind the heavy perfume she must’ve dowsed herself with.

Slowly, Keiron traced her jawline and chin. Lifting his other hand, he touched her forehead, nose, eyebrows, and eyelids. Where his eyes saw triple-layered lashes, his fingertips found only one. The black nose ring was an illusion, too, and so were the multiple eyebrow piercings.

Linni stood still and let him explore.

Encouraged by her permissiveness, he plunged his left hand into what appeared to be an elaborate jerriya updo—and found unbound tresses.

Was he imagining things, or did her eyes hood for a moment when he pressed his palm against the back of her head?

He walked both of them behind the tree and ran the pad of his thumb over the contours of her mouth—that delicious, full, infinitely desirable mouth he’d been itching to kiss ever since he laid eyes on her.

Her eyelids fluttered shut and her lips parted.

Goddess help me. He bent down, angling his head.

Instead of pulling away, she lifted her face to him. Keiron pulled her forward until their lips met. When his lips brushed hers, Linni smoothed her hands on his chest and… melted into him. Keiron had no other word to describe the deliciously sexy way in which she abandoned herself to their kiss.

Enclosing her lips with his, he nibbled, teased, and sucked them. Her hands gripped his neck. Unable to resist any longer, he slipped his tongue into her mouth. Linni gasped, and her breathing quickened as her chest rose and fell against his. With his blood coursing hot and thick through his body, Keiron let his hands explore Linni’s exquisite shape while his tongue stroked hers.

When she slid a hand down his back and placed it on his ass and squeezed, he almost gave in to the urge to press his erection to her belly. But they were in public, and Keiron wasn’t a demonstrative kind of guy.

Tonight, he promised himself.

Lifting his mouth, he murmured, “Show me your face, just for a moment.”

Mesmerized, he watched the jerriya features fade and Linni’s reappear. Smiling contentedly, he took in her flushed cheeks and swollen lips. Then he backed away from her, putting a few inches between them.

When she opened her eyes, they were dazed and bright.

A smile touched her lips. “That was nice.”

How about I show you epic?

“Do you absolutely have to go in?” He glanced at the bar entrance. “I can think of better things we could do with the next couple of hours.”

“I’m afraid I have to,” she said, regret touching her eyes. “And I’m afraid we won’t be doing other things tonight or any other night.”

His gaze bore into hers. “You must have a damn good reason to forego what you manifestly want.”

She looked at her feet.

Groaning with frustration and a desire that wouldn’t go away, Keiron dropped his forehead to Linni’s and cupped her cheek with his hand.

That was when the inside of his wrist began to glow.

Drawing away, she grabbed his hand and inspected it. “What is this?”

“Nothing—just a bionic gadget,” he said, his tone dismissive.

It was quite embarrassing, actually.

“What sort of gadget?”

“Do you really want to know?”

She nodded. “You’re not the only curious one here, Colonel Yaggar.”

“Fine.” He trained his eyes on his wrist. “It’s a little subcutaneous implant that some parents on Drecer choose to give their babies. I was born with it.”

“Go on.”

“I wouldn’t have opted for it, but since I had it, I kept it…” He flicked a glance at her. “Couldn’t be bothered with having it removed.”

“Uh-huh.” There was suppressed laughter in her voice. The minx was enjoying his distress.

He rubbed his neck. “In fact, I was convinced the thing was faulty. I really thought it didn’t work anymore—”

“Yes, but what is it?” Amusement shone in her eyes. “Whatever it’s called, I promise I won’t tease you about it.”

He forced himself to look at her. “It’s called OPS, optimum partner sensor.”

Linni pursed her twitching lips, visibly struggling not to giggle.

“Bionics on my planet use it to ensure perfect genetic compatibility,” he said.

She lifted his hand to her face and inspected the glowing area more closely. “Was it our kiss that triggered it?”

“Yes. It lights up when its carrier exchanges body fluids with his or her perfect match.” He hesitated before admitting. “This is the first time my OPS turned on.”

“Well, optimum doesn’t mean ‘one and only,’ right?”

“Right.”

“Or else it would be called something ridiculous like ‘soul mate seeker.’ ” She beamed, looking exceedingly entertained.

“I’m glad you’re having fun.”

She let go of his hand. “That was unkind of me.”

“No worries. I’ll get over it.” He stared at her, an unspoken question in his eyes.

Smiling tightly, she nodded to the bar. “I really have to go in now.”

“I’ll be on my way then.” He bowed his head and prepared to take off.

“Wait!”

Keiron turned around.

Linni was chewing on her lower lip. “If you really dread Zuzeh’s conversation as much as you say you do, I could use your help.”

“Oh?”

“According to my research, local police sometimes raid this bar, hoping to catch a jerriya in possession of something illegal.” She fidgeted with her watch. “I wouldn’t like to be caught.”

Keiron tilted his head to the side, enjoying the role reversal more than he cared to admit. “If you get caught, you can just shift into your real self and explain to the officers what you were doing there.”

“I can, obviously… it’s just… I’d rather not find myself in that situation.”

“Why not?”

He fully intended to stay and give her a hand, but it was fun teasing her… the way she’d teased him about his OPS a few minutes earlier.

“Do you think the local authorities will be pleased to learn that a bigger planet’s government had an appearance-shifting investigator snooping on Sovyda?” Linni pulled a face. “And if word gets out I was asking about the next rare species auction, its organizers will certainly change the date and place.”

“How do I know you actually are an investigator, and not an impostor?”

She shrugged. “Do you want to check my biometric ID?”

“No,” he said. “I’m on vacation. I don’t feel like checking anyone’s IDs.”

She smiled. “That’s a good reason.”

Except, that wasn’t the only one. If it turned out Linni was an impostor, Keiron preferred not to know.

“I’ll help you,” he said. “What exactly do you want me to do?”

“Just stay here while I’m inside, and ping me if a suspicious group walks in.”

He pulled out his commlet, and she keyed in her number.

“Ping me every ten minutes,” he said, “I won’t pick up, and you don’t need to say anything, but I’ll know everything’s fine.”

“Yes, sir!” She gave him a mock salute and shoved her commlet into her purse. “I might be out in less than ten minutes, mind you, if I don’t find any jerriyas inside.”

With a playful wink, she went toward the bar.

When she walked through the door, Keiron’s enhanced hearing allowed him to make out one of the bouncer’s words, “The private jerriya party is in room five on the right, my dame.”

“Thank you,” Linni said sweetly, and marched on in.