Stars Dancing [Dreams-To-Lovers Romance]

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Did you know that "Come slammin' into me, baby" was my first song lyric?

- Sibsil Creed, Stories of Shurwinn (2841)

PEYDRAN

When I opened my apartment door, Ryst was standing there grimacing looking like she was going to vomit on her shoes. I waved her in, and she laid something on the sofa— a sheaf of printed papers bound by—what? A ribbon of some sort?

She started pacing around my main room, shaking out her hands and shoulders. Oh boy, here we go again. What was it this time? Another city? Centre oasis one was only two years old. We were moving somewhere else? Time for me to start asking questions.

"What are we birthing today, Ryst?" I asked her.

She grimaced at me again. "It's uh. It's. Mmm. I don't want to do this— like, not at all, but I know I'm supposed to. There's something big ahead, and I needed to ask you for help." Okay, Produced by Peydran it is. I switched my face into work mode.

"Dr. Nova, I understand you have brought me a business proposal," I said in my interviewing clients voice and looked at the papers. "What kind of project are we discussing today?"

Stolen story; please report.

She pinched her lips together and looked over my shoulder at the wall. "Well, Mr. Madrano, you see. I have written a private book over several years. When I first got to Shurwinn, I started a journal. I didn't know it was a book until recently. And it's, ahhmmm," She was wiping her hands down her knees, like she was trying to rinse something off of her palms.

"It's a really private book?" she said in a small voice, her lips pinching together again like she didn't want the words to come out of her mouth. "Like, if someone went to a monastery library and found special books in a special section?"

Then I was the one pinching my lips, trying not to laugh. "Dr. Nova, did you write a sex book?" I managed to say it without laughing, but my high-pitched tone was incredulous and teasing.

She held back a laugh, looked at me, and nodded. Then she looked away. "And, I don't want to do this Peydran, but I know I'm supposed to. But you can choose not to read it." She said it all in a rush, like she just had to get it out quickly before she puked. I schooled my features.

"It's got everything in it, Peydran. Everything. The time with you and me and the Black Beads, remember?"

She looked at me, and I gave her my sardonic look. I was unlikely to forget us trying to mentally have sex at the Moreland's dining table. Sands, that really was everything. Wait, she had just said I didn't actually have to read it. So, maybe, I could look at the book, but not see the words?

Was I an adult or not? She kept talking, "So, I mean everything. And one of the things that I need help with is that it's unusual. There's no format like normal books: no table of contents or chapter headings. So, I'm looking for feedback on the layout, even though I know it's supposed to be the way it is. But, just, how does a reader respond to it without any introduction or index or anything?"

I could do that. No table of contents. That was a doable thing to evaluate. She went on, "And there is a theme to the book that goes with the lack of formatting, so I'm interested to know if a reader will pick up on it."

She sighed and her shoulders relaxed a bit. As if just getting all that out of her body and putting the words into the air had released some tight knot.

"It's really too intimate to share with anyone. That's why it doesn't have an author's name on it. I think it is probably supposed to be published, but I can't even think about that right now. It would be like sharing my deepest, deepest self with the whole world."

She whispered, like the whole conversation was making her sick. "And I don't know if I can do that. So, this is the first step."

"Dr, Nova, I'll get back to you with a full report as soon as I am able. Thank you for coming to my office today."

"Thanks, Pey," she said, looking at the floor. Then she darted out the door like I'd set her on fire.

Holy skies above, what was I about to read?