The Alien's Little Sister (Stolen by an Alien #8) - Amanda Milo Page 0,2

life just got. Inara’s smile softens. “And you are?”

“Stacy,” Stacy answers, beaming brightly at her. “And your new boss is Matt Shawnessy.”

“No-longer-crabby Matt Shawnessy?” Inara teases, sending me a glance before flashing a conspiratorial grin in Stacy’s direction.

I give the new girl a look. “I’m right here. You really want to push it your first day?”

“Yeah, wait til after payday,” Stacy confides in a mock whisper.

Inara laughs, and I almost trip. It’s… it’s a good sound.

I shake off my growing interest, and indicate the hallway with my arm. “Let’s go. We’ve got a room to get ready. You’re up.”

CHAPTER 2

She follows me into the escape room… not reluctantly, but there’s a hesitant air surrounding her.

“What’s up?” I ask.

“Well…” Something flails behind her, catching my eye. I lean around her a little, looking down around the vicinity of her ankles to see that she has a robotic tail.

Like I said. She is cool as shit.

“What is this place?” she asks. “What is it that you want me to do?”

My eyes narrow. “You showed up dressed as an alien for an escape room but you don’t know what an escape room is?” That would make no sense.

“I spied a billboard—I believe that is what you call the advertisement in the sky?”

Riiight. She’s really digging into her role. “Yep.”

“I saw the sky’s billboard and came to investigate what Earthens were calling an ‘alien escape room.’” She looks around with interest. “This is it? No other aliens are here?”

Eyeing her, I answer, “Just you. And yes, this is an escape room. Groups of friends or coworkers pay to be ‘locked’ into the room, and they have to act as a team to solve a series of puzzles in order to get set free in the time they’re allotted. Since the theme for this room is an alien space station, you're the Games Master. Think of yourself as their guide—you’re going to give them the safety rules, tell them what they need to know to play, give them hints when they ask, but also, your job is to do exactly what you’re dressed for: look really damn alien, and give them the sense that they’re doing something cooler than paying to shut the door on themselves in a downtown office building pretending to be a super bright enigmatologist’s wet dream.”

“What is a wet dream?”

I stare at her.

She frowns uncertainly and tries another tack. “What’s an enigmatologist?”

“A puzzle solver. Some of these games get pretty complicated,” I share. “Visitors want to be challenged, but they also want to win. We try to walk that line so they feel they’re getting their money’s worth while still succeeding.” I point to what looks like a scary exam table, but is really the effects station. “Your job is to stick close to this spot and activate the lights,” I show her the switch, “the sounds,” I hit the alarms, tell her when she should set them off for effect, “and if customers get near that creature’s cage over there?” I show her the prop cage that looks like it holds something fuzzy with lots and lots of teeth and too many legs. “That’s when you hit this button. It’ll activate a hidden door to a bonus room. Not everybody will find it, but if they do it’s a buzz. They go nuts.” I give her a smile. “And when they see you suited up like this? You look like a legit alien lifeform. They’re going to have a great night. Welcome to the team, woman.”

Inara glances away maybe a little shyly. Her tapered ears fold against the sides of her head with enough force to nudge her strands of hair. “Thank you. I’m… flattered that you approve of my appearance.”

Fucking love it. “Could not be more impressed,” I tell her honestly. “Frankly, I’d have snapped you up in a heartbeat whether I needed you tonight or not. Your costume is that convincing. You had to know that when you walked in.”

Oddly, her smile widens to a grin, and she repeats one word with emphasis. “Heart beat. Just one. Ha.”

It’s a strange thing to say, but I don’t question it.

Why would I?

CHAPTER 3

I shit you not, the booked group oohs and ahhs like they’re kids at a zoo, not grown men at a themed getaway. They are eating Inara’s appearance up—they even break the game to ask to take pictures with her, and Inara, like she’s a seasoned star, grins sexy for the camera, and lets them fill up their