He rubbed his eyes. He wasn’tsurprised. She’d kept up with him for the past couple of days – and nights. Probably through sheer stubbornness, because that’s all it had been on hispart. He should wake her and send her home. He even might have, if he hadn’tbeen so tired himself. A mouthful of cold liquid in the bottom of his mug wasevidence enough of what happened when he put his own head down.
He switched off the machine. Bleary eyes told him McReidy wasn’t disturbed. He stood up and moved aroundthe desk. He slipped the earphones off and put them down. At least she hadmade it easy for him. He scooped one arm under her knees, the other wrigglingunder her shoulders. He picked her up, tilting her head towards his chest soit didn’t flop backward.
He took her to his bed,supporting her weight with his knee while he dragged the covers off. He puther down carefully, sliding his arm from her shoulders before her head touchedthe pillow. He pulled her boots off and slipped her feet in before drawing thecovers over her. She snuggled in comfortably, rolling onto her side,completely oblivious to everything.
He was too tired to be anythingbut a gentleman. He grabbed a spare blanket, kicked off his boots and crashedon the lounge.
* * *
Morning came too quickly. Johnhadn’t set his alarm. Waking early was automatic; dragging himself out of bedwas usually the difficult bit. He remembered where he was and reached an armto the coffee table, fumbling around until his hand felt his watch. It was…almost time to get up, he decided as he managed to focus properly.
Coffee was first on the agenda ashe dragged himself to an upright position. A shower… was out of the questionas he suddenly remembered his guest – and the fact that they had no runningwater.
He walked softly to the doorway. He couldn’t hear anything and risked a quick peek. The sight of McReidysleeping contentedly brought a small smile to his face.
The kettle boiled; it didn’t seemto take long this morning. He returned a minute later, placing two mugs on thebedside table. It almost seemed a shame to disturb her. Almost. She wasn’tgetting out of work by spending the day in his bed.
“Good morning.” He spoke softly,but loud enough to penetrate.
“Morning,” she mumbled sleepily,more in response to the fingers that were brushing the hair from her face. Sheopened her eyes.
“Coffee?” His warm brown eyessmiled at her.
Her eyes opened in horror,darting about the room as the colour began to rise in her face. A quick checkunder the blankets sent a surge of relief through her.
“Don’t worry,” he laughedsoftly. “Your virtue is still intact. The only thing I took from you wereyour boots.”
A second glance at him reassuredher. The ruffled hair, the crumpled jacket that was undone, a hint of a smilethat showed his delight in teasing her.
“Move over,” he told her as hesat down on the edge of the bed.
She obeyed. The fact that theywere both fully dressed did little to ease the knowledge that this was stillhis bed and she climbed outside the covers. He waited until she stopped movingbefore passing her a mug.
“How did I get here?” she wantedto know.
“You fell asleep, so I put you tobed.”
“You could have woken me up. I’dhave gone home.”
“I was too tired to put up withyour arguing.” Why did she have him defending himself? He’d done nothingwrong. “Gee, you’re grumpy in the mornings. You’re almost as grumpy as –”
He turned away quickly, leavingthe sentence unfinished. He guessed she’d seen the sorrow in his eyes. Hejust hoped she wouldn’t say anything. All he heard from her was a long slurpof coffee.
He stood up to leave. “There’sno hurry. Take your time.”
His voice lost all the warmth ithad a few moments ago.
She tossed the covers off andfollowed him into the lounge. A telltale blanket lay draped across the back ofthe lounge. She settled quietly in a chair and finished her coffee.
“Next time, I’ll wake you,” heoffered as an apology. His voice was still soft, but displayed no emotion. His feelings were well and truly buried.
The tension being created wasunbearable.
“Did we achieve anything lastnight?” McReidy asked.
“No,” he shook his head. “Exceptto discover we’re completely alone. No friends… but no enemies either.”
McReidy put the empty mug downand stood up. “I really should be going.”
He said nothing as she moved tothe door. He wouldn’t tell her to go; neither would he ask her to stay. Thena smirk hit his face.
“Haven’t you forgottensomething?”
She stopped short of the door,and hesitated. She turned to see him holding up a pair of boots. She didn’tneed to glance at her feet to know they were hers, but she did anyway.
“Thanks.” She took them from himand hurriedly pulled them on. Straightening up, she met his eyes. “Sorry forkicking you out of your bed.”
“No man ever gets kicked out ofhis own bed unless he chooses to be.”
She tensed, the colour startingto rise again, and turned away.
“See you on the bridge in tenminutes,” he told her as she stepped into the corridor. “No, you’re a woman. Better make it an hour.”
The hint of a smile was back. The door closed before she could answer.
An hour! She’d show him, she’dbe on the bridge before he was. She checked her watch as she headed back toher own quarters. There were about fifteen minutes to spare before she was dueon duty.
The corridor was warm andstuffy. She checked the nearest ventilation duct. It was blowing warm air. It looked like Kowalski was right about the ship warming up. She was about toclose the duct when she changed her mind, deciding that circulating air waspreferable to nothing.
** *
Giacomo picked up the jump gate’syellow hypergiant on long range scanners. The bridge crew tensed and relaxedat the same time. When they got through the gate, they’d be safe. But therewas nothing to ruin your day like getting jumped when you’re almost home.
Even though there was nothingaround and
