“Lie down here, next to the heater. I’ll take the outside. I won’t disturb you,” he added when she hesitated. “But the cold won’t bother me and it would bother you. As soon as you’re settled, I’ll turn off the light.”
“Aren’t you going to eat?” Her face was still rigid, but the concern in her voice gave him hope.
“When you do.”
He could actually survive on very little but perhaps worrying about him would encourage her to eat. To his disappointment, she merely nodded and lay down with her back to him. With a muffled sigh, he dimmed the light then took his position against the outer wall. The habitat wasn’t quite large enough for him to stretch out fully, but he had been in far more uncomfortable positions—and with far less desirable company. His legs were cramped and his cock ached with frustrated desire, but he looked up at the stars though the clear ceiling of the habitat and smiled.
Chapter Eleven
Serena did her best to ignore John, but even though he wasn’t touching her, she could feel his warmth at her back, as steady and comforting as the heat from the small heater. What the hell was wrong with her? She had let their sexual encounter get completely out of hand, something that hadn’t happened to her in years.
She was always in control. Always.
But somehow his gentle, persistent touch had swept away her usual restraint, and she had let him lead their encounter. Not that she hadn’t enjoyed it—she had enjoyed it far too much. Crying because he gave her an orgasm? It was completely unacceptable.
Just endorphins, she tried to tell herself. And no wonder after such an upsetting day. But she didn’t believe her own argument.
She tossed restlessly and immediately brushed up against John’s body. Part of her wanted to snuggle into him, and the other part wanted to run as far away as possible. Her body tensed and she heard him sigh.
“Would you prefer I spent the night outside?”
“It’s freezing out there.”
“I’m a cyborg. I can handle it,” he said dryly.
The Serena she had been that morning wouldn’t have hesitated to order him out of the habitat—but that Serena had been shaken by the events of the day.
“No, I would rather you stayed,” she admitted.
“Then let me make you more comfortable.” He pulled her against his side, tucking her head against his chest.
For a moment, she froze, but he made no further moves. It really was more comfortable, and after a short debate with herself, she relaxed against him. He was looking up at the sky, and she tilted her head back to join him.
“I’ve never seen so many stars.” The lights of New Arcadia always dimmed their glow.
“We’ll see less every year as the atmosphere thickens. But I like knowing they’ll still be there.”
Together they watched the stars until she fell asleep.
That night, Serena didn’t dream, and when she woke, she found herself sprawled across John’s big body. His arms were wrapped around her, and she felt safe and warm in a way she had never experienced before. It made her want to snuggle closer, but it also made her feel vulnerable, especially with the memory of the night before still flashing through her head.
She started to ease away from him, and his arms tightened for a fraction of a second before they released her. She looked up to find him watching her. How does a man have such impossibly long eyelashes? she wondered. He smiled at her, dark eyes warm with what looked like affection.
When was the last time anyone had looked at her that way? Had anyone ever looked at her that way?
“Good morning, Serena,” he said softly.
She could feel the heat rising to her cheeks, as embarrassed as if she had still been that innocent girl so long ago. Time to regain control. Giving him her composed Serena smile, she lifted herself free, ignoring both the hard strength of his body and the equally hard bar of his erection. For a moment, she toyed with the idea of restarting the previous night’s game—with her in control this time—but she wasn’t as confident as she would like to have been that she would remain in control. She settled for turning to the food supplies she had rejected the night before.
“I think I’m hungry again this morning,” she said, keeping her voice cool and matter of fact.
“Then you should eat.”
Did he sound hurt? She snuck a peek over her shoulder, but he was staring thoughtfully up at the clear ceiling panel. A moment later, he rose and stretched, and she couldn’t have dragged her eyes away if her life depended on it. All that impressive muscle was clearly visible, the morning light illuminating every fascinating dip and bulge, an overwhelming display in the small habitat.
“I’ll check on Winston,” John said, apparently oblivious to her admiring gaze. “I’ll be back in a minute.”
“Don’t you need your shirt?”
He flashed her that devastating grin. “No, it looks much better on you.”
He was gone before she could think of an adequate retort. By the time he returned, she was once again fully dressed in her neutral coveralls, but his gaze was just as appreciative.
“I’m not really familiar with cooking,” she said doubtfully. “I heated up some kind of broth and found some protein wafers.”
“That’s fine. I’m not fussy.” He retrieved his shirt, and she watched regretfully as he pulled it over his head. What a shame the man has to wear clothes at all, she thought, then felt her cheeks start to heat again. Fuck. Somehow, she had to stop reacting like the girl she hadn’t been in so many years.
“Do you think we’ll reach the lab today?” she asked coolly as she poured them each a cup of broth.
He shook his head. That meant another night together in the small habitat. The prospect aroused a combination of both excitement and trepidation
