by Susan Hayes
“I’m not—” A pang of regret hit as he figured out why Owen was unhappy. “It’s not like that. I was just trying to make her smile.”
Owen scoffed. “That’s crap.”
He needed to fix this. “It’s not.”
Owen just stared at him, jaw set.
“Fine. it’s not total crap. I was flirting. As you’ve regularly pointed out to me, that’s my default setting.” He held up a hand. “And before you glare at me again, I know that’s no excuse for what I did back there.”
Owen’s eyes widened and a sardonic grin lifted the corners of his sexy mouth. “Was that self-awareness I just heard?”
“Little bit, yeah. And while I’m on a roll, here’s something else you won’t hear very often. “I’m sorry. I didn’t think about how you’d feel seeing me flirt with her.”
“Thank you.” Owen’s expression softened. “For the record, though, it didn’t bother me. I just think you need to give her some space.”
Royan raised a brow. “Now who’s talking crap? It bothered you, and you called me on it. Fair enough, but don’t pretend this was all about her best interests.”
“Fine. It bothered me. I don’t know the rules to the game we’re playing and it’s making me a little crazy.”
“I don’t know what the hell I’m doing, but I know I’m not playing a game. Not this time. Not with you.”
“No?”
For the first time, he saw a crack in Owen’s armor, a hint of vulnerability. “No games, Owen.”
Owen blew out a sharp breath. “You sure?”
“Of this? Yes. Of what the hell we do next? Not a fraxxing clue.”
“Me either.” Owen glanced back to the door of his quarters. “You like her, don’t you?”
“Based entirely on first impressions? Yeah, I do. And so do you.”
“What makes you say that?”
“I wasn’t the only one flirting with our guest.”
Owen looked like he was about to deny it, but he sighed instead. “This was easier when we weren’t being so damned honest with each other.”
“Yeah, but it wasn’t getting us anywhere, either. Admit it. You’re attracted to her.”
“Of course I find her attractive. As you’ve already pointed out, she’s gorgeous, not to mention she’s a serious badass. After everything she’s been through, she’s still on her feet and making jokes. She reminds me of...” He winced. “Oh, fraxx. She reminds me of you.”
Royan threw back his head and laughed at the expression on his lover’s face. It was somewhere between desire and sheer terror.
“How can there be two of you? Shit like this is supposed to tear holes in the fabric of space-time, isn’t it?” Owen scrubbed a hand through his hair, leaving it standing up in unruly spikes.
“Only if she’s from an alternate universe. I’m pretty sure she’s not, because I cannot imagine a world where I’m so rich I could buy planets.”
“Which brings up what is probably the more pressing question. What the hell is the heir to Astek Corp doing out way the hell out here, and how did someone get through some of the galaxy’s best security to almost kill her?”
Royan’s amusement vanished. “We can ask her what she’s doing out here once she’s rested up. As for how her ship got blown up, I have no idea, but my gut tells me it had to be an inside job. Ever since their reps started being attacked, the corporations have been hypervigilant to the point of paranoia. I can’t imagine the levels of security the heir to the Astek fortune must have.”
“Whatever it was, it wasn’t enough. How sure are you that the other ship can’t follow us?”
“Pretty damned sure.” Royan patted the wall of the ship. “My father loaded this old girl with all sorts of toys back when she was a smuggling ship, and my sister added a few upgrades in her day, too. Tianna is safer with us than anywhere else I can think of, at least until we get her to the Drift.”
“We could turn around and head straight for home without making our last delivery. The longer we’re out here, the higher the chance someone figures out we’ve got her onboard.”
“And leave our clients without their goods?” Royan shook his head. “I don’t want to do that to the colonists. They need this shipment.”
“I’m not saying it’s a good idea. I’m just weighing the odds.”
“I think they’re in our favor.” Royan glanced down the hall. “She’s defied the odds already just by surviving. I’d like to think the universe didn’t put her through that just to kill her a little while later.” At least, he hoped not. There was something about Tianna Astor that made him want to know her better, and it wasn’t her wealth or her looks. Maybe it was because she was a survivor, like he was. Or because despite her jokes and easy smile, he got the sense she was guarding a piece of herself, like Owen.
“So, we’re keeping her?” Owen cracked a smile.
“Looks that way. We saved her. That makes us responsible for her safety, right?”
“Right.”
“Then it’s decided. She stays with us.” He took Owen’s hand and started walking again, pulling the bigger man along with him. “Now, come to the galley with me. We can talk about additional security measures while I whip us up a meal fit for a queen.”
“You mean you’ll program something into the food dispenser and let it do all the work.” Owen’s fingers closed around his, but he didn’t pull away.
“Trust me, that’s the better choice for all of us. I am a man of many talents, but cooking isn’t one of them.”
“I can cook.”
Owen’s admission caught him off guard. They’d been friends for the better part of a year, but there was still a lot he didn’t know about Owen’s life before they met. “You can? Where’d you learn? It’s a bit of a dying art these days.”
“I was raised on a ship even older than the Sprite. The food dispenser rarely worked, and when it did, all it could do was dispense food tabs and create basic items like sandwiches and coffee. If we wanted anything else, we had to make it ourselves. By the time I left to make my own way in the galaxy, I could make even vat-grown proteins and algae broth taste good.”
“I don’t believe that’s possible.” He’d had more than his fair share of algae broth over the years, and it never tasted like anything but what it was, sea sludge.
“Care to make a bet on it?”
“Only if the bet’s something wicked and indecent.”
“How about loser fulfills the winner’s wish? One time only. I’ll cook dinner. Tianna can judge. We don’t tell her what’s in it ahead of time. If she likes it, I win. If not—”
“If not, then I win and I’m going to enjoy collecting my wish.” Royan indulged in a moment of pure lust as he thought about the many things he could ask for, only to be brought crashing back to reality when Owen spoke.
“And when I win, I’m going to enjoy sleeping in your big, comfy bed, alone. Because your ass will be sleeping on the floor.”
“You wouldn’t be that cruel.”
“Says the man who gave away my bed to the pretty girl without even asking me.”
“I see your point. I don’t like it, but I see it. And when you lose, I’m going to be the bigger man and let you sleep with me anyway.”
“Bigger man, huh?” Owen laughed. “I’ve seen you naked, Roy-boy. We both know that’s not true.”
They were still bickering when they reached the galley but they were also still holding hands. As far as Royan was concerned, no matter what happened tonight, he’d already won.
Chapter Four
Owen was preparing the evening meal alone in the galley. Royan had stayed with him for awhile, but eventually he’d returned to the cockpit to check the sensors and do what he could to make sure they weren’t being followed.
It had been months since he’d cooked anything. He’d forgotten how calming it could be to have his hands busy while his mind was free to think about other things. He had a lot to think about, too. Royan. The p
otential new threat to the Sun Sprite. And then there was Tianna.
Tianna was a complication he didn’t need. He’d been drawn to her from the second she landed in his arms, all long limbs and grim determination. He was happy to have her on board, despite the fact it made them all targets. That wasn’t the problem. Risk, he could handle. Having a woman on board that both he and Royan found attractive – that was a problem.
They hadn’t figured out what they were to each other, yet. Friends, yeah. They were that already. Lovers - once, and maybe again. He laughed at himself. There was no maybe about it. The only question was when, and for how long. Despite Royan’s earlier words, Owen still had his doubts the sexy pilot was ready for anything long-term. It just wasn’t in his DNA.
Would Tianna prove to be a temptation Royan couldn’t resist? If that happened, where did that leave them?” He took his frustrations out on the vegetables he was dicing, reducing the still slightly frozen fare to slivers.
“If you chop that any finer, it’s going to turn to mush when you cook it.”
He spun around, knife still in his hand, and Tianna took a step back, her slender hands out in front of her. “Whoa. Easy big fella. No need to get stabby.”
“Sorry. My startle reflex is a little over-developed.” He set the blade down on the counter, turned, and took a good look at their guest. Her color had improved. Her lips weren’t blue anymore, but an enticing shade of pink. She’d showered too, and her dark hair had been tamed into a tight braid. She was wearing the same outfit as before, but it fit better now that it wasn’t stretched over several extra layers. The socks on her feet were his, though, and they were several sizes too big for her.
“Noted. I’m just glad you were only holding a knife and not a blaster.”
“I’m not usually armed with either. Since tonight is something of a special occasion, I thought I’d cook a real meal. You look like you’re recovering quickly. I wasn’t expecting you up for another hour at least.”
Her crystal-blue eyes widened with interest. “Dinner sounds good. I’m feeling much better for some rest, which means my only pressing concern is food. So, what’s on the menu? Can I help?”
“It’s a three-course meal. Soup to start, pasta for the main dish, and then cherry pie for dessert, as requested. I’m working on the soup now, and the pie has already been programmed in. I was planning on figuring out the main dish next. Got any suggestions on what to do with the pasta?”
Her elfin features brightened. “Oh, I’ve got suggestions. For the price of a cup of coffee, I’ll do more than offer suggestion, though. I’ll cook.”
“You can cook?” Royan was right about cooking being an uncommon skill these days. Food dispensers were cheap and easy to acquire, and so were the food packs they used. When a machine could produce a hot meal at the push of a button, not many people learned how to make it themselves.
She gave a curt nod of her head. “I’m an Astor. We can do anything we set our minds to. Please don’t make the mistake of thinking that because I’m rich, I don’t know how to do anything myself.”
“That hadn’t actually crossed my mind. It’s just rare for anyone to know their way around a kitchen, or well, a galley.” He gestured around the narrow space. “For example, I’m pretty sure Royan would starve to death if the food dispenser stopped working.”
Her expression softened. “Sorry. I’m used to people making assumptions about me based on my bank balance.”
He gestured to the food dispenser, then the cubby where they stored the dishware. “Help yourself to coffee. You’ve never been out this far, have you?”
A tiny vertical line appeared between her brows. “No. Why?”
“Things are different this far from the civilized parts of the galaxy. Beings out here don’t care about names and bank accounts so much. They judge someone by what they say, and more importantly, by what they do. You’ll see when we get to the Drift.”
She uttered a bitter laugh. “You mean, when you deliver me to the big space station named for my father’s corporation? They’re going to judge me, Owen. It’s inevitable, and that’s okay. I’m used to it.”
He knew what it was like to be judged based on who your family was, and it didn’t sit well with him to think about her dealing with that day after day. “Well, we’re not there, yet. I can’t change what happens when we get to the Drift, but until we do, consider yourself judgment free.”
“No one can promise that. It’s impossible.”
“You just survived an explosion that destroyed your ship, killed your crew, and left you floating in the dark with no life support. Do you really want to start talking about what’s impossible?” He returned to his work, adding the vegetables and turning the broth down to a gentle simmer as he started gathering up the seasonings he’d need.
She laughed again, but this time there was no unhappy undertone. “Fair point. So, no judgment until we get to the Drift? Like a vacation from myself?”
“More like a vacation where you can just be yourself.”
She uttered a soft sigh. “That would be nice. But when we get to the Drift, you two would have to understand that I have a job to do. This would just be a temporary reprieve.”
“You’re an Astor, which means you’re pretty much royalty, at least to us peons out here in the ass end of nowhere. I imagine the best you can hope for is a few days of escape.” He shrugged. “It’s not like I’m expecting you to hang out with us at the Nova Club once we get home. We don’t exactly run in the same social circles.”
“The Nova Club? Isn’t that the cyborg bar?”
“Cyborg owned and operated, yeah, but their clientele is as diverse as the Drift. Like I said, things are different out here.”
She took a sip of her coffee before answering. “What you’re suggesting sounds good, so long as it’s understood it can’t last. When we get to the Drift, I’m taking over management of Astek Station.”
“Well, that explains why you won’t have time to be social, and it might explain why someone wants you dead. Astek is ground zero for a lot of change these days.” She was going to have a target on her back the size of a small planet. The last man to hold that position had been blown to pieces not long ago, and his temporary replacement had been reduced to a quivering mass of paranoia who, rumor had it, had refused to leave his fortified offices since taking over.
“That’s why my father sent me. The ground is shifting and he wants someone there he can trust to make sure things don’t unravel too much.” She laughed. “I guess talking about shifting ground isn’t really appropriate given where we are, huh?”
He tapped a booted heel to the deck. “Not a lot of ground out there, but the saying still works. Even out here, most folks spent time dirtside at some point in their lives.”
“Did you?”
“Nope. I was born on my family’s freighter and spent most of my life in space. Visiting planets is fine, but I wouldn’t want to live on one.”
“Why not?” Tianna opened a food cooler and started looking through the contents.
Where to start? The scent of dirt, the drag of gravity, weather, none of it appealed to him. But one thing was worse than all the others combined. “Oceans. I like my water in a glass or coming out of a showerhead. Planets have huge bodies of water, most of them crammed full of carnivorous lifeforms. I’m not a fan.”
“And I’m not a fan of the selection in here. Don’t you two have any fresh vegetables?”
“Not many. We’ve been out long enough we’ve gone through most of what we had, and it’s not like we can just order in more. Our last two stops were to automated re-supply stations. We’ll restock when we get to Taza Colony. Then we’ve one more stop to make before heading back to the Drift.”
“When will that be?”
“We’ll be home in about nine days. We’ll reach our next stop in a day or two. Diverting to rescue you changed our arrival time, and I haven’t asked Royan for an update. Knowing him, he’ll push the engi
nes to get us there as soon as possible.” He heard the sound of booted feet treading the deck and knew Royan had joined them.
“He doesn’t like to be late?” Tianna asked, her head still inside the cooler.
Owen barked with laughter. “More like he likes to fly as fast as possible.”
“Damn right I do. Flying slow is boring and pointless.”
Tianna glanced back to Royan, who was leaning against the door to the galley. He’d found time to shave and shower since Owen had last seen him.
“There was a time I would have agreed with you,” she said.
“Not anymore?” Royan asked.
Her brows climbed to her dark hairline. “You don’t know the story?”
“There’s a story? I like stories, and I’ve heard all of Owen’s more than once.”
He couldn’t tell if Tianna was more amused or amazed by the fact they didn’t know what she was talking about, but she was smiling, and that was the only thing that mattered. He got the feeling she didn’t do that too often. Offering her a reprieve from her life as corporate royalty was feeling more and more like the right idea.
Tianna was tempted by Owen’s offer. Veth. She was tempted by Owen, period. She hadn’t had time for herself since her recovery. The moment she was able to, she’d taken up the mantle of heir and thrown herself into a role she’d spent most of her life avoiding. It was the only way she could repay her father for what he’d done. She owed him that much. Since then, the business had always come first.
She pushed aside all thoughts of the temptations and turned to face her two rescuers. “About four years ago, I was in a skimmer crash. A bad one. One of the wings sheered off mid-flight.”
Royan whistled. “How fast were you going to make that happen?”
“Too fast. I’d modified the engines to boost performance, but I didn’t factor for metal fatigue or the overall age of the ship. She was my favorite, so I flew her the most. It was a stupid mistake that nearly cost me my life.”
“So now you don’t fly fast anymore? One accident, and that’s it, you’re done?” He lowered his voice and winked. “Tell me you don’t miss it, and I’ll call you a liar.”
