by Dane Bagley
Steve had just sat down on his bed when he heard a knock on his door. He was a little irritated, but got up to answer the door. Tammy was there, and she looked beautiful, her red hair had a beautiful curl and shine. She had not just come over after finishing her lab work, but had taken some time to freshen up. Steve glanced in the hall before welcoming her into his chambers.
“No one’s around,” she said with a smile as she walked in. As soon as the door was shut, she put her arms around him tightly. They enjoyed a prolonged embrace. Steve leaned in for the kiss, and they both poured out their affection.
Steve looked at Tammy, who had been apparently very happy just a few minutes ago. He saw a look of concern on her face. She began to get a little misty-eyed, and then forced a smile again. “What’s wrong?” he asked tenderly.
“I’ve missed you,” she said as she forced another smile. They both sat down on his bed, close to each other, and Steve grabbed her left hand in both of his and rested them on her lap.
“You must be exhausted. I know that you haven’t taken many of your rest periods. You’ve been working tirelessly. I’ve missed you, too.”
Tammy looked up at him, and smiled more genuinely this time. “I’m living my dream right now.”
Steve smiled tenderly at her now. Her physical attraction to him was growing into something deeper, and he felt it now more than ever. Steve was beginning to view his future life with her in it. She appealed to him on so many levels. Tammy was so beautiful that she would always be a compliment to him. She was extraordinarily intelligent. She was driven, as driven as he had ever seen. His ship was filled with people with drive, and yet Tammy outpaced them all. Tammy was meticulous and detail-oriented, but still she kept her personality. She could laugh at herself, and was not so self-absorbed that she couldn’t see others’ points of view. She was witty and funny. She was very self-confident and comfortable in anyone’s presence.
The other major attraction he had not completely formulated in his mind—he and she were destined to be in the history books. They were going to be household names. They were both heroes’. Their destinies had been meshed together through this mission and its attendant success. The name Steve Jenners was going to be spoken for hundreds of years to come, and Tammy Rogers was good enough for him. She would not be eclipsed by him or in his shadows. She would shine by his side. They would both be the elite of the world.
Besides all of this, he loved her. He felt a pure tenderness towards her. In fact, he felt that everything else was just an excuse for his feelings. He felt as though even if everything else were not true, he would still feel just as much love for her. He began to hope for her happiness above his own. Her eyes welled up again, and a solitary tear began to roll down her cheek. He reached up and gently caught it on his index finger. She sniffled softly, and then smiled again. He put his arm around her shoulder, and tucked her into his chest. Gentle tears ran down her cheeks. He didn’t ask her why. He didn’t try to give her any words of comfort. He just held her—and let her cry.
