Page 60 of Space Junk: Houston, We Have a Hottie
I try tucking my wild hair behind my ears. “Um… yeah. I haven’t told anyone yet, but I’ve made it past the initial round of resumes and interviews.”
“That’s… wow, Jackie, that’s great.”
Though he sounds a bit stiff, relief courses through me. I don’t know why his opinion means so much, but it does.
“But isn’t it really dangerous? Being an astronaut?”
I pick up a jean skirt off the floor. I don’t think I’d be comfortable in a lot of what Rose bought me, especially in front of my co-workers, but a jean skirt seems like a nice, safe step up from my usual jean pants. “Statistically, being an astronaut isn’t that dangerous. Loggers, truckers and even farmers have higher fatality rates than astronauts.” I shimmy the skirt up, pausing once I snap the top button when I realize how short it is. Hmmmm. I’m thinking of asking Flynn his opinion, but one look at his eyes and I can see he’s in favor of the skirt. “Plus NASA has come a long way since its cowboy days.”
Trying not think of all the skin currently exposed on my legs, I grab my Converse off the floor at the end of the bed. They’ve seen better days, I guess. The soles are still attached, but they’re worn smooth from use, and the white isn’t really white anymore. Maybe Rose is right. Maybe I do dress like a high school boy. I grab my boots from last night and start to slip them on. It’s a lot easier when I have socks on.
“Why don’t you wear your Chucks?” Flynn asks.
I jerk my head up. “You call them Chucks?”
“Of course. Who doesn’t?”
I think my face breaks with the expanse of my smile. “You really don’t mind if I wear sneakers?”
“Why would I mind? You look sexy as hell in your Chucks.”
Honestly, I feel my face crack.
“Plus I get to keep looking at those mile-long legs I just had propped up on my shoulders.”
“Oh.”
I stand there blinking until Flynn reaches over and pulls me in for a quick kiss.
“If I stay here and watch you shake your way into more clothes, we are never leaving this apartment.” Then he touches his nose to mine once before leaving me to get dressed. In a daze, I simply scan the room trying to sort out what new shirt I should wear when I see the clock on the nightstand.
Crap!
I’m late. And I’m never late.
But as I grab my Chucks off the floor, I just keep smiling.
Sixteen
Yellow Flag
Flynn
Boondoggle’s porch is packed.Apparently, NASA throws a mean happy hour. Even if their happy hour is more like brunch. I took hold of Jackie’s hand while walking across the parking lot, and I squeeze it before stepping up the stairs, but she seems too distracted to take much notice.
It occurs to me that Jackie spends a lot of her time distracted. When she lectures on a topic she has laser focus, but the rest of the time her mind seems to be racing in a million different directions. That’s probably why she never notices all the attention men give her.
Like now.
“Jackie!” Ian weaves through the crowd to get to her. He’s wearing a pressed dress shirt and slacks, for fuck’s sake. To a bar. “Didn’t think you’d be here,” he says once he reaches us. “You usually don’t come out to these things.”
She mumbles something about interfering, blackmailing astronauts, but I don’t think Ian’s paying much attention. The man’s eyes are looking at the tight black tank top stretched over Jackie’s chest and the skirt that rides low on her hips, revealing an inch of midriff. To give the guy credit, his checkout is subtle, so maybe that’s another reason why Jackie’s so clueless.
Jackie tugs her skirt down with her free hand, which only widens the expanse of skin shown at her waist. A sigh escapes me.
I know I shouldn’t be mad at my sister. I mean, when she put the thing on, I certainly appreciated how Jackie looked in the skirt. But damn, I had not factored in that the clothes Jackie would be choosing from are ones which Rose, with her less than ladylike taste, had bought. So not only is the skirt short, but the top is tight. Now I’ll have to fight off everyone else’s bad intentions as well as calm my own.
Ian’s gaze travels to me, then down to our clasped hands.That’s right, buddy. She’s here with me.
