Page 36 of Tempting Jupiter
“A secret within a secret?” Jupiter followed his question with a low growl.
Feeona turned to face him. Despite the growl he didn’t seem angry at her, but the mood definitely needed lightening. “Not everyone who ends up in a brig doesn’t deserve to be there, big guy.”
“I’ll remember that the next time I end up in one.” His sober tone broke the humor.
Feeona’s smile faded. She reached out and pressed her cool palm against the healing injury on his chest. “Let’s see if we can all stay clear of lock-up. Okay?”
***
As Feeona worked to open her ship’s hatch, Jupiter took a moment to study them both. Beneath the dull shine of the ship’s hull lay a network of old injuries. The ship had been damaged and repaired many times. Fee put a hand on a silver rectangle near the hatch, making a security panel appear. She entered a code, then the seal popped open. The whoosh of air exchanging flared and then disappeared. She pulled the door open. Her slim, graceful body hid a surprising strength. The door was thick and her injured shoulder needed more time to heal. He could see the strain in her movements. He wanted to aid her but feared she’d take it as an insult.
With the door fully opened, she reached in to grasp handles just inside the door. She pulled herself up and into the hatch with a hop. He followed her lead, landing softly inside on textured flooring. The space smelled subtly of that illusive scent of hers. Each breath he took pulled her essence into his lungs. She’d moved further into a second entryway then bent to loosen the straps of her boots. The position displayed her ass nicely.
The whisper of movement behind him alerted him to Sen’s entry in time for him to brace. Sen landed just behind Jupiter, pushing into him from behind. The light weight of his hands settled at his waist as the smaller Dog steadied himself. Jupiter waited for him to get his footing then stepped forward and out of his way.
Fee slipped a pair of fuzzy shoes onto her feet. She straightened, eyes closed in a look of pleasure, flexing her feet beneath the fur. “Mmm. That feels good.”
Seneca chuckled. He’d moved forward to stand at Jupiter’s shoulder.
Feeona’s eyes popped open. A narrow eyebrow lifted. “What? A girl shouldn’t enjoy getting out of her boots and into something more comfy?”
Not waiting for an answer, she turned and led them deeper into the vessel.
“Your shoes are fuzzy.” Jupiter stated the obvious.
“Mm-hm. I’m sorry I don’t have any for you two.”
The entryway opened into a bigger room. Large, bench-like furnishings ringed the room. Soft colorful cushions covered them and dotted the floor along the walls. The center of the room was bare, covered only by more of the soft texturing.
She stopped in the center and turned to them. “Alfred, close the hatch please.”
A mechanical noise started behind them, but Jupiter’s senses didn’t detect any sign of a stranger. No out of place scent.
“Welcome home, Captain.” The smooth male voice seemed to come from everywhere at once.
“Guys, it’s okay. It’s just the ship’s computer. You’re safe here, I promise.”
The heat of Sen’s back against his own made him realize they’d instinctively shifted to a fighting stance. He shook off the surge of adrenaline as Seneca returned to his side. “Your ship’s computer speaks and has a name?”
“I should have warned you. I’m sorry. It’s not unusual to have a voice interface, though Alfred is a bit more sophisticated than most computers.”
Jupiter looked to Seneca and was reassured by his nod.
“I’ve seen computers respond to voice commands before.” Seneca shifted his gaze to Feeona. “But they didn’t have names. They were just called computer.”
Feeona shrugged her good shoulder. “Well, that just seems unimaginative to me. But I can’t take credit for the name. He’s had it since I first came aboard.” Her lips turned up in a hesitant smile. “Alfred, Jupiter and Seneca are my guests. Please take good care of them while they’re here. You’ll respond to their voice commands.”
“Acknowledged, Captain. Voice prints on file.”
“Good.” She gestured toward an opening on one side of the room. “Pilot’s station is that way. At the moment it’s locked down, so there’s nothing to see.” She pointed to the other side of the room. “Quarters, galley, and more ship’s systems aft. I need to go get a few things from my quarters before I go out. Please make yourselves at home.”
“Feeona.” She’d already started to leave the common area, but she stopped when he called her name. “We need to talk.”
In his peripheral vision, Seneca sank down onto one of the seating benches and stretched his body out with a sigh of pleasure. TheRenegadehad been comfortable enough, but without luxuries.
Feeona turned back to the doorway and started moving. “Walk and talk then. I want to have this business over and done as quickly as possible. Every minute we wait the more of Fitz’s crew or Roma’s goons there’ll be searching for us.”
“Seneca and I are grateful for your help, but it would be safer for us to find our own way from here.”
