Page 48 of Rescued

“It’s about time,” Nikathy quipped. He was already in the Captain’s chair firing up the engines and preparing for takeoff. I gave him a glower but he only laughed at me. “I knew you’d be too busy to fly. Just leave it to me.”

For once, I was glad to have him here. I pulled Caimbrie close and kissed her again, and then I dragged her toward the back of the ship. We needed to be ready for takeoff, and it was going to happen any second. I felt the lurch of the brakes releasing, and I hung on tight as the ship threw us back. Instinctively, I grabbed her and rolled toward the bunk, landing us a little hard on the bed but protecting her from hitting the wall.

Caimbrie let out a gleeful laugh as we tumbled together, and I laughed with her. We’d made it. I hugged her and buried my face in her hair, breathing her in and relishing her presence. She planted her hands on either side of my face and held me at arm’s length, studying my face carefully as the ship bounced and rocked us back and forth.

“Have I ever told you that I find you terribly attractive?” she asked sheepishly.

I coughed. That was not what I had been expecting from her. I didn’t know what to say, but she was smiling innocently up at me, waiting for me to respond.

“You have not, but I’m glad to know it now. And I find you absolutely beautiful,” I answered, sweeping a hand across her face and letting her hair run through my fingers.

“Good. I wouldn’t care to know if you found me terribly ugly.”

This was a side of her I had never seen. She was playful, and unguarded. It was so unusual, and yet so enticing. I couldn’t hold back the rumble of laughter that filled my chest at her comment. It was bursting free and I was falling onto the bunk beside her, listening to her nervous laughter.

“Now, I thought you had a surprise for me,” she pried.

“Oh, I do.”

“Out with it, then. Don’t make me wait.”

I turned my head sideways to look into her big, bright eyes. She was so eager, I felt myself falling for her all over again, except this time I knew what that feeling meant and I cherished it.

“I’m afraid you don’t have much choice, love. But don’t worry. You’ll see soon enough. Until then, I suppose I’ll just have to keep you entertained.”

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