Chapter 31

After a moment of silence, I prompted, “Rion?”

I liked the way it made him jump, like he was thinking things he shouldn’t be thinking. I wanted to ask him what they were. I’m almost sure they’re the same things I’m thinking, involving me and him in one of the sleeping bunks, the little hole-in-the-wall beds we have that I’m thinking might (just might) fit us both.

He started to say something when a hollow knocking echoed through the bridge and Paol’s face filled our screens. He looked stupid in the white biohazard suit Ansel insists they wear and he was tapping on one of the cameras mounted on the outside of the ship. “You guys?” he called out, then tapped the camera lens again. “Is this thing on?”

“God,” I muttered. He’s a dork.

Rion laughed and clicked on the intercom. “Standing by, Captain.”