J.M. Snyder

Neal James is a space station navigator whose lover, Dylan Teague, left him for a starmapping mission. But when Dylan radios in a distant signal one night, Neal discovers that he hasn't managed to put the relationship behind him in the two months they've been apart. When he's one of the crew members sent to investigate the signal, he finds that his ex-lover feels the same.<br><br>The source of the signal is a lost colony ship. Only a handful of the original colonists remain, survivors of a deadly disease that killed most of their fellow shipmates twenty years ago. To keep the threat of disease to a minimum, the colony adheres to strict laws, including the prohibition of same-sex relationships.<br><br>When the same fatal virus seems to appear again, Neal and Dylan find themselves in the midst of an irrational panic and hate that threatens to destroy everything the colonists have worked so hard to attain.

Operation Starseed

Dylan laughs, breathless against my ear, and


then kisses my neck. “Exactly,” he purrs. His fingers pick at my


jumpsuit’s zipper, pulling it down slightly, tickling beneath the


separated fabric, tracing the curve of my collarbone, the hollow of


my throat. So soft, that touch. So amazingly gentle. “If Shanley’s


going to be awhile,” he starts, kissing my jaw.


The door slides open and Shanley steps out


into the airlock. “I’m right here,” he says. On the vidscreen


behind him, I can see Vallery setting the DAQ system up for the


decon. “If you guys don’t mind,” he adds, the hint of a smile on


his face, “maybe you could wait until later tonight to do… whatever


I laugh and push Dylan away, but he manages


one last quick kiss and then the light above the outer door buzzes


green and the door slides away to reveal the hangar and Parker,


already waiting for us. “Later, then,” Dylan promises as he leads


Chapter 37