Nothing happened, though. So I rub my neck and listen to Adiron talk about what he’s going to bring back for his mate and I wonder if I should have just gone about this plan solo.
“So then I was thinking, can we stop someplace with like, good atmosphere for our first refuel?” Adiron takes a drink of his tea, grimacing at the taste. “You know, maybe a flashy-looking station with some good stuff to steal. I hear Three Nebulas has a new cantina—”
“Adiron,” I snap, losing patience. “Can this wait until morning?”
My brother just smirks at me. “You seem a little cranky, Matty—”
“I’m tired,” I say flatly. “Save the conversation for when I wake up, all right? We can talk about refueling spots after I get some sleep.” I get to my feet and even that feels like effort. All of the energy I had for this mission has drained out of me. I need to crash for ten hours and I’ll wake up tomorrow refreshed and ready to tackle the universe.
Adiron sets down his mug. “Sheesh. I was just talking about my mate. I mean, since you separated me from her and all.”
“Regretting it already,” I reassure him as I stagger to the door. I could swear Adi smirks as I pass by him, but I’m too tired to ask what he finds so funny. Knowing Adiron, he’d launch into another twenty-minute rambling conversation about Jade and how soft her skin is. “See you soon.”
“Sleep tight,” my brother calls back, sing-song.
I head down the hall, half-asleep on my feet. I see Helen’s door at the end of the hall, sealed shut, and I feel like a monster. She hates having the door shut if she’s alone. It makes her feel isolated, trapped. I’m tempted to knock and check in on her, but it’s incredibly late and I don’t want to wake her if she’s sleeping. She probably wouldn’t welcome my appearance anyhow.
You never asked me if I wanted to be your lover, Mathiras. Maybe I don’t!
Way to set a male back on his heels. She’s right, though. I never asked. I just assumed from the way she gave me those longing looks and said she wanted me to give her a baby. I kinda figured I didn’t have to ask. But maybe Helen has decided that she needs asking. Not that I’m going to ask.
I scrub a hand over my eyes. Great, now I’m making myself crazy. It really is time to sleep.
I head for my quarters and open the door. The air rushes in my face as the door slides into the wall, and my cock stirs, because I catch a whiff of Helen’s delicate scent. Now I really am imagining things. Of course I smell her. She’s on the ship and her scent’s in the air vents. Rubbing the ache in my pants away, I shut the door behind me and step into the darkness of my quarters. I yank off a boot, and then another, and climb into bed. The blankets feel thicker than I’m used to but my tired brain doesn’t know what to do with that, so I ignore it.
I lie on my back and toss an arm over my eyes. Today was the hardest day, I tell myself. And it’s over. I can relax.
The blankets shift and then a warm, fragrant body presses against mine. Silky hair slides over my uniform and for a moment, I’m back in the mining station, Helen pressing up against me in her sleep. I bite back a groan as she fits herself against my chest, nestling her cheek on my shoulder. “Night, Mathiras.”
I lower my arm from my eyes, and the only place to put it is around her shoulders. This isn’t the mining station. I didn’t mistake the smell of Helen. She’s in my bed.
I bite back a groan. She feels…incredible. Warm, soft and sweet against me. “What are you doing here?”
“You said you wouldn’t leave me alone,” Helen mumbles, her breath fanning against my chest. “That includes my room.”
I relax my arm around her shoulders a little, but I know this is a mistake. “Were you scared of something? Is that why you’re in here?”
“No, I’m in here because I want to be. It’s fine. We did this before.” She pats my stomach, and my cock twitches to life again. “Quit talking and go to sleep, Mathiras.”
I should kick her out. I should climb out of bed and haul Helen up and march her back to her room. Explain that we’re not supposed to be together like this. That she needs to be in her own quarters. Instead, I stroke her arm as if I can’t help myself. She lets out the sweetest little sigh and her arm goes around my waist, and she feels so damned good that I can’t bring myself to move.