minutes later, Sabin and Matton arrived, equally sodden. Thankfully, it was time to leave the jungle behind.
Airen sat beside Sabin in the cockpit. Matton and Donovan strapped in behind them. She hoped the all-too-preceptive security commander didn’t pick up her mood. Outside, she tried for calm. Inside, she just wanted to crawl into Donovan’s lap and devour him.
By Alqin’s axe. She sucked in some breaths, watching as Sabin started the shuttle’s engines and got them airborne.
As their shuttle broke the atmosphere, Matton grumbled, “I need a hot shower.” Sabin made a wordless sound of agreement.
“Were you able to learn anything else?” Sabin asked, glancing first back at Donovan, and then at Airen.
Airen held up the data chip. “The pirate said the Kantos hired them.”
Sabin cursed, his hands moving over the ship’s controls. “I guessed as much. What have those fuckers got planned now?”
“Picking up some Terran curse words?” Donovan called out with a brief chuckle.
“Fuck, yeah.”
Airen stared at the chip, worry eating at her. “The pirate alluded to the Kantos having attack plans, although he didn’t have any more information.”
Sabin glanced at her, the purple threads in his eyes glowing. “Well, we knew they weren’t going to go away.”
“No, they aren’t,” Airen agreed, swiping a droplet of water from her cheek.
“Here.” Donovan leaned between the seats and held out an absorbent towel to her.
“Thanks.” She wiped off her hair and face, turning to glance back at him.
She watched him dry himself off with a flex of muscular arms and felt a rush of traitorous heat. Her hands clenched on her towel.
He caught her looking at him and smiled. The man had a gorgeous smile.
“Rengard ahead,” Sabin called out.
Work. That’s what she needed right now. Her reason for everything.
She turned to face her warship through the viewscreen, but thoughts of the distracting Terran that made her want to crawl out of her skin were still in her head.
When Donovan had finished his shift for the day, he headed to the Rengard gym. He was wearing black shorts, a tight, black compression shirt, and his favorite battered Nikes.
As he entered the gym, he called out to the warriors who were training on the mats, and then hit the treadmill.
Like all Eon technology, it was kick ass.
Just like a certain warrior he knew.
He hadn’t seen Airen since they’d returned yesterday from the jungle planet and she’d gone to the tech team to get the chip analyzed. He couldn’t prove it, but he suspected the second commander was avoiding him.
The kiss had left her rattled. She’d just about blown his head off with that kiss. His lips curved. God, he could still taste her, hear the husky little noises she’d made.
His roster today had included a stint with the ship’s navigators. Thankfully, the work had kept him busy and occupied until now. He ran until he was sweaty. The training warriors left, calling out goodbyes. Moments later, the doors opened again, and Airen entered wearing workout gear.
Damn.
His cock throbbed, letting him know just how much it appreciated seeing the second commander. She wore tight leggings, and a thin top that clung to her. Her clothing was all black and he wondered if she ever wore color. She’d look stunning in red, or turquoise.
She spotted him, hesitated, then nodded.
Donovan liked knowing he upset the steady second commander’s equilibrium. He wouldn’t be on the Rengard forever. And while he didn’t believe in love and long-term, he fully believed in short-term and mutually satisfying.
When he finished on the treadmill, he moved onto the mat and started stretching. “Hi, Airen.”
“Donovan.”
“Any news about the data on the chip?” he asked.
She nodded. “We recovered all of the stolen data.” She stretched her slender arms above her head and he forced himself not to look at her perfect breasts—he’d already noted that they were high, not large, not small. Perfect.
“But there’s other data on the chip, as well,” she added.
He straightened. “Really?”
“It’s encrypted.” Her nose wrinkled. “Some sort of chaotic encryption the pirates have used. The team’s working on it with Wren and Sassy.”
“Could have helpful information on there,” he mused.
“Or it could just be space pirate crap.”
She moved to the wall of weapons and picked a sword off the rack. Back on the mat, she started swinging the weapon and moving through a routine full of kicks and lunges. Damn, his mouth went dry as he watched her bend and then slash with that sword out.
She was beautiful. He was attracted to that, sure, but he also liked her quiet