was a little unnerving but it was also freeing. She didn’t have to be Serena Gatling, Managing Director of GenCon Martian Operations. She could just be herself—if she even remembered that self.
“You said you’re not familiar with this section?” she asked. “Where are you located?”
“I have a mining claim in one of the mountain ranges northeast of the city.” He shrugged, and the movement of that big muscled chest behind her caused a pleasant flutter low in her stomach. She forced herself to concentrate on his words instead as he continued. “It’s mildly profitable but frankly I don’t work at it as hard as I could. I get… restless so I frequently travel around.”
“It must be nice to be so free,” she said enviously.
“I thought so, especially at first. But while I enjoy solitude, I’ve begun to realize that I am not cut out to be alone all the time.”
“You can be equally alone when you’re surrounded by people,” she pointed out.
“You’re right, of course, but I guess I’m used to that kind of loneliness.”
“Why did you come to Mars?” she blurted out.
He didn’t tense, but she could feel his hesitation before he spoke. “I never really fit in anywhere on Earth. I thought maybe Mars would be different. Why did you come here?”
“GenCon sent me.”
“You didn’t have a choice?”
“No.” And she hadn’t, not if she wanted to keep moving towards her goal. A goal that seemed increasingly out of reach. Please let me find some sign of hope at the lab, she prayed before she forced out a small laugh and changed the subject. “But enough of the past. What do you think of Mars becoming an independent planet?”
“I’m all for independence,” he said equally lightly, but then he began discussing trade disparities with a great deal of expertise.
She smiled over her shoulder at him when the discussion came to a close. “I see you know about a lot more than just cyborgs and politics.”
He shrugged again. “I like to read.”
“I do too. Sometimes it was the only thing that kept me sane.” Appalled that she had revealed so much, she immediately tried to take back the words. “I mean, corporate life is very demanding.”
“I’m sure it is,” he agreed, his voice carefully neutral, but to her relief he didn’t press her.
If anyone had told her a week ago that she would enjoy spending the afternoon riding across the Martian desert on a robot horse with a strange cyborg, she would have scoffed at the very idea, but she couldn’t remember the last time she had enjoyed herself so much. The vast emptiness of Mars was as soothing in person as it was from her window—although she suspected a lot of that was due to her companion. John turned out to be both intelligent and well-read but even when they lapsed into a comfortable silence, she was glad they were together.
Her body hummed pleasantly with a constant awareness of the man behind her. How long had it been since she had felt such genuine desire? Although she didn’t dislike sex, she was more used to using her body as an asset. In this case, she had nothing to gain. Except pleasure, a small voice inside suggested.
Lost in her thoughts, she didn’t notice that the temperature was dropping until a frigid breeze swirled around them and she shivered. John noticed immediately and pulled her tighter against his body, wrapping his big warm arms around her. She started to pull away, to put distance between them, and then realized there was no one around to see her weakness. What did it matter? With a sigh, she snuggled into him.
“Are you tired?” he asked gently.
“Perhaps a little.”
“I’m going to look for a place to stop for the night.” When she started to object, he tightened his arms again in what felt suspiciously like a hug. “You’ve done really well, but it is time to stop. I’d like to get the habitat set up before dark.”
“Can’t you see in the dark?” she asked suspiciously.
He laughed. “Only to a certain extent. And I suspect you’d rather be able to see when you’re using the portable facilities.”
Was she blushing? She refused to admit that she was and returned to his previous statement. “Are you looking for some place in particular to stop?”
“Up there, I think.” He leaned even closer and lifted his arm to point out a long ridge of rock rising out of the desert like the spine of some ancient animal. “That will