when he was hiding his replacement hand and that had been cruel. “I apologize. I shouldn’t have made fun of your glove.”
He reached out and covered her hand with his, the organic one. “Hey… it’s okay,” he murmured, obviously sensing her distress. “Really. I’m not sensitive about it. And I’m not just differently abled, beautiful… I’m differently gifted.”
She couldn’t help the small snort that escaped her. “Gifted, huh?”
“You’d better believe it, baby.”
“Obviously humility didn’t come as part of the package.”
He grinned. “No need, not with my package. But you know what they say…”
She’d been about to clap him back for the package comment but lifted an eyebrow. “No, what do they say?”
“The proof of the pudding’s in the eating,” he drawled. “So how about it, beaut? Take a chance on me?”
She recovered her hand, instantly missing the warmth of his touch. Leaning back in her chair, she looked at him over the rim of her cup. “You? I thought we were talking about your package?”
His eyes darkened. “You can take that out for a spin any time you like, sweetheart. I just thought you’d like to be wined and dined first…”
“And we’re right back to why. And don’t give me that crap about me being the most beautiful woman you’ve ever seen… unless you need optical implants as well.”
He just winked at her and tapped his left temple. “Who says I didn’t?”
Oh god… she wanted the ground to open and swallow her whole. Just one problem with that. No ground on a station and she’d seen the maintenance sublevels. No way did she want to end up down there. She’d probably end up with an infection or a nasty skin rash.
She finished her coffee and put the cup back down, pushing it away. “Well… it was nice talking to you, Mr…?”
“Zero.” He smiled.
“Mr. Zero,” she corrected herself as she stood. “But I’m afraid I need to get back to work.”
“It’s just Zero.” He stood at the same time. “What time do you get off work?”
“I’m afraid I’m pulling the graveyard tonight,” she said with a smile, totally brushing him off. She had a name now, so she could find out more about him. Even if she had to impound his damn ship to find out who the hell he and his friends were. “Perhaps see you around.”
And with that, she left quickly.
❖
Her quip to Zero had been meant as a brush off, but less than four hours later it turned out to be unwittingly prophetic.
“You have to be kidding me?” she asked, her expression flat and totally unimpressed. “You’re telling me they BOTH managed to get themselves a medbay trip?”
Mills looked uncomfortable, shifting his weight from foot to foot. “I’m afraid so, boss,” he grimaced. “Ward called out a warning, but Nelson didn’t hear him and piled through the door right after him. They both got hit as the door shorted out.”
She groaned, closing her eyes. Yeah, she knew some of her staff weren’t the brightest bulbs in the box since places like Tarantus didn’t attract the cream of the crop, but come on… was common sense too much to ask for?
“Right, okay,” she sighed, opening her eyes. “Is tonight the only shift that needs covering?”
“Uh-huh.” Mills handed her the staffing sheet. “I managed to move everyone else around. We’ll be a little short for a few days until Baires gets back from leave but we can manage.”
She gave a small smile. “Whatever would I do without you, Mills?”
He opened his mouth, a gleam of hope in his eyes. She slapped the staffing sheet into the middle of his chest. “And no, that doesn’t mean dinner… or anything else. I don’t date my staff.”
His face fell a little, but then he grinned. “Can’t blame a guy for trying. Can you?”
She chuckled as she stole his new coffee, still steaming in its plasti-mug. “Nope. Now get your ass out of here before I change my mind and make you pull a double shift.”
He was headed to the door almost before she’d finished the sentence. “Thanks, boss. See you tomorrow!”
Cradling her purloined drink, she settled herself behind the desk. When she looked up, she caught Allen grinning at her from his cell. “What are you grinning at?”
He was sitting up, leaning against the wall with one forearm against a raised knee. “The foolishness of youth. That kid never had a chance with you, but fair play to him for trying.”
Her hackles rose a little. “How do you know he didn’t have a