Emi had to hurry to catch up with him as his long legs quickly carried him down the corridor.
“Listen, Captain, I don’t know what’s going on, but¯” He stopped and turned so fast she nearly ran into him. He kept his voice low, probably so it wouldn’t carry down to the other men, who hadn’t followed. “Those two guys are my crew. I’m responsible for them,” he said. “We’ve been together a lot of years, and I make no apologies.”
That confused the hell out of her. “I didn’t ask for any apologies¯”
“Let’s get this over with before they fall any harder for you than they already have.”
“What?” But he’d turned and strode away again. She raced to catch up.
“I’m sick of people coming in here and getting those two guys’
damn hopes up and then turning us down. I’m tired of the other fucking crews laughing behind our backs because they’re not men enough to say it to our faces, and I’m tired of a bunch of pissant wannabes who don’t have a fraction of our experience thinking we’re some sort of goddamn joke.”
Now she stopped, frustrated in addition to being totally confused.
“Will you please tell me what the fuck you’re talking about, Captain Lucio?”
Her tone must have taken him by surprise. He stopped and turned, walking back to her. “You’re the tenth one they’ve sent to us. Another five rejects after you, they’ll deny us a mission and we’re stuck on short hops for the rest of our careers. Let’s get this over with, quit wasting your time and mine.”
“Why are you so sure I’ll reject you?” He’d started walking again.
She caught up, trying to match his strides.
She was the tenth? What the hell was wrong with them? She still had difficulty reading him, whether it was his anger or her confusion,
she didn’t know.
He stopped short in front of a door. “Because so far we haven’t found anyone with an open mind, that’s why.”
“Uh, yeah, like that clears things up. Just say what you mean, Captain.”
“You want to see the crew quarters?” She mirrored his aggressive tone, hoping that might distract him.
“Sure. Show me.”
He opened the door and she followed him inside. The cabin was much larger than quarters in the other two ships. In the middle of the room lay a very large bed¯more like a pallet¯on the floor, large enough for several people to comfortably stretch out with room to spare. Four cabinets and sets of drawers lined the walls. She didn’t know whose cabin this was, but there were some personal effects placed here and there. It was neat and tidy overall.
“So what’s the problem, Captain?” she asked. “I don’t see a problem with this.”
Lucio smirked, crossed his arms and leaned against one of the cabinets. “This is the crew quarters.” She studied his face, then looked around again. When her eyes fell on his he still wore the same smirk. He nodded. “Yes. The only crew cabin.”
Now speechless, she looked around again. It took her a moment to decide what to say. “The only crew cabin?” He nodded. “Ready to leave, Doctor? I can escort you out the back way so you don’t have to face the twins again. I’m getting good at making excuses for you people.”
Emi hated being pushed around, and she’d be damned if she’d let handsome Lucio make her decision for her. She leaned against the opposite wall and crossed her arms, mirroring his chilly pose. “Why?” His eyebrow arched. “Why?”
“Did you not hear me, or did you not understand me, Captain?” He studied her, perhaps re-evaluating her. “Maybe you’re the one not understanding. This is it. We all share a bed.” She forced herself to maintain her chilly composure. “I get that.
I’m not stupid.”
Impasse. They silently stared at each other for several minutes.
She waited for him to speak.
“That doesn’t bother you?” he finally asked, genuinely curious.
Maybe a breakthrough in his chilly wall.
“Considering I’m supposed to sleep with all three of you, should it? I’m a doctor. It’s not like I’m freaked out over a naked body.” Especially not three hunky guys…
One corner of Lucio’s mouth curled up in the slightest of smiles.
Emi fought the urge to walk over and kiss him. He was handsome, and combined with that voice, it was a downright dangerous combination to her reserve.
“My crew and I are very close, Doctor. We always have been.” She played dirty and tried to read him again, this time succeeding as he’d relaxed a little.
“So you’re all bisexual. The problem is what, exactly?” The problem was she was surprisingly and uncomfortably damp between her legs at the thought of seeing all three of these guys¯even obnoxious Lucio¯naked in the same bed.
He slowly walked over and braced his arms against the wall on either side of her, leaning close, his face inches from hers. She couldn’t say she didn’t want this. Something about him drew her in.
“The other women ran, calling us a bunch of perverts.” His low voice stirred her. She really wanted to grab his shirt and pull him to her, feel his mouth crush hers. “You sure you wouldn’t want the brainy boys or the brawny boys instead of the bi-boys?” Emi refused to back down. “I get the feeling you’re trying to keep me off this ship, Captain.”
His mouth hovered inches from hers, his eyes piercing her. “I won’t see my men get hurt because of whatever games you want to play.”
She hoped her tone sounded as serious as his. “I don’t play games, Captain Lucio. I also don’t believe in pre-judging people, a lesson you could learn. I was having a great time talking to Caph and Ford.
If anyone scuttles my assignment to this vessel, it would be your attitude, not them. I don’t have a problem sharing a bed with those two guys. You, however, have the personality of a fucking porcupine, asshole.”
His breath caught—she heard it. She’d finally knocked him off-balance mentally.
She pursued the advantage. “Maybe you’re used to dealing with some less than average women, Captain Lucio, but I graduated first in my class. Frankly, I don’t take too kindly to someone telling me I should run away just because he’s scared of getting a little too emotionally close to someone.”
Both his eyebrows shot up. That told her something. He was worried for his men, but a part of him felt scared, too. He’d been hurt before.
One more shot across his bow, to see if it was really worth spending more time with them. She liked Ford and Caph, but if this guy didn’t do an about-face on attitude, she’d walk no matter how cute he was.
She leaned forward, challenging his close personal space, and whispered, “If you want to quit dealing with girls and deal with a woman for a change, let me know.” It was soooo tempting to kiss him, but she needed to see if he would trust her a little.
Thank the gods for her psychology degree.
He did. Lucio leaned in the rest of the way and kissed her. She enjoyed every second of it. There was something…off…about it, like he wasn’t quite real, like her sense of taste and smell was messed up or something, but his lips on hers distracted her. She pushed away from the wall into his body, wrapping her arms around him.
Wow! Daniel never kissed her like that.
When he stepped back a moment later, a shocked expression on his face, she knew she’d won the first battle with him.
“You ready to start over with me, Captain Lucio?” Stunned, he nodded.
She stuck out her hand. “Dr. Emilia Hypatia. Please feel free to call me Emi.”
He took her hand and didn’t let go. “Captain Aaron Lucio. Please call me Aaron.”