Page 58 of Golden Darkness

He snorted, lifted her, and rolled her to her belly. “It just whetted my appetite, so let’s see how long it takes to sateme.”

She sighed as he slid into her, and she grinned. “Are we keeping score? Oh, goody. I think you are going to win.”

“I like winning.” He growled against her neck.

Janessa smiled. She liked it when he won as well.

Curled together, he asked, “You really miss that friend?”

“I don’t know if friends are what we were. We were like-minded in regard to survival, and we both loved music. I would like to send her a data crystal if I can.”

He nodded. “If you stabilize and progress, do you want to deliver it yourself?”

She nodded. “I do.”

“It isn’t going to be like the last time where you tried and climbed into the support systems of the shuttle. We are going to walk on board, where everyone can see us.”

She blushed. At the one-week mark, she had tried to get to Kethen, which involved stowing away on the shuttle to the station. She had been a little crazy and hidden in the ductwork when Kethen had broadcast the order that she was to present herself and be transported back to the surface. It was at that point that she realized she missed him so much that her soul hurt.

“I didn’t like it when you were gone. Not a fan. Was acting on an instinct I didn’t know I had.”

He stroked her arm. “What were you going to do after you got to the station?”

“Steal a shuttle, find out where you were, and then go to you.”

“You think you could pilot a shuttle?”

She turned to look at him seriously. “Yeah. I do.”

He looked at her and grinned. “I think so, too. Well, we will need to lay in a few supplies. Getting the fruit stable for a few weeks in space is tricky. We can’t freeze it, but we have to chill it at just the right temperature.”

She tensed. “We are really going to Avor?”

“We are going to Yavor’s station. I will ask for an audience when we get there. Your friend should still be tracked, so easy to find.”

Janessa blinked. “Did I have trackers?”

“You still do. I had them implanted on the ship.”

“Asshole.”

He laughed.

“How many days until we can go?”

“Two more weeks. I have to settle things here before I can leave for three weeks again.”

“Fine. I am going to check news releases for Yavor to see if I can find any mention of her.”

He laughed. “I am amazed that you have been able to get into the data stream. You are skilled.”

“You gave me the time to learn. That was all I ever needed and didn’t even know it.” Janessa chucked. “I have even designed some outfits that are all matchy-match just like you like them. They are being made in town. Two weeks should be enough time. They had to get extra leather for your coat.”

He got a sweet expression. “You are having clothing made for me?”

“Yeah. There isn’t anything else to do with my allowance until the child arrives. I already have a full kit for it. The local ladies here went nuts when they heard about it.”

He laughed. “Interesting.”