The Tamora Bight performed flawlessly. After a week in space, Emi lost track of time again. One evening, she joined Aaron on the bridge when he had night watch. She spent alone time with each of them, albeit not in bed, during bridge watches. It kept them from being lonely, and while she felt she knew them fairly well already, it gave them time to lower their emotional defenses around her.
He patted his lap, and she gladly curled up against him. She met a previously unfilled need for each of the men, but they did for her, too.
Caph was her playful buddy; Ford was her intellectual partner; Aaron was her quiet strength and steady hand.
“How are you feeling, sweetie?” he asked, his arms comfortably setting around her.
“I’m okay. Better than I thought I’d be.”
“No regrets?”
“Absolutely not. Well, maybe one.”
“What’s that?”
“That I didn’t have a chance to give Jezehussy the same kind of dry dock show we gave the guys in New Phoenix.” Aaron’s laugh warmed her heart. “I told you, I wouldn’t have minded that.”
Chapter Sixteen
The first month flew by. If anything, it was almost boring. Not being with her boys, because that was never dull or a chore. She jogged through the ship with Ford, worked out in the exercise room with Caph, and practiced her self-defense techniques with Aaron.
They played poker¯often strip poker¯most nights after dinner. She also learned more about the ship, getting frequent pop quizzes from the men about different functions.
The only one surprised when she answered correctly was Emi.
After completing a rapid-fire round of life support-related questions, Caph grinned. “By jove, I think she’s got it.”
“Must be osmosis, because it sure as hell doesn’t feel like I’m an expert.”
He hugged her. “Honey, we don’t expect you to know the entire ship, but you know a hell of a lot more than you did before. By the time we get back to Earth, you’ll know this crate as well as we do.”
“I wouldn’t bet on that.” The jump drive and grav plate systems still stymied her.
Their first stop after leaving Mars was a military outpost at the outer edge of the solar system they were scheduled to explore. They dropped off a shipment for the outpost, picked up some of their own supplies, and Aaron took her with him to a meeting with the base commander.
For the first time, Emi could admit to a raging case of nerves, her brief interaction with the ISNC grunts coming back to her. Smiles were in short supply, and the general overall mood of the base was serious, businesslike.
Thank the gods I didn’t pick the Kendall Kant!
Aaron misinterpreted her edginess. “Relax, sweetie,” he whispered, his thumb stroking her hand. It was an unconscious tic he had, and he gained as much comfort from the gesture as she did.
“Everyone here is chipped. You’re safe.”
“That’s not what I’m nervous about.” The base commander was polite, but efficient. “Captain Lucio, Dr.
Hypatia.” He handed Aaron a computer cartridge. “Your mission downloads, Captain. We received them yesterday from the DSMC.” Emi felt something from the commander, a flash of…pity?
“How long have you been in the ISNC, Commander Rawley?” she asked. His name was familiar, but she couldn’t place it.
His eyes flicked to Aaron and back to her. “Sixteen years.” Rawley was a man used to hiding his emotions and keeping a poker face firmly in place. “Do you enjoy your work?” He nodded. “Mostly. It’s like any other job, Doctor. Sometimes there’s good things, sometimes there’s bad.” A shadow crossed his mind, and at almost the same time a dark thought flitted through Aaron’s. And she knew.
Rawley was involved, somehow, with the events on the Wayfarer Margo.
They chatted for a few minutes, discussing the security situation of the area they were heading to¯fortunately calm¯and both men’s tension levels gradually ratcheted up until she almost couldn’t stand it.
Aaron stood and shook hands. “Nice seeing you again, Rawley.” Rawley nodded and shook hands with her. “You too. Doctor.” Aaron took her hand, his thumb stroking hers as they walked.
“Did you know he’d be here?” she asked.
He stopped short, looking at her, genuine surprise on his face.
“I am an empath,” she reminded him.
He brought her hand to his lips and kissed it. Then they continued their walk. “I don’t think about that,” he said. “Your skills. I keep forgetting.”
“Was he on the Margo?”
Aaron’s face tightened, but he nodded. “Yeah. He transferred over to the ISNC.”
She left it at that, her question answered. Eventually Aaron relaxed, and later sought her out in the galley, wrapping his arms around her waist as she made them lunch.
He kissed the back of her neck. “Thank you,” he murmured against her skin.
“For what?”
“For being you. For picking us.” He turned her to face him, his brown eyes searching hers. “Thank you, Em. From the bottom of my heart.”
“You don’t have to thank me, Aaron. I love you, all of you.” He smiled and touched his forehead to hers, his eyes closing, the worst of his tension now draining from him. “Me too, babe.” He couldn’t say it, but it was okay. She knew the last person he’d said it to had died in his arms, and he still hurt from those wounds.
Maybe his soul would always ache.
But he did love her.
“So when do we start working on your head?” she asked with a smile.
“You already are, babe. Every day with you, I feel better,” he whispered against her flesh.
She closed her eyes and basked in his warmth, his body enveloping hers. One of the few things she didn’t like on board was the temperature. Not in the crew area, but elsewhere, it was always on the cool side to conserve energy. She nearly always felt chilly. The men easily tolerated it, but for her comfort they kept the crew area and bridge slightly warmer.
“Are you happy with us?” he asked. “Seriously.”
“Aaron, you guys are stuck with me for life,” she assured him.
He squeezed her tightly, nearly desperately. “Good. I couldn’t stand losing you, babe. You or the twins.”
The next night was Emi’s turn at watch. Around three a.m. she felt Aaron’s approach before he reached the bridge.
“What are you doing up?” she asked.
He composed his thoughts. “You do know how I feel about you, right?” he softly asked.
She smiled and nodded. “Of course I do.”
“I wanted to make sure you knew. I know I’m not good about saying it¯”
“Aaron,” she softly interrupted him, “you don’t have to say it as long as you show me.”
He studied her face. “Have I been showing you enough?”
“Yes, you have. Come here.”
She put her arms around his waist and rested her face against his firm stomach. “I love you, Aar,” she said. “And I know you love me and the twins. I understand why it’s hard for you to talk about it. As long as you keep showing me how you feel, I’m okay with that.”
“Really?”
“Yes, really.” She looked into his face. “Don’t ever shut us out, that’s all I ask. We all love you and want to help you heal, whatever needs to happen.”