“I think I am going to go for a midnight swim.”
She then brought her hands up to the bra’s front clip and unhooked it, releasing her beautiful breasts. Yeah, baby. She took off the bra and tossed it on top of her shirt. She looked amazing in the moonlight as she stood with her hands on her hips. Peter couldn’t help teasing her. “You look a little cold.”
“I’m not cold.” She pulled her panties down with both hands in a titillating way until she was completely bent over and the undies were at her feet. She lifted one foot out before quickly snapping herself back up, whipping her hair over her head alluringly. “But follow me into the water and you’ll find out what I really am.” She kicked off her panties and ran toward the water.
Peter couldn’t get out of his clothes fast enough.
17
BLAKE HAMILTON
It had been a busy week for Peter since getting engaged. Along with the long training hours, he and Anya had moved into a quaint rental home in southeast Houston close by the office. Regardless of the hectic week, he was enjoying every moment he was able to steal away with Anya. He was looking forward to spending even more time together when things slowed down. Regrettably, that wasn’t happening soon. There had been no improvement with Jesse’s back, and with only three weeks before launch, Peter’s training hours and studying would only intensify. The time was drawing near when he would have to inform Anya of the possibility he might fly the mission.
He was taking advantage of a forced break in the current training exercise to relax his brain as he stared out the window of the Iris mockup. He and Blake would soon be practicing their emergency escape from the capsule. Blake, who was responsible for opening the hatch, had already gone through the test. This was Peter’s first time.
They sat in uncomfortable seats in a stripped-down version of the Iris spacecraft, where the control panel was void of any monitors or instruments. The hard plastic seats were dimensionally accurate as was the layout within the mock-up so the men could get used to dealing with the obstacles they would encounter when quickly vacating the spacecraft. They were both in their silver flight suits with helmets on, visors up. Though Peter had been given instructions, he was waiting to hear from the instructor over the headset on when the exercise would start and what he should expect.
He figured they were elevated over two hundred feet in the air, the height their spacecraft would be when sitting on top of the Zeus rocket. When they were given the “go,” he would follow Blake out of the hatch, and each would clip his tether cord to a small trolley on his designated zip line ten feet away. They would jump off the platform and free fall for a few moments before the cable gradually straightened out and the trolley wheels engaged as they flew along for the remaining 250-foot ride, reaching speeds up to 40 miles per hour. The hope was this quick exit would take them out of harm’s way of an actual emergency, such as the rocket exploding. They would fly down to the end of the line where an elongated spring would slow them down before they slammed into a cushioned wall. If this had been an actual emergency, they would quickly unhook themselves and dive into a bunker close by, but for training purposes this was deemed too risky. Though Peter doubted such an escape system would actually save them from an explosion, it could still save their asses from other catastrophes. The zip line gave him peace of mind, especially considering Galileo had no such escape option.
Blake interrupted his thoughts. “You know, we’re going to be flying like a couple of superheroes down that line.”
Peter turned to his partner and was briefly blinded by a glint of sunlight reflecting off the control panel. “Cool, I’ll be Batman.”
Blake cocked his head. “If you’re Batman, that makes me Robin. I don’t want to be your sidekick.”
Peter decided to toy with the young man. “Okay, you be Batgirl.”
Blake chuckled. “I don’t think so. I’ll be the Human Torch, he’s my favorite superhero.”
Peter gave a nod. “Then the Human Torch it is. Just make sure you open that hatch quick enough or we’ll both be torched.”
Blake casually replied with a trace of humor. “I got you covered, Batman.”
Peter liked Blake. He had gotten to know the thirty-two year old former Air Force pilot better over the last week during training. With his blond hair and athletic good looks, Blake came across more like a surfer than an astronaut. Though he was often kidding around, Peter was impressed with the man’s skills and dedication.
Blake’s voice became inquisitive. “So what was it like on the backside of the moon?”
Peter adjusted himself, trying to find a more comfortable position in his seat. “It was very spiritual, especially coming around and seeing your home planet in all of its glorious colors rising over the desolate moon, simply a magnificent sight. I had this sudden sense of clarity in my existence, unlike anything I had ever experienced before. I realized then how lucky I was to live on such a beautiful planet. After seeing those colors stand out over the surrounding black, it simply made me want to go home.”
Blake turned and looked at the barren control panel. He let the words hang over him as he seemed to digest the magnitude of experiencing such a moment. “I can’t wait to see Earth from space. I’ve heard all kinds of descriptions of the awesome sight, but it sounds like words can’t really describe it.”
“You’re right. It’s not just what you’ll see, but what you’ll feel. It changes you.”
Blake looked back, his eyes wide in awe. “Did it change you?”
Peter hesitated as he thought of Anya. “It made me realize how much I loved someone.”
Blake’s tone rose sharply. “A girlfriend?”
Peter lightly nodded. “Yes; in fact, we got engaged over the weekend.”
Blake raised his balled-up fist in Peter’s direction. “Congratulations; is this your first?”
Peter instantly thought of Viktor and their unique fist bump. He grinned ruefully as he understood why Blake would question this being the first go around for someone so old. He tapped Blake’s balled up hand. “Yep, first time taking the leap.”
“You’ll love it. I wouldn’t change a thing about being married. Having someone who loves and supports you is awesome.”
Peter again readjusted himself in the uncomfortable seat. “You seem like a good husband, which is impressive considering how most of the women in the office are constantly flirting with you.”
An apologetic look crossed the young man’s face. “It’s always good for the ego, but I would never do anything to jeopardize my relationship with Suzy.”
Their headsets came alive. “Gentlemen, we’ll be starting the exercise in fifteen minutes.”
“Roger,” Peter acknowledged the transmission as a sly grin crossed Blake’s face.
Blake resumed their conversation. “Any idea when you’ll get married?”
“We’re thinking springtime.”
“Nice. Here in Houston?”
Peter nodded. “Probably, though she’s from Russia. It’ll be a simple wedding.”
“How long has she lived in America?”
“She grew up in Russia before going to college at Georgetown. After getting her PhD she moved back to Russia where she has lived ever since. Her job brings her back to the U.S. often for business. We decided it was time to move in together, so she’s transferring her job out here. We just rented a home this week.”
Blake slapped his legs with both hands. “Well, damn! We need to have you two over for a BBQ and give her a good ole Texas welcome. How about this weekend?”