into snarky enjoyment as he got to watch Anastasia grit her teeth every time the computer spoke aloud.
But after that short confrontation, she once again deigned to pretend he didn’t exist.
Day two, he did his best to get in her way. Every time she went to move, he happened to get in her path. She reached for a tool to tweak a component on the console, his hand was there accidentally brushing hers. She went to use the tight hall to go from the control room to the cabin, he happened to be there, too, going in the opposite direction, his body rubbing against hers as they slid by in the tight space. She went to sleep in the bunk and woke to him snuggling her, an arm and leg thrown over her body.
“What are you doing?”
“I’d say it’s obvious what I’m doing. Getting some shuteye.”
“In my bed.”
“Our bed.”
“You do know there’s a top bunk.”
“Not anymore, I needed the mattress for something.”
That something saw him pitching it from an airlock into space.
“This isn’t going to work,” she growled as she shoved at his limbs, which he stubbornly refused to move. Good luck. Enhanced or not, she wasn’t budging him unless he decided to move.
“What won’t work? Sleeping together? Why ever not? We used to do it all the time. Usually naked. But, out of deference to your boyfriend, I kept my bottoms on.”
“This isn’t right.”
“You’re right. I’ll get chafed if I remain dressed. I’ll take my pants off.”
“You will not!”
“Testy, testy. Someone needs her beauty sleep.”
“Someone needs to stop driving me insane. If this is your lame attempt to get us back together, it’s failing miserably. I already told you I’m not interested. I have a man in my life.”
He adopted a feigned expression of innocence. “You think I’m trying to seduce you? Perish the thought. The idea never crossed my mind.”
“Liar.”
“If you ask me, I’m not the one who can’t keep my mind out of the gutter. Here I was, just trying to get some shuteye, and you’re turning this into a big deal. It’s not my fault you can’t handle the sight and feel of my awesome body. I realize I’m irresistible, but, really, learn some control.”
“I am not tempted.”
He bit back a smile at her indignation, and the lie that his processor spotted. “Sure you’re not. You can touch if you want. I won’t get offended or tattle on you to your boyfriend.”
For his generous offer, he got a knee to the groin, a shove that sent him tumbling to the floor, and a foot in the gut as she used him as a stepping -stone on her path to escape him.
He grinned. His plan to get under her skin was working marvelously.
Day three, he did laundry. But did Anastasia appreciate it? Of course not.
“Where are my clothes?” she bellowed as she woke from her nap. Having just exited the shower, his timing intentional, Seth grinned as he stood underneath the air dryer. In space, towels were considered a waste of space and resources. Why bother when a hot air dryer could do the same thing and not end up on the floor in a sodden heap?
Thus, it was , with only a smile and nothing else, he greeted his wife when she stormed into the small bathing chamber.
“What have you done with my clothes?”
“They’re in the wash,” he announced, lifting his face into the warm air and letting it evaporate the moisture still clinging to his skin.
“All of them ?”
“Yeah. Funny thing happened. While I was getting dressed, I happened to spill my morning breakfast shake all over our stuff.” Cramped quarters meant little in way of storage. Apparel for them both shared a large drawer out in the hall. “Somehow I didn’t think you’d appreciate the wet stains, so I threw the entire drawer into the wash, and I even picked up the stuff you’d dumped on the floor.”
“So what am I supposed to wear in the meantime?”
Turning, he eyed her up and down, lingering on the valley between her breasts covered by a generic
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