“Because he’s my friend.He’s my family.”
“And if it was Burn?Or Orion?Or me?”
“Of course not!”He looked so offended.
“That’s why.My father’s crew is very tight knit.Most of them have been with him from the start and he trusts them.”
“What about newer crew members?”
Of course he’d caught the distinction.Should I tell him the rest of it?Ihadpromised no more secrets.“New crew are given the same expectations.And of course, the threat of a violent and painful death if anyone talked about us.”
Dax choked.“That would do it.Is he going to threaten me?”he asked conversationally.
“I...honestly?Yeah, he probably will.”
His arms tightened around me.“Will you protect me?”
“Always.”
“I love you, Lacy Dupree.”
“I love you too, Dax Cooper.”
His fingers tangled in my hair and my hand curved around his neck.
I tugged him down for a kiss, needing his taste like I used to need oxygen.His lips met mine in a fiery tangle of need.
His hands slid down my neck, my back, and left trails of tingles the entire way down.They curved around my upper thighs as he lifted me so I could straddle his lap.
I pulled away slightly.“The intercom isn’t on, right?”
He glanced over at the console, his lips curving into a grin.“Nope.No intercom.”His mouth captured mine again.
The kiss was a blur of sensation.Until persistent knocking on the door broke into the moment.
Dax pulled back from the kiss and yelled at the interloper.“What?”
Burn’s voice sounded like she was holding back laughter.“Uh, hey, Dax, if Lacy’s up there with you, you might want to tell her that her sister is awake and hanging out in the mess.Mercer got her some food and she said she was up for talking.”
My cheeks flamed.I looked at Dax.He indicated that it was my decision.“Thanks, Burn.We’ll be right out.”
“Oh no, don’t rush on our account,” she practically purred.“I can’t wait to ask your sister all about your childhood.I’m sure she has thebeststories.”
“Fuck.That’s sister-level evil,” I said.
Dax just laughed.
“We better get down there.”I pressed my lips against his one more time.
60
Lacy
I smoothedmy shirt and patted down my hair for probably the hundredth time as Dax and I made our way to the mess hall.It was a short distance that we would usually cover quickly, but I was moving slowly.
Like he could read my mind, Dax held his hand out to me.“Ready?”
“Nope, not in the slightest.”I put my hand in his, grateful for the contact, the support.
