I made a face that reflected my feelings on the subject. I knew it would happen sooner or later, but I wasn’t looking forward to it.
“Okay, but keep in mind one thing,” I said firmly. “It’s very important, so do I have your attention, weirdo?”
Jordan nodded, wide-eyed.
“I don’t ever… ever… ever… not ever… want to see your dick. I don’t even want to know if you have one. So, whether you’re peeing, changing, or doing something else that requires you to be pantless, keep your back turned to me. Is that understood?”
“It is.”
“Peachy. Now go and do your thing.”
While he peed, I stripped out of my jumpsuit. I could hear him brushing his teeth as I tried out the lower bunk, which turned out to be as uncomfortable as it looked.
“I have it, by the way,” Jordan said, closing the tap.
“What?”
“A dick.”
I gagged. “Please don’t talk to me about dicks, especially not yours. Just because we’re trapped here, it doesn’t make us besties. Let’s keep the conversation to a minimum and concentrate on our job.”
“I am concent—”
When he paused mid-sentence, I looked at him, only to see him staring at me, agape. I followed his gaze, which was fixed on my chest as if an alien were about to burst out of it.
“There are no pajamas in our boudoir,” I said ironically, pointing at the space around us.
“Not even T-shirts?” Jordan squeaked.
“Not presently, but I think we can buy them here if my bare chest offends you.”
“N-no, it’s n-not—”
“Look, pal,” I said, rubbing my forehead. “First, it’s hot in here, so I’m sleeping tonight as you see me, in my boxers. Second, I’m not a shy person, but I’m not an exhibitionist either. It means you won’t see me without my underwear, but if you accidentally do, I won’t throw a hissy fit. How does that sound?”
“Like a dream. I mean, perfect. I mean, fine.”
“Why are you still staring at me then?”
Jordan lowered his gaze, unbuttoning his jumpsuit. “Sorry.”
My eyes slid down his half-naked body, but the revulsion I expected to feel was absent. Either forced proximity worked wonders, or I got used to him, but whatever it was, it worked.Also, I couldn’t help but notice that, like the rest of him, his body was perfect. He was athletically built but not buffed. His chest was toned, and his abs were a chiseled six-pack of firm muscle. Only his skin added a touch of smoothness to his otherwise hard body.
“So, what’s the plan?” Jordan said as I got comfortable on the upper bunk, or uncomfortable, depending on how you looked at it.
“If we approach Santiago, he’ll get suspicious. Instead, we should make him come to us.”
“How are we going to do that?”
“I’ll think of something. Tomorrow is our first day here, so we should probably lie low, but I don’t want to drag this out either. The longer we stay here, the bigger the chances of someone recognizing us. Just remember to keep your head down and listen more than you speak. I’ll protect you as much as I can, but we will be separated during the day, and we can’t afford to get into trouble. Do you understand?”
“I can protect myself,” Jordan grumbled. “I’m a cop too, remember?”
“I know, but this is different. I won’t be able to watch over you like I usually do.”
A few moments passed in silence before he spoke.
“Adam?”
