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“He said you were sick and weren’t to be disturbed. I have been monitoring your vital signs. You do have a temperature.”

She shrugged off her sleepwear and stepped into the shower, letting the warm water revive her. “You sound like Rexx. Quit it with the intrusive scans I didn’t request.”

“It’s my job.” One of ELVIS’s many jobs, other than maintaining the smooth running of the ship, was to monitor the crew. When Daisy had first joined this mission, she’d found it invasive to know an AI was scanning her. Now, she was used to ELVIS and his quirks.

“It’s only a slight temperature, though.” She soaped her hair and body, then rinsed off, before stepping out of the shower and drying herself.

“Yes. You can still operate within acceptable parameters. Although Rexx wants you assigned to lab duties. He put in a request for you both last night when you returned from your mission.”

“He’s such a damned, stubborn piece of...” Daisy made a noise of disgust in the back of her throat. “When will he learn I can take care of myself?” She pulled on a clean pair of underwear and shrugged on her jumpsuit. It was black, just like the rest of the clothing in her closet. Fashion wasn’t a thing on this ship.

A wave of sickness jabbed in her stomach. She leaned over and took a deep breath. She lifted her head and met her reflection in the mirror next to her bed. Those dark circles under her eyes weren’t getting any better. Maybe a day or two of rest wouldn’t be so lousy.

“Is everything okay?” ELVIS said. “Rexx is awake. He’s always happy to take care of you if you require assistance.”

“Don’t mention this to him. He’ll freak out. I’m fine. I just need something to eat.” Daisy waited a moment until her stomach had quietened before heading out of her bedroom.

Rexx was sitting up on the couch. He had the kittens draped over his shoulders.

There was nothing sexier than a gorgeous guy who was into his animals. And as much of a hard nut as Rexx was, he had a weakness for anything cute and fluffy.

“So, you’re here.” Daisy arched an eyebrow.

“I came back. I was looking at your scan results last night. They had me concerned.” Rexx held out a large palm, and Helix stepped onto it.

Daisy wouldn’t melt. She wouldn’t think it was the cutest thing in the world to see her kittens so totally in love with Rexx.

“You broke into my quarters. You can get in trouble for that.” She walked over and perched on the couch next to him. “And I hear you put in an unwanted request for a month of lab work. That’s not cool.”

“Are you gonna report me?” He handed her Quark.

Quark bounced confidently on Daisy’s lap and kneaded, tiny pinpricks digging into her thigh.

“I won’t do that, although I should. I don’t need a month stuck on this ship,” she said.

“You do. I’m looking out for you, as I’m supposed to.” He played with Darwin, tickling his stomach and jerking his hand away so the kitten went into attack mode. “What are you going to do with these three?”

It was a not-so-subtle shift in the conversation, but Daisy wasn’t angry with Rexx. This was how they rolled. He was super protective, which often translated into being super irritating.

“I’m keeping them.”

“All three?”

“Unless you want one. I mean, we see each other every day, so we could share parenting responsibilities.”

He snorted a laugh. “Parenting. That’s why I’ve got Asshole. Cats don’t need looking after. They’re independent.”

Daisy rolled her eyes. “You can’t keep calling your cat that.”

“It suits him. Last week, he puked in my boots. I only found out when I put my foot in one. You see, he’s an asshole.”

“He’s not. And you were three hours late getting back to feed him. It was a protest puke.”

“Sometimes, our missions overrun. And I didn’t ask him to move in with me. He knows the score. And I leave the automated feeder down. He never goes without. It was a dick move.”

Rexx may not have officially adopted Asshole, but ever since they’d met, they hadn’t been apart for long. Rexx had been searching a bounty hunter ship, when he’d been savaged by a flying, furry bullet. Asshole had had attitude from day one of their relationship. They were perfect for each other.

“Cats need more than food and water. They love company. Admittedly, on their terms.” Daisy snuggled Quark.