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“It’s hard to find crew as awesome as we are.” Daisy grinned at her. “And Apexians don’t come cheap.”

She nodded. “Then we’re stuck with each other.”

“I love being stuck with you. I also love knowing you’re happy.”

“I’m happy. Don’t worry about me. And please, stop with the questions.”

Daisy raised her hands, admitting defeat, and the notch of panic in Georgia’s stomach uncurled. She couldn’t explain to herself what she was doing with Ash, let alone get it to make sense to anyone else.

“I heard you’re looking for signs of a white tail on this mission,” Daisy said. “Some jerks think they have a right to experiment on them.”

“Yep.”

“Any idea who’s behind it?”

“I’ve a few. Whoever it is, they’ll regret abusing those animals.”

“Yeah! Let me at them. I’ll kick them in the balls a few times to make them sorry.”

Georgia snorted a laugh. “Are you sure you wouldn’t rather lecture them to death on their bad behavior?”

Daisy straightened. “That too. They need re-education. Some aliens don’t understand the value of these animals.”

“That’s the problem. They do. They’ll sell these creatures to the highest bidders with no care what happens to them.”

“I’ll lecture them, and you can kick them. Would that work?”

“I’d be up for that.”

They fist bumped then Daisy strolled over to Rexx, leaving Georgia alone with her thoughts. It was something she never enjoyed.

Thoughts of Ash always snuck in when she wasn’t monitoring herself. She was the one trained in stealth, but he had a way of getting to her, just like he got her when they were alone together, blowing off steam. And last night had been amazing.

Georgia pressed a hand against her cheek. That was all she wanted from Ash, a hot time in the sack. Everything else was a waste.

She turned and her damn treacherous heart stuttered as Ash strode into the docking bay, dressed in a form fitting all-terrain uniform, his weapons strapped around his hips. Looking at him, you’d have no idea he’d been attacked by a skink yesterday. Apexian healing was something else. And so was he.

Ash caught her gaze, and heat flared into his eyes.

Georgia looked away. She wasn’t here for him. She had to focus on the mission. Nothing else mattered.

***

“Hey, I heard you gota chunk taken out of you by some scaly dude.” Hunter strode over to Ash and grinned at him. “Are you getting slow in your old age?”

Ash tugged his attention from Georgia. The second he’d locked gazes with her, his focus had shifted. She was like a magnet drawing him in.

He looked at the Apocalypse’s second-in-command and frowned. “I’m not old.”

Hunter chuckled, always ready with a joke and an easy smile. “Then you must have something on your mind if you let the skink out of the cage.”

Ash grumbled his unhappiness. “It was faster than I expected.”

“Did you feel sorry for it, so you let it out to have a playful chew on your arm?” Hunter patted Ash’s shoulder. “It happens to the best of us.”

“Has it happened to you?” Ash glanced at his friend. Hunter was the peacemaker of the crew. It was what made him so good at being in charge with no one knowing about it. He was the perfect complement to Cleo’s composed leadership.

“No, but then I’m awesome.”