Body to body closeness #SciFi by Kayelle Allen #MFRWhooks

All People's Liberation Army Ship Vandal Officers' Quarters

Though still carrying the marks of an Imperial Armada cruiser, the Vandal and its crew had switched sides. Senth followed NarrAy down a corridor painted dull gray. Far from the luxury of the sleepliner, this ship had been stripped to basic military starkness.

"Why is everything lit up with red?"

"It's on night ops. Red makes it easier for the eyes to adjust to darkness, and you can still distinguish everything." NarrAy opened a hatch, and stepped through into another corridor.

"We use red for night work in the Guild, too." Senth waited while NarrAy closed the hatch behind him, and then followed her again.

"Let's see, cabin number... Ah, here we are." She unlocked a door, and he followed her inside.

Encie and Broxus had brought Senth's and NarrAy's bagbots with them, and both bots waited in the room, inactive. The tiny cabin sported a chair, a drop-down desk, and a garment rack with a few cubbyholes under it. A mirror covered the back of the door. One bed--a double.

Senth's cheeks burned in remembrance of the last time he and NarrAy were alone near a bed.

NarrAy gestured around herself. "Like it? This is our room."

"We're...um...both in here?"

"Mmm hmm." NarrAy backed him against the door and set a hand on either side of his waist. "This cabin is for accompanied officers."

"A-accompanied?" Unsure where to put his hands, Senth put them behind him.

"Accompanied." She traced a finger across his chin. "Meaning with someone."

"Oh." His mind churned, fighting for intelligent words, but failed. All he could see was the bed. And NarrAy. Right there, up close, next to him, breathing the same air.

NarrAy put one of her feet between his and leaned against him. Body to body. All the way from his calves up to his waist. Even through his clothes, her warmth soaked into him. Her scent bloomed like warm sugar cookies coming fresh from the oven. Vanilla. Butter. Sugar.

Senth breathed her in, and the scent took him back to his childhood, but the touch of her, the warmth of her, rocked him down to the core as a man.

NarrAy pressed her fingers against his lips.

Senth held his breath as NarrAy watched the progress of her fingers. She drew them from his mouth to his chin, down the front of his throat, and stopped where his cloak fastened.

Beautiful bad boy #SciFi by Kayelle Allen #MFRWhooks #MFRWauthor

Mehfawni tapped Khyff nose and sat up. "I want to take you out to dinner. In Tarth City, surely there is always food ready somewhere."

"I know plenty of places." Alitus had told him to prepare to be spoiled. Kin females were accustomed to being in charge. Khyff hadn't mentioned he was used to women paying his way. They liked to flaunt him to their friends and display him like a new charm on their wrist bracelets. Look what I bought.

"Somewhere quiet." Mehfawni folded her legs, elbows on her knees. "I don't wish others to gawk at you when you're with me."

Again, the unexpected.

She gave a slight sniff. "Gawk is not the word? I know Etymis from classes."

"Gawk is correct. You speak Etymis flawlessly. Hardly an accent at all."

"I don't say b's right."

"Bees? Buzzing bees?"

She giggled. "Letter b's. We have no b in Felis."

"You say them fine."

"Not like humans."

"Say something b-ish."

"B-ish?" She wiggled her nose, sniffing. "This is a word?"

"Sure it is. I made it up."

Mehfawni laughed.

Khyff absorbed the sound of her voice as if it were water on the dry sponge of his soul. It filled him with joy until he thought he'd burst. Having her there beside him, laughing, enjoying time with him...he could scarcely take it in.

"B-ish. Hmm." She tapped a claw against her full lower lip. "Bed. Beautiful. Boy. Beautiful bad boy." Her hot gaze raked down him. "Beautiful bad boy in bed."

How odd that idBot never sees Luc #SciFi by Kayelle Allen #MFRWhooks

The façade fooled anyone who lacked entry codes.

Senth pressed his palm against the lock plate and the idBot security system scanned him. Locks clicked open.

Not a sound in the house, and when Senth checked the security panel, it showed the staff had gone for the day. No one home.

"Riiight." That reading meant the Man was here, because idBot never saw him no matter where he went. How he managed that was beyond Senth, but hey--the guy owned the company, right? Must be nice. Whatever this was about, Saint-Cyr wanted privacy for it, which couldn't be good for Senth.

He swept off his cloak and hung it on a peg. "Hi, Daddy, I'm home!"

Luc Saint-Cyr rounded the corner. Built like a towering god of war, his father filled the small entry.

Senth took a step back.

Saint-Cyr's impressive height forced Senth to look up in order to meet his gaze. Solid-black eyes made the black-skinned man resemble a giant bird of prey, and he had all the warmth of one.

"I am not Daddy, Senthys. We've discussed this." Saint-Cyr adjusted a white cuff on his dark business suit. "If you must use a familial term, use Father."

"Been thinking about changing it to Pops." Senth rocked on the balls of his feet.

His father about choked. Those black eyes narrowed. "You most certainly will not. I have asked you to--"

"Yeah," Senth interrupted. "And I've asked you to call me Senth. Not Senthys."

"Nicknames lack dignity."

"Father sounds like a priest. Which you aren't."

Saint-Cyr took one step closer.

It took all Senth's considerable will not to back up, look away or otherwise submit. How many people wilted before that black-eyed gaze? He swallowed, focusing on the reflections of light in the man's glassy stare.

If he held on for a few more seconds...