“Alix, I want you to make the report about the artifact recovery to the sultan’s majordomo. He’s your biggest fan,” Keya said.
“Understood,” Alix said. “Do we have updated transport documents for the artifact?”
“It’s being delivered by secure courier on the next ship,” Holt said, squinting at the display. “Should arrive in ten days.”
It wasn’t the correct stone, just an excellent forged copy planted by Malachi’s associates. But no one else needed to know that. No one else needed to read her sister’s mail. She snorted and shook her head. Both her teammates looked at her so she said, “Sultan’s got a lot of pull with someone, getting an LS ship to his colony twice in the same cycle.”
“Agreed,” Alix said. “They’re building out a recreation port area though, someplace for armed services to take shore leave. Sultan’s entered into a partnership with the LS Corporation backers for that purpose.”
Keya studied her long-time friend and co-worker. “What is it, Alix? Something’s on your mind.”
Holt pushed back in his chair and crossed his arms. “I knew something was up.”
Smoothing the front of their uniform with a nervous flutter, Alix looked at each of them in turn and then back at the table. They took a deep breath. “I’ve been offered the head of security job for the Cosmic Cabaret,” they said.
“Wow,” Keya said. “Congratulations. I hope they offered to pay you what you’re really worth.”
Nodding, Alix said, “It’s a very generous offer. I would transition into my new role as soon as Quantum leaves port on Mahatet.”
“So you already accepted it?” Holt said. “Dang, we’re gonna miss you around the shop.”
Alix met Keya’s gaze. They nodded slowly. “I said I wanted to talk with our team, but I have accepted provisionally, yes.”
Triggering the virtual interface, Keya said, “Well, you’re probably not interested in any other offer, but Holt, you might be.” She flicked open the documents and rotated the offer letter toward him.
“Wait, what?” Holt said. “Cartier’s group is interested in—”
“All three of us,” Keya finished. “If we all accept, I’d have to sell the business.”
“You told him no,” Holt guessed.
“For myself, alone,” she said. “I agreed to bring the offers to both of you. Mission accomplished.”
With a shrug, Alix said, “No, thank you.”
But Holt was considering it. She saw the interest flare in his eyes as he read through the details contained in the lengthy offer letter.
“It’s a lot of travel,” Holt said. “Lot of extra planetary work. See other galaxies. That would be cool.”
“It would,” Keya agreed. “It seems to agree with Malachi and Hector.”
“They’re good guys,” Holt said. “Would we work with them?”
When she looked away, Keya’s attention landed on the panel where she’d stored a fresh, perfectly chilled scoop of strawberry ice cream. “No,” she said. “I didn’t get a lot of details, but Malachi said something about training and getting assigned partners.” She kept herself from sighing. “When he showed me the offers, I knew I was going to turn it down. But you should make a list of questions and go get answers. It’s still four hours until we need everyone secured in their flight chairs.”
“I won’t leave the company, Keya,” Holt said.
“Staying with me is not going to give you this level of excitement,” she countered. “You haven’t had a concussion in more than two years.”
“But I’m invested—”
“If you don’t want to talk with Cartier, talk with his partner. Hector will answer the questions he’s allowed to answer.” Keya wasn’t sure why she was pushing Holt to at least check out the full extent of the offer. Maybe because without responsibilities or entanglements, she’d do the same?
She took a sip of water and helped herself to a peeled tangerine. “Alix, please call as soon as you conclude the conversation with the majordomo,” Keya said. “I want to give my final report to the sultan before his majesty’s next meal.”
“Will do,” they replied as they stood and took a handful of fresh berries.
“Holt, are you good for harness duty with the scientists?”
“Does that mean you’re prepping the entire report?” he countered.
“It does,” she said with a shrug. “The joys of being the boss.”
“Done,” he said.
“Go find Hector Kanuanui. At least explore your options.”
Holt and Alex shared a look as they left. It was the “Keya has lost her mind” look all of her colleagues used from time to time.
Alone in her cabin, everywhere she looked were reminders of her brief time with Malachi. At least she’d never see this cabin again after Quantum returned them to Earth. She’d finally sold her patio chairs to get rid of her first memories with him.
She settled at the desk and opened her report and expenses templates. The soothing repetition of the work shifted her attention away from worrying about the next steps with Emiko.
The door notification announced Malachi Cartier.
“Denied,” she said. It was childish, but she didn’t want to hear him talk about the job offer. She didn’t want any other awkward conversations to tarnish their time in the Comets and Caviar Lounge or their time together in her cabin.
The door notification announced Malachi again.
“Denied,” she said. Why did he care what she did now?
With a small shake of her head, Keya returned to the expense report. But she’d only completed the second calculation when her cabin door slid open and Malachi walked in.
Forcing herself to stand slowly to show she was in control, Keya braced one hand on the back of the chair and waited for him to speak.
He opened his mouth, closed it again. Instead of speaking, he tilted his chin and stared back at her.
Why couldn’t he be average looking? It seemed unfair that his clothes weren’t wrinkled and his hair was a permanently messy yet perfect coif. His cheeks had a slight shadow, but that was sexy too, showing the strong line of his jaw and highlighting his mouth. All that and intergalactic security and intelligence skills? It took a strong person to resist Malachi’s level of appeal.
Keya was a strong person, almost all of the time.
He put one hand in his pocket and nodded to the display. “Finishing up your reports?”
“Yes,” she said. “That’s why the 'do not disturb' was on.”
“I’m sorry you thought I didn’t want to work with you,” he said. “It’s more that the agency isn’t the right place for me anymore. Makes it hard to recommend with enthusiasm.”
“I see,” Keya said even though she didn’t.
“I was hoping I could buy you a drink and be a sounding board for your plan to get your sister out of custody.” He ran a hand through his hair. “If you want one, I mean. A drink or a sounding board.” He scowled. “This is hard.”
Now thoroughly confused, Keya took a step closer. “Malachi, I overreacted to the way you couched the job offers from your agency. My response was unprofessional and I apologize. In the meantime, I have shared the offer letters with Holt and Alix. Holt is definitely interested. Alix has taken a job on Quantum.”
“They’re going to work with the Cabaret?”
“Yes,” Keya said.
“Either one of your people going to help with Emiko?”
She shook her head. “Emi’s my responsibility.”
Malachi took her hand and drew her to the table. “Tell me your plan.”
It was impossible to fathom why this man cared about her sister, except possibly a strong hope she’d stop causing trouble. But Keya believed consultation could be helpful in approaching new situations, and goddess help her, she liked the man. So she ate more fruit, drank water, and walked Malachi through her entire plan.
While she talked, he nodded and occasionally asked a question. He pour
ed himself water and took a few bites of pineapple and kiwi. Once or twice, his gaze dropped to her uniform buttons or lingered overlong on her mouth. At the end, he said, “It’s a sound plan. Who are you using for backup?”
She winced. “No backup.”
“Let me watch your back,” he said.
“You mean watch my ass,” she countered.
His responding smile, full of playful heat, was enough to make her say yes to almost anything he asked. “It’s a great ass,” he said. “Wouldn’t want anything to happen to it.”
But accepting his offer would prolong the time they spent together, which would prolong the agony when they went their separate ways. “I appreciate the compliment and the offer. Under normal circumstances, I’d be a fool to turn you down.” Keya stared down at the table and bit her lip. What else could she say?
“You could consider it a tryout, a job audition, something like that.” His voice was soft, the playful tone gone.
“What?”
“Like I said, the agency isn’t the right fit for me anymore. I’m ready to stay in one place for a while. And honestly,” he reached for her hand, “I’d like that place to be where you are, Keya.”
Dropping her other hand to her lap, Keya pinched the top of her leg. This was her fantasy happening when she was wide-awake.
“You want to quit your job and move to Boulder. And work for my agency?”
“Yes,” he said. “That.”
She frowned at him, waiting for him to say, “Just kidding,” or, “April fools,” but he just stared at her, smile lines feathering the corner of each eye.
Finally, he brought her hand to his lips and kissed each knuckle. Then he said, “I’m a liar.” He took a deep breath. “I’ve met a lot of people in my travels, but you are the only one I couldn’t forget. I regret not finding you, not contacting you. It’s not a job I want, it’s you.”
His expression was open, vulnerable, like was expecting her to turn him down. “I really do need backup when I go get my sister,” she began. “But I didn’t want to spend more time with you, knowing how long it took to get you out of my mind after our one night stand.”
Lips quirking in a crooked smile, he said, “In this instance, I can’t say I’m sorry about that.”
“My sister is allegedly the mate of an alien, one that looks a tiny bit like a bird. So, life might be a little bit weird,” Keya said.
“I’m counting on it,” he said. “Need to keep my skills sharp.” Pushing back his chair, he stood, tugging her to her feet. “Before we put ourselves in danger today, I’d like to review some of my additional expertise with you.”
Standing toe-to-toe and chest-to-chest, Keya’s heart picked up speed. She raised her chin. “I have some recollection of your expertise, but a refresher might be in order.”
He undid the buttons of her uniform shirt and pulled the shirttail from her trousers. “I have strong visual recall. Pattern recognition and such.” He pushed the shirt from her shoulders and leaned in to kiss the sensitive spot just above her collarbone. Running his hands down to her waist and back to the clasp of her bra, he unhooked it and dropped it to the floor. “I take action when it’s needed,” he said, and bent to take one nipple in his mouth and then the other.
Keya’s knees buckled but she braced herself on his shoulders. She pushed him a few steps backward until he sat on the bed. It was too much and not enough all at once, her nerve endings lighting up, hope bringing her heart into her throat. “We do this and it seals the deal,” she said, reaching for his shirt, needing to touch his skin. “You’re moving to Boulder and we find out why fate brought us together on Quantum.”
As his shirt opened, he shrugged it off and tossed it aside. “I can be flexible in negotiations,” he said, “but I get what I want in the end.” He undid her trousers and smoothed his warm palms down her hips until she stood bare before him. “And what I want in my life, who I want to see over coffee in the morning, over drinks at night, and naked,” he leaned forward to press a kiss to her belly, “naked anywhere, anytime, is you.”
A streak of silver-gold blazed along the viewing wall and disappeared. When she was a girl, Keya had made wish after wish on shooting stars. The only wish she’d made as an adult was to see this man again. “I want that too,” she said, pushing him onto his back. “But right now, I want you to kiss me.”
“Most importantly,” Malachi said, breaking her hold and rolling her underneath him. “Is my ability to perform under pressure.”
Keya smiled into his dark eyes. “After a suitable demonstration,” she said. “I’m sure you’ll satisfy all of my requirements.”
THE END
The Adventure Continues at…
www.JennaLincoln.net/JL/books/
About Jenna Lincoln
Jenna Lincoln loves to read, write, and talk about reading and writing. She spent many happy years as a language arts teacher doing just those things.
After dabbling in X-Files, Firefly, and Supernatural fan fiction, Jenna got serious about building her own imaginary world, big enough to get lost in for a long, long time. When she comes back to reality, Jenna enjoys her home in beautiful Colorado with her husband and two daughters.
Read More from Jenna Lincoln at
www.JennaLincoln.net
Stay Tuned for More…
Stay tuned for more stories from the Science Fiction Romance Shooting Stars in 2018!
About the SFR Shooting Stars
The Speculative Fiction Romance Shooting Stars (SFRSS) is a business entity managed by a small core group of dedicated SFR authors. Once a year, we gather a select group of authors in the genre to collaborate in an anthology around a common theme.
Visit the SFRSS at
www.SFRShootingStars.com
Cosmic Cabaret Page 106