“Bri will be fine. Nothing a few trips to the bathroom won’t cure. Water will help that along.”
“If ya say so, lass,” Angus declared, patting the giggling Sheena on the back.
Sheena’s confused sigh as she sipped her sister’s ale was loud enough to be heard even above Erin and Bri laughing.
Moments after Nate briskly knocked, Angus answered the door to Brianna’s quarters.
“Evening, Admiral. Sorry to bother ya so late, but Sheena was asking a lot of questions I couldn’t answer. I figured it was time to let ya know.”
“You said you sent Erin and Brianna to your quarters for the night?”
“They were tired, ya see… and…” Angus stopped explaining when Sheena cleared her throat.
“Get your Admiral ass in here, Nate. I want to talk to you.”
Grinning, Angus stepped aside to let a wary Nate cross the threshold.
Nate looked around warily. Sheena was slouched in the chair. Using a hand, she motioned him over. She pointed to the vials on the table in front of her. “Explain that shit to me,” she ordered.
Nate ignored the vials and looked at Sheena. He looked back at Angus. “You gave her alien ale, didn’t you?”
Angus shrugged. “It seemed polite to offer it since we were all having a toast about finding each other.”
“You aren’t supposed to be having any ale, Angus. The rejuvenation cylinder can’t save your kidneys or liver if you keep up the drinking. I know you don’t get this, but it will take months to grow a replacement organ for any transplant. Months you would have to spend visiting medical every day to get your organs flushed. That’s a foolish thing to risk for a few measly glasses of ale.”
“Oh stop yer fretting. I’ve only had a sip or two so stop worrying about me. Talk to Sheena,” Angus ordered. “She’s the reason I called ya here.”
Nate stooped down until he could look into her face. “Sheena, you need to go to bed and sleep this off.”
“No. I’m not tired yet.” Sheena pointed to the vials again. “Angus and Erin are not clones.”
Nate sighed and straightened. “No. They’re not clones. I told you that earlier. How many times are we going to have to cover this subject?”
Sheena made a sound in her throat. It was nearly a growl when it escaped. “As many times as it takes for you to tell me what I fucking want to know. They look like my parents. They even act like my parents. But they’re not my parents, Nate. And they’re not clones. What the fuck are they?”
“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you,” Nate said softly.
Sheena threw out her arms, one hand nearly hitting him. “I might if someone would explain it to me.”
Nate turned his head to Angus. “Is this why you called me?”
Angus nodded. “Yes. She was wearing on my resolve. I like both the girls, which means I don’t like lying or keeping things from them.”
Nate stooped down to Sheena again and rubbed his forehead. He was shocked when she grabbed his hand and pulled it away.
“You cause yourself anxiety by keeping secrets you should never keep. And will you please tell me why you make my panties wet every time I look at you? This is bullshit, Nate. It’s been a hundred years. It shouldn’t still be happening.”
Nate burst out laughing at the lightning bolt of joy that shot through him. Then his face flushed with guilt. He glanced at Angus who smirked as he pretended to stare at the ceiling.
He turned back to Sheena who now had a death grip on his arm. “Would it make you feel better if I said you still have the same affect on me?”
Sheena nodded. “Yes, I think it would. My stomach has been all knotted up just wondering about it since I arrived. Doesn’t mean I don’t hate you though. I need to be honest here.”
Nate laughed again. “Understood. Can I take you to bed now?”
“Why not? I’m drunk enough to sleep with nearly anyone.”
Nate nodded. “Well aware of that.”
“It’s Angus’s fault,” Sheena said.
“My fault? Did I pour the ale down yer throat, lass?” Angus asked, while trying not to laugh and failing.
Sheena giggled and put a hand on her chest. “No, but you gave me Erin’s to finish. Then I also drank Bri’s. I think I might hate myself tomorrow.”
Nate turned to frown at Angus. “Why did you let her drink all that ale? It takes forever for her to feel the first drink, but when it catches up, she’s totally wasted.”
Angus frowned back. “Sheena was miserable, that’s why. Now she isn’t because she finally got to say to ya what was on her fecking mind. Courage is usually reason enough to imbibe, don’t ya think?”
“How do you know Sheena was miserable?” Nate demanded. He felt Sheena lean forward to run her hand down his jaw. His gaze immediately went back to her.
“Not a single man ever made me forget you. And I tried really hard Nate. I tried really hard.”
Nate sighed and stood. He held out a hand to Sheena while he glared at Angus. “I can’t believe you let her get this vulnerable.”
Angus huffed. “And I can’t believe ya were fecking stupid enough to let her go in the first place. She’s a pill to talk to alright, but nothing so contrary that a few good beddings wouldn’t sweeten right up. If ya want, I could give ya some pointers on how to make yer Sheena a happy woman.”
“I have nearly a hundred years more experience with women than you do, you big blow hard.”
Angus chuckled at the insult, glad to know Nate’s calm had a limit. “I kept one woman extremely happy for over thirty years and she died smiling. Can ya top that, Admiral? I don’t think so. So I believe I’ll just stand by my offer to help ya.”
Nate glared at a laughing Angus while pulled a wavering Sheena to her feet. He had to put his arms around her to hold her upright. Next thing he realized Sheena was folded against him, her arms coming around him to hug. Groaning at how good it felt to hold her again, he finally noticed tears were streaming down her face.
“What’s wrong, honey?” he asked.
Sheena shook her head. “I’m a smart person, but I’m so stupid about you… so stupid. I can’t believe I still want a man who’s in love with a stupid airship. If a hundred years apart isn’t going to change these longings I have for you, what the hell will?”
“Sheena… shush, honey. It’s alright. It’s going to be alright,” Nate said roughly, unable to listen anymore. Hearing her feelings was torturous. He put a finger over her lips to keep her from talking. It was late and he was weakening. Yes. That’s precisely what was happening.
“I’m getting dizzy, Nate. Take me to bed. We can talk tomorrow,” Sheena said, hugging him tighter.
“Need my help tucking her in?” Angus asked, fighting his grin.
“No,” Nate said sternly. “I think you’ve done quite enough for one evening.”
“Sheena insisted on scientifically testing us, ya know. Insisted on it,” Angus said. “The woman’s stubborn and determined. She’s not going to let up until she knows the truth.”
Nate nodded. “Yes. I knew that when she said she was coming here. I’ve sent word to the Guardians.”
“Okay then. Since a few more things are now out on the table for discussing, I’m going to call this a good night. I best be finding my own bed. Good luck to ya, Nate.” Angus opened the door and stepped out. “Evening, Berg.”
Nate heard “Berg is here” as Angus closed the door.
Nate sighed when they were finally alone and squeezed the woman in his arms. “Okay Sheena, let’s get you to bed.”
Nodding against him, she let him lead her to the first open room he saw. Inside was a well-worn set of luggage, including an open medical satchel. He knew then he’d chosen the right one.
When he turned loose of her to turn down the covers, Sheena shucked her clothes off at what seemed like light speed. In under ten seconds, he was staring once more at the most beautiful naked female his eyes had ever seen. The problem was…
she wasn’t really his to look at anymore.
Nate rubbed his chest and fought the agony taking up residence there. Sheena’s absolute trust in him to care for her was a painfully sweet understanding. She was crawling onto the bed when she finally looked back at him.
“What are you waiting for? Get undressed. I’m cold and these rooms are always freezing at night.”
“Sheena, I don’t think this is a good idea,” Nate said, making himself be honest. His heart pounded hard when a naked Sheena rose to her knees, straightened her spine, and glared at him. He’d never wanted a woman more in his life.
“At least come to bed until I fall asleep. One day you’re going to figure out that your horny wife is far more important than this stupid…” she waved her arms and looked around, but then she stopped. Her guilty, knowledge-filled gaze came back to his startled guilty one. “Oh… shit… I forgot. I’m not your wife anymore, am I?”
Nate shook his head. He couldn’t speak for the painful knot clogging his throat. Damn Angus McNamara. Both of them. No, make that fucking all of them. Just especially the Universe 6 version. The irreverent, meddlesome man was now officially on his shit list.
“Never mind,” Sheena said firmly, crawling under the covers. “It’s just the ale talking. You can go back to your… duties… or whatever. I’ll manage without you. I always did.”
“Sheena…” Nate said her name softly. Pain caused by her drunken realization threatened to take him to his knees. Once there, he knew begging to stay would inevitably follow. He could feel the urge to grovel welling up like a tsunami inside him.
“No. It’s okay, Nate. Really. I know I can’t make you love me. I gave that up long ago. All the alien ale in the world can’t make me more important to you than this fucking airship.”
“That’s not true,” Nate denied fervently, even knowing he was arguing with a drunk who wouldn’t remember his passionate disclaimer tomorrow.
Sheena snorted as she hunkered down under the covers. “Of course it’s fucking true. That’s why I left. All the ale did tonight was make me forget reality for a while, which was actually quite nice before the last ten minutes. Remind me to thank Angus tomorrow… right after I find out what the hell he is. Bri was right about them both, but I can’t just leave her here with them. You’re going to send her away to some fucking alien planet, and then I will hate you even worse. First, I lost you. Then I lost Dad and Mom. Bri’s all I have left.”
Nate didn’t answer her. He couldn’t.
After sighing out her resignation, Sheena closed her eyes tightly and passed out on the pillow. Her steady breathing assured him that she’d given up waiting on him to accept her offer to come to bed.
How many times had Sheena done that exact thing during their last year together? Little by little he’d watched her get better at not waiting up for him to return from whatever had claimed his attention that evening. A hundred years later and he could still barely get a full night’s uninterrupted sleep, but then who was waiting for him in his quarters? No one now. There hadn’t been anyone in a very long time, and no woman had ever minded his absence as much as Sheena had.
Nate stood there in the dark room staring. The woman he’d loved and lost was curled into a tight ball of misery. Angus had been right about her suffering—damn the know-it-all bastard. That didn’t mean it would be a smart idea for him to try and fix the situation. Wouldn’t he just bring Sheena more pain when he made her upset enough to leave again?
Yet seeing her in the bed all alone and looking vulnerable reminded him of the night before Sheena had finally left him. She had said similar things back then when they’d fought, but nothing had changed his feelings on the matter. It had taken a lot of years and four other wives before he’d finally figured it out.
Sheena had given up a lot to stay with him as long she had. He could appreciate that now. She had commuted from his airship to her work, regardless of how far the travel distance. She’d tried her best to adapt to the new demands on his time, but she’d lost most of his attention. He’d known he was neglecting her, but had put her longing for his company aside. The stark truth was that he had left her to sleep alone nearly every night she’d spent with him after he’d made admiral.
She had been curled up in misery that last night too… just like she was now.
So many things had changed for him in the time that had passed, but what were his chances of ever convincing Sheena of them? How crazy was he to even contemplate it? Getting her back wasn’t a viable goal. After all this time, the possibility was only a fantasy.
But one thing was crystal clear. He’d never gotten over Sheena McNamara any more than she’d gotten over him.
While he’d never take advantage of her in her current condition, even the possibility of crawling under those covers and holding her exquisite naked body thrilled him as much as having sex with her would have. He knew what Sheena would feel like in his arms. After a hundred years away from her, it would feel exactly like coming home at last.
Nate wandered out to the common area to start his escape. Then he looked at the vials on the table. That was a reality which would have to be dealt with, and a more serious one in the long growing line of issues Angus and Erin kept generating with their presence.
Nate stared at the vials while he wished for the impossible. “Why couldn’t you have been a little less smart? This would all be so much easier if you weren’t a fucking genius.”
No one heard him complaining though. His whining was a waste of breath.
Tomorrow he’d hear from his mother about the threat to Brianna, and hopefully from the Guardians about their upcoming discussion with the new matchmakers.
Tomorrow Sheena would be sobered up and likely get mad about showing him her feelings tonight. She’d probably do her best to talk Bri into leaving as soon as possible. If Sheena succeeded with her goals for coming here, would he have to wait another hundred years to see her again?
An ache for yet another impending loss spread through him just as sharp as it had the first time he’d lost her. His body was behaving like a portal to the past where Sheena McNamara was concerned.
It had felt just like this the day she’d left for good. He’d pushed his emotional panic aside out of duty to his work. When he’d finally realized duty alone could not keep him warm at night, only then had he tried to replace her with others… to replace what they’d had together.
It hadn’t worked for him, and if he chose to believe Sheena’s drunken ramblings, it hadn’t worked for her either. Any decision he made right now was going to once again lead to losing her, but only one led to a memory that might be of some comfort to him after Sheena was gone.
Shrugging off the shirt he’d thrown on earlier to come here, Nate tossed it on the chair he’d pulled Sheena out of. His pants soon followed… as did the rest of his reservations about what he was doing.
Then he turned and walked back to the bedroom where a naked Sheena slept.
He was finally doing what he should have done a hundred years ago. He was choosing to stay with her.
Chapter Three
Sheena surfaced to the enticing scent of hot male and her own arousal as she moved against him. His rising interest pressed against her hip, mere inches from making this the best morning she’d had in a very long time. But when she went to lift a leg over his thigh in welcome, a large hand gently pushed her leg back down to the bed and held it there. The action was accompanied by a regretful sigh, which had her snickering against his chest.
Did he think they didn’t have time?
A groan and a hard kiss on her mouth had her arms tightening around the owner of the impressive erection. Unfortunately, she lacked the strength this morning to keep him from peeling away from her clinging arms.
“Nooooo…” she complained in a whisper as she clutched him tighter, still not opening her eyes. She didn’t dare take the chance yet. The light was trying to burn through her eyelids.
The male chest her brea
sts were squashed against was nicely muscled, and oddly familiar, but not in the usual way. Who the hell had she climbed into bed with? Scott was with his wife. Had she picked up some man the night before?
Since he smelled good, and rubbing against him felt good, did it really matter? No was the logical conclusion. Scott never spent the night and it was nice for once not to wake up alone. Didn’t she owe her mystery lover for that at least?
She pressed closer, aligning every inch of her against every inch of him. Her mystery lover’s grip tightened in response and he groaned in her ear. She ordered her eyes to open so she could see the man who seemed so in sync with her this morning. The lids were still heavy and refused to obey the command.
“Damn it, Sheena. I don’t want to turn you loose either, but it’s for the best. You’re still the hottest woman I ever met.” His groan of reluctance was a sexy whisper against her ear as he reluctantly turned loose.
“Damn straight I am,” she mumbled groggily, her response automated and only meant to soothe them both.
His responding chuckle over her bragging inspired a weak smile from her mouth, but it was the best she could do. She tried again to open her eyes, but they squinted shut immediately when the first tiny slivers of light hit her too sensitive retinas.
“Light,” she groaned hoarsely, “hurts bad… ly.” She giggled at correcting her own grammar.
“If you still feel like this when your mind clears this morning, come see me. I already miss you and I haven’t even left yet,” he whispered, his mouth hard and hot on hers a final time before he wrenched away.
“O… K…” Sheena answered automatically, fighting the urge to beg him to stay.
Without him there to distract her, Sheena tried several more times to open her eyes, but instead ended up pulling the covers over her face to create more darkness. She blinked beneath the covers. Even the darkness didn’t help much.
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