The door swished open a minute later.“What?”Qaff demanded, venturing in.Stilling at the sight of her hair, he raised his med-gun and ran it over her.“How…” He cleared his throat.“I will study the results.”Waving his med-gun at Cylo’s nudity, he said, “No mating.”
“So you have said,” Cylo grumbled.When the door shut, he resumed stroking her back, lest they’d disturbed her.He doubted they had with how low they spoke, but any intense emotion he or Qaff experienced might have.
He dozed off, somehow at peace with her in his arms.When she began to stir hours later, so did he, relishing this moment.Waking with a woman was a new experience for him.
She moaned, nuzzled her nose along his neck, then leaned back to meet his gaze.“Morning.”She pulled away before he could respond, clambering over him amid a flash of smooth thighs and blonde hair.
“Ensa, you have changed.”
She faced him then diverted her gaze as if his nuditydidbother her.He smiled, liking that she found him distracting.Repeatedly snatching his focus from her bare legs to her toes took discipline.His was fast dwindling.
“Stop that,” she said, offering him her back.
“Stop what?Looking at you?”He sat up while the bulkheads flickered.“Opacity: mirror.”
She gasped, stumbled forward, and stared at herself.“One: wow.That your walls are interactive—”
“They change colors, too,” he said, content to admire her animated face in her reflection.
She cleared her throat.“To be tested later.Two: what happened to my hair?The dye cost me a fortune.”Feathering her fingers through her locks mesmerized him.
“You were dreaming,” he said, resting an elbow on his knee.
She gaped at him.“I did this?”she squeaked.
He laughed.“Yes.”
She headed to the door.“I’ve got to tell Qaff—”
“Did already.”Cylo stood and stretched, slowing each movement under her fascinated gaze.
Her cheeks darkened.“You’re gorgeous.”
Appearance didn’t matter to an Etterian, but her admiration of his physical form swelled his chest with unexpected heat.“As are you,” he managed.He gestured to her tunic.“Perhaps you should dress before leaving your quarters?”
“You, too.”She chuckled and veered toward the replicator.“Meet you in the med bay?”
He headed to the door and peered over his shoulder, catching her ogling his backside.“Agreed.”
She whipped away, pretending to order garments.
He chuckled, pleased at how he flustered her.
“I feel that,” she called as her door closed behind him.
Chapter Sixteen
“Yourmarkersarestabilizing,”Qaff said, his finger an inch above his tablet like Wren had caught him mid-task.“I have communicated with the lima kuu—”
“Who?”She scowled.
“Our great teachers.”
“Wonderful,” she said on an exhale.“Why not show everyone what an oddity I am?”She bit her lip.Qaff was doing his best to help her.He didn’t need her pissy attitude.Sexually frustrated was more like it.“Sorry,” she muttered.
“You would call them our medical experts,” Cylo said, running his fingers through her now-blonde hair.
“Oh,” she said, dipping her head.“So, if the changes are slowing, what does this mean?”She pointed at her hair.“My eyes are undecided on what color they should be, and I’m still purple.”
