Shipwrecked

f{|ÑãÜxv~xw4 Copyright © February 2008, Michelle Marquis Cover art by Tuesday Dube © February 2008 Amira Press, LLC Baltimore, MD 21216 www.amirapress.com ISBN: 978-1-934475-47-8 No part of this e-book may be reproduced or shared by any electronic or mechanical means, including but not limited to printing, file sharing, and e-mail, without prior written permission from Amira Press.

Wxw|vtà|ÉÇ To everyone

Chapter One All the windows in the engine room were filled with the blackness of space. The only interruption in the inky sky was the scattering of bright stars that flashed and shone like diamonds scattered on a velvet cloth. The sight was both awesome and frightening and never failed make Morgan O’Dell feel very small compared to it all. Morgan rubbed her face and stared into her empty cocoa mug. She debated making another cup, and then glanced at her watch. Only ten more minutes and she’d be off. She could stick it out. A sensor lit up on her control panel letting her know her roving watch, Lipman, was running late checking in. A second later, another sensor lit up indicating something was wrong with the air in one of the aft storage units. Morgan sighed and depressed the transmitter button. She didn’t need this right now. “Lipman?” Ben the watch captain, who’d been pacing by the window for hours, came over and peered over her shoulder. “Is there a problem, lieutenant?” “I don’t think so, sir. Lipman checked that storage unit not an hour ago. Everything was okay then.” She frowned. “He’s usually very good at answering his calls. He must be in a part of the ship where the equipment isn’t working.” The watch captain scowled and depressed the transmitter button on his collar. “Petty Officer Lipman,” he said. “This is the watch captain. Do you read me?” Morgan was just about to sound the general alarm when Lipman’s voice came over the speaker. It cut out a few times, but he sounded fine. “I’m here,” he said in a voice partially obscured by static. “I saw something on the space scanner, but it was probably just magnetic interference.” The watch captain seemed to relax a little. “Can you go by and check out storage unit one? We keep getting atmospheric alarms in there.” “It’s probably another Freon leak from the mess decks,” Lipman said annoyed. “I’ll check on it.” “Or it could be Lipman and his buddies smoking pot in there again,” Morgan muttered under her breath. Either the watch captain didn’t hear her or ignored the comment. Either way, he seemed satisfied with Lipman’s assessment of the storage unit and clicked off his transmitter. Turning to walk away, he suddenly came back over and said, “Isn’t your relief due in?” He frowned and looked down at his watch. Morgan typed in her relief’s name to the ship wide locator. Lieutenant Holiday’s name came up along with an “excused from duty” note. Morgan made a face. Of course she’s sick again. That girl is always sick. “She’s at Sick Call,” Morgan said.

“I’ll give you half an hour to find a relief or you’ve got to stand her duty as well. Why don’t you try Commander Lawless? I think he’s still wandering around with nothing to do.” “Yes, sir,” Morgan said getting up and stretching. “Thank you, sir.” “Lieutenant Ross,” Ben said glancing at an officer who’d just come on watch. “Will you stand in here until Lieutenant O’Dell finds a relief?” Ross sighed. “Sure.” He shot Morgan a nasty look. She ignored him and rushed out the door to find Lawless. **** The officer’s lounge was hot and stuffy, but Commander Jon Lawless didn’t dare leave. He certainly couldn't go now that he was finally winning. This evening’s card game was packed and the pot was at least five hundred dollars. He didn’t really need the money but the victory was always a thrill. Chewing on his cigar, Lawless studied the men before him. They were all officers of the Fleet like himself—Keith Low, his pale face sweating as he licked his lips, Don Willis, his long, thin frame sitting awkwardly in a chair much too small for him, and Pete Connelly with his blue eyes sparkling in anticipation of victory. Not tonight, you dirty bastards, Jon thought, holding back a grin. No one’s going to beat a hand like this. “You ready to call?” Pete said. Lawless placed his cards on the table and laughed at the collective moan. A royal flush— nobody could beat that. Everyone threw their cards down and got up gathering their jackets. “I’ve never seen such a lucky SOB,” Don said shaking his head as Lawless crushed out his cigar and stuffed his winnings into his pocket. Lawless slapped him on the back. “As I recall, Pete won last week.” “I don’t win as often as you do, Jon,” Pete shouted in protest. “God only knows how you’re cheating but I swear I’m going to find out.” Everyone laughed. Then a sudden silence came over the men. All eyes turned to the door. Sexual tension filled the air, and the faint scent of lavender whispered past their noses. Lawless glanced up and smiled. Here she comes. Lieutenant Morgan O’Dell walked into the room as if she owned it. She was an attractive woman, with rich brown hair and deep brown eyes and a figure that was a little too long and lean. But Lawless’s attraction to her went much deeper than her beauty. He believed there were a million erotic mysteries to be uncovered in those cool dark eyes, and one day he intended to uncover all of them. She approached him with quick, precise steps, stopping a little farther from him than was typical for someone about to carry on a conversation. He knew she’d do that. She always did. She hated him.

Lawless puffed on his cigar and took it out of his mouth. “Aren’t you up past your bedtime, Morgan?” She folded her arms across her chest and shifted her weight from one foot to the other. “Lieutenant Holiday is ill and has been excused from duty tonight. Will you take her watch?” “Why don’t you do it?” he said trying to get a rise out of her. “I don’t want to do it because I just got off watch. Ben gave me a few minutes to find a relief or I’ve got to go back there for another six hours. I don’t want to do that, Lawless. I’m exhausted and need to get some sleep.” He crushed his cigar out in a nearby ashtray. “I can’t.” Morgan sighed. She glanced around, but they didn’t have an audience since everyone had left. It was just the two of them. Alone. “Why can’t you?” “I’ve been drinking.” “You seem fine to me.” “Looks can be deceiving,” he said with a wink. Morgan’s cheeks flushed. “Fine,” she said. “I’ll do it myself.” She turned around and headed for the door. “Ask me again,” Jon said. Morgan turned and glared at him. “What?” “I said, ask me again. Ask me nicely.” “Lawless, I really don’t have time for these stupid games of yours. Are you going to do this or not?” He moved a few paces closer and watched her squirm. She held her ground. “Ask me,” he said. Morgan met his gaze, and for just a second, her eyes softened. “Jon, will you please take this watch?” Lawless considered this for a moment. “If you take me out for dinner tomorrow and get me drunk.” “You’ve got to be kidding.” “I never kid about a serious matter like dinner.”

“You want me to take you out to dinner for doing your job?” she asked incredulously. Jon held up his hands in protest. “Oh no, no. This isn’t about me doing my job. I did my job today. This is about me helping you out. So I think dinner and drinks aren’t too much to ask.” Morgan stood frozen by indecision. Tired dark circles colored the underside of her eyes and made her look slightly older than her thirty-seven years. “Okay. Dinner and drinks but nothing else, is that clear? I’m not in the mood to fend off one of your clumsy, drunken passes.” “I don’t know where you’re getting your information from, but it’s obviously flawed,” he said with a smile. “I would never take advantage of a lady.” “From the rumors I’ve heard, that’s all you do,” she said shaking her head. Suddenly her shoulders stiffened as if she’d been stung by a bee. “You know what—forget it. I’ll just do it myself. I don’t want to owe you anything.” Morgan turned on her heels and hurried for the door. Lawless lit another cigar. He’d lost her again. Too bad, he’d been looking forward to that dinner. “You’ll let me know if you change your mind, right?” “Go to hell, Lawless,” she tossed back just as the sliding doors hissed shut.

Chapter Two Morgan stormed into her stateroom and resisted the urge to slam the door. She didn’t want her best friend and neighbor Helen to come by and poke her nose into what might be wrong. Morgan loved Helen, but the woman was a hopeless gossip. Besides, thanks to Lawless, she didn’t have time to chat. She had to get back to the engine room. She couldn’t believe he wouldn’t take over that watch for her. What did he expect her to do, beg? Why did everything have to be a game with him? God, what a complete jerk that man is! I can’t believe I was stupid enough to sleep with him once. Her neck grew hot with the memory of that night. It had been her first port of call after a year-long deployment in space, and she desperately needed to burn off some steam. Her and her friends had hit the bars early, and by one in the morning, everyone was smashed and dancing on tabletops. Just before last call, Jon Lawless came into the bar. Morgan’s breath caught in her throat remembering how sexy he was. A soaring six foot two inches, Lawless was a powerfully built man with green eyes and dark hair. His face was wickedly handsome with sculptured cheekbones and a hard, manly jaw. Unfortunately, he was also a notorious womanizer. Many women had tried to tame him, and all of them had failed. But what woman wouldn’t have fallen under his spell with looks like those? Morgan had tried not to stare at him as she busied herself hunting for her drink among the numerous empty glasses on the table. Helen came over with a young male ensign on her arm. “What you looking for?” she slurred. “My drink,” Morgan shouted over the music. “You know the pink lemonade thing.” Helen laughed and snorted. “Oh, I drank that ages ago. Listen—me and Steve here are going to the hotel. We’ll see you later, okay?” Morgan nodded and twisted around in her chair looking for the waitress. Lawless approached her. He held two drinks in his hand dripping with condensation. He offered one to her. “Need a drink?” he said. She took one gratefully and smiled. “You’re a lifesaver.” The rest of the night was somewhat of a blur. All she remembered was flirting with him like crazy and grainy images. The memory of his animal scent and the feel of fresh, hot sweat filled her senses. A slow, lusty burn heated her sex. Not a day had gone by since that she didn’t wish she’d been sober. When she woke the next morning, all she had was a vicious hangover and the enduring memory of his naked body asleep next to her. She’d been so embarrassed she’d crept out before he had a chance to wake up. She never told anyone what happened. The only reminder was his taunting attitude on the few occasions they saw each other. She jumped when her wall communicator buzzed, bringing her back to the present. “Yes?”

It was Ben, the watch captain. “Did you find Commander Lawless?” “Yes,” she said, keeping the anger out of her tone. “But he can’t do it. I’ll be up there in a minute.” “Understood. See you soon. I’m out.” Morgan pulled her coveralls on and attached her rank to the collar. Maybe she should have just taken Lawless to dinner. She shook her head. No, she did the right thing. If she took him to dinner, he’d want to sleep with her again, and she wasn’t comfortable with that. She’d be damned if she was going to end up another notch on his bedpost. **** Lawless stretched out on his rack and let his body relax a little at a time. His thoughts turned immediately to Morgan, and he felt a rush of desire. He wished she’d agree to go out with him again, but he understood her caution. He had a reputation for being a shameless ladies’ man. Part of that reputation was earned and some fiction, but it had grown over the last few years, and most women were wary of him. No one wanted to be used. Lawless thought about his last marriage to Connie and all the things that he’d done—or not done—to ensure the demise of that union. At the time, he’d taken love for granted. There was no doubt in his mind that Connie had loved him. After all, she’d put up with his late nights and various other indiscretions, but she hadn’t been able to love him enough to ignore his lack of love for her. Even now, after all these years, the pain of how poorly he’d treated her stung. He wished he could go back in time and do it right. I’m sorry, Connie. I should never have taken you for granted. What I wouldn’t give to make it up to you. Rolling onto his side he closed his eyes and tried to let sleep overtake him, but immediately, thoughts of Morgan bombarded him. God how he wished he could get close to her again. In a strange way, because of his past, he felt like he didn’t deserve her. She was a good woman and a smart one, and he found so many things about her fascinating. How many times had he seen her on the mess decks with her friends? They'd always be laughing and talking as Morgan greedily sipped from a warm cup of cocoa. He smiled remembering it. A million times he wished he’d been close enough to hear what they were talking about. Men? Love? Sex? The last one made his arousal stronger. Horny and restless, he moved onto his back. If he focused enough he could summon the floral sweetness of Morgan’s body wash and the hint of lavender in her shampoo. A bestial sexual hunger rolled around in his belly, and for a fleeting moment, he thought about sneaking into her berthing. In the cool, snug darkness, would she turn him away or surrender to the desire he knew simmered in her soul for him? Imagining her more likely response— pure anger—he grinned. Reaching into his briefs, he found the source of his torture, wrapped his hand around it, and squeezed. Pleasure flowed up from his cock, and he harnessed it, used it to imagine her

straddling his hips with his dick deep inside her. A name escaped his lips, spoken softly and wistfully like a prayer. “Morgan.” A mash of emotions filled him as he stroked his bulging cock. He wanted her so desperately, so completely that he thought he might lose his mind. Then the climax seized him, flooding his body with complex chords of pleasure, and he gasped from the intensity. Then, as quickly as the fever was on him, it was gone again. Lawless rose, changed his briefs, and cleaned himself up. He was about to get back into bed, when he hesitated by the door. I should go to her, he thought. Maybe we could talk, get to know each other. Then he remembered that she was on watch. A watch he should have taken for her. Shame moved over him, but he quickly shook it off. There was no use beating himself up over it now, it was done. He climbed back into his bed feeling the buzz of his drunk wearing off. He tried to relax, but the fire was still there, smoldering just under the surface. How ironic that I probably won’t get a wink of sleep tonight, and it’s all thanks to Morgan.

Chapter Three On her way to the bridge, Morgan stopped by the mess desk to get a cup of hot cocoa. Everyone had a sinful indulgence and hers was that thick chocolate drink. Imported or domestic, liquid or powder, she loved them all and had to have a least one cup a day. Strolling across the vast hall filled with over a hundred tables and chairs she reflected on the seven long years she still had to serve on board the USS Defiant. After that, she was supposed to get her choice of duty station but everyone knew that was a joke. You went where the Fleet sent you. She sighed fighting off the fatigue and poured herself a large cup of hot water and tossed in a package of cocoa. Sipping it, her mouth was filled with the decadence of the hot, sweet liquid. Bliss. Just the scent alone seemed to make all her troubles melt away. Lieutenant Tess Strong moved up to the coffee maker and eyed her suspiciously. She was one of those women so beautiful, it made everyone else uncomfortable. “Didn’t you just get off watch in the engine room?” “Yeah,” Morgan said in between sips. “Are you doing a double shift?” “Penny was sick again.” Strong made a face. “I’m telling you,” she said in a confidential whisper. “That girl is pregnant.” Morgan’s stomach knotted. God, she hoped not. That would mean a lot more work for her. “I don’t think so. I think she just has a bug.” “Morgan, don’t be so naive. She’s been getting sick every morning since we left the mining colonies,” Strong said. “Rumor has it the pregnancy is the result of an affair with Lawless.” Morgan was beginning to feel nauseous. “Please—Penny isn’t anything like his type.” “Does Lawless have a type?” “Look, I’ve got to go or the engine room is going to start paging me,” Morgan said. “We’ll talk about this later.” Tess lifted three fingers from her cup in farewell. “Till later.” **** “There you are,” Lieutenant Ross said, a muscle twitching by his right eye. “What happened to Penny?” Morgan settled into the NAV seat and sipped her cocoa. “She’s sick. Sick Call gave her a pass.”

Ross snorted. “She’s sure sick a lot lately.” “Yeah,” Morgan said impatiently. “Can I get a turn-over here?” “Nothing to turn over,” Ross said with a shrug. “Nothing out there but deep space. No meteors, one planet, and nothing else. Have a nice night.” He grabbed his backpack and rushed to his station before Morgan could even say goodbye. Glancing at the clock, she settled into her terminal and ran a routine check of the watch status. Everything seemed fine. This was going to be a long night. Scrolling through the watch bill, she noticed one of her rovers was scheduled to check in. In fact, he was more than ten minutes late. Not this again. Morgan frowned and toggled through her camera checkpoints. Nothing. She depressed the button on her transmitter and glanced at the name of the rover on her watch bill. “Blake?” she said into the microphone. The radio crackled. “I’m taking a piss, Ross.” “It’s not Ross, its O’Dell.” “Sorry LT, but Ross has been riding my ass since I got on,” he said. Morgan smiled and glanced at her screen. An alert flashed across the inky blackness of space, and the aft camera displayed closeups of several large bright objects. Oh my God, those are asteroids! “We’ve got a situation here,” Morgan shouted over the din of casual conversation in the engine room. The crew fell into a stunned silence. Commander Lacosta swiveled his chair around. “What kind of situation?” Typing as fast as she could, Morgan sent a screenshot to him. “Looks like an asteroid shower.” Lacosta hit the General Quarters alarm. A robotic female voice said, “General quarters, General quarters, all hands man your battle stations. This is not a drill, repeat, this is not a drill. General quarters, General quarters . . .” Everyone strapped themselves into their seats. “We’ve got three minutes to impact, brace yourselves,” Lacosta said. “Lieutenant O’Dell, I need all squads to report.” Morgan scanned the designated battle stations trying to see how many people had already made it to their safe area. “O’Dell!” Lacosta snarled.

“They’re not ready yet!” “What do you see?” “Squads one . . . two . . . seven . . . I can’t see—” The impact slammed into the ship with bone shattering force. For a few moments, they lost power, and then the lights flickered on again. Five more asteroids impacted the ship, plunging them into darkness again. Morgan tried to bring her system back online, but the only thing that worked was her audio. Its only sign of life was a faint hissing that she could barely make out. “O’Dell,” Lacosta bellowed. “I need a damage report!” Morgan’s hands trembled as she worked to amplify the sounds. But a moment later, she wished she hadn’t because the bridge filled with the terrifying sounds of the crew screaming.

Chapter Four Lawless arrived at the engine room door with the General Quarters alarm blaring in his head. He tried to cue the doors to open but they wouldn’t budge. Fishing in his pocket, he pulled out his override key and slipped it into the lock. The doors slowly pulled back revealing an engine room illuminated in red lights and buzzing in chaos. Lacosta turned to him, his face beat red. “Why aren’t you at your emergency station in the aft of the ship?” he called to Lawless. “Because there is no aft of the ship,” Lawless replied. The room’s activity froze. The crew stared at him dumbfounded. “Sound the abandon ship!” Lacosta called out. “And get to your escape shuttles!” Lawless met Morgan’s gaze. She looked so lost and beautiful. In that moment, he knew he’d made the right decision to come here. If they were going to die, let them die together. He closed the distance between them, all the while being jostled by the fleeing crew. He held out his hand. “Time for us to go.” Morgan took his hand just as the ship began listing to the right. “We’ll never make it.” “Maybe not, but we can try.” Squeezing her hand, he dragged her out the door and into the crowded corridor. Using his size and strength, he muscled his way through the throng, making sure to keep a firm grip on Morgan so they wouldn’t get separated. They rounded a corner, and another, each passageway a bottleneck of clogging bodies. Morgan pulled on his hand, and he looked around to see what was wrong. “We’ll never get through this way,” she said, breathing hard. “But we might be able to use the utility tunnels.” Breaking off from the escaping crowd, Morgan led him to a maintenance area with metal grates over dark utility tunnels that went several stories down. With only the emergency lights to guide them, the utility tunnels were very claustrophobic. Being in small spaces had never bothered him, but following Morgan down a steep ladder in a tube for several flights was almost enough to make him lose it. He kept his cool for several flights, then decided there had to be a better escape route than this. “Are we almost there?” he called down to her as she led the way. “Yes,” she said. “Just one more floor and we’ll be on the flight deck. If there is a flight deck anymore,” she mumbled. Finally, they reached the Flight Deck Two and Morgan climbed out. Lawless was close behind her. To his surprise, everything looked deserted. The empty shuttle appeared undamaged, but it was also completely unprepared. It was strange that no one could have gotten here first to prep all the systems for flight. “I don’t get it,” he said. “I thought everyone was abandoning ship. Where is everyone?”

Morgan rushed to a nearby terminal and tried to get the auxiliary system online. “This damn thing,” she said frowning. Lawless moved up behind her. From the evacuation charts that they could access, it appeared the only way to Flight Deck Two was the way they’d come, through the utility tunnel. Another loud crash rocked the ship, and more alarms went off. “Come on,” Lawless said, “we need to get the hell out of here.” Morgan didn’t argue. They raced for the shuttle and scrambled on board. Lawless climbed into the pilot seat, and Morgan slipped in behind him. She began the copilot check of all the systems. The shuttle growled to life and everything came online. She switched on the distress signal. It was a faint signal on a small ship like this but they didn’t have any other options. “I sure hope our signal reached someone out there,” she said. “Let’s just focus on getting off this dying monster first.” “All systems are a go on my end.” Lawless increased power to the engines and steered the ship toward the open bay door. “Keep your fingers crossed, babe, because here we go.” “Have you finished plotting a course?” “No time, we have to go now.”

Chapter Five The USS Defiant was disintegrating before their eyes. The entire aft section of the ship was smashed beyond recognition leaving the battle ship a drifting, crippled hulk. The damage was so severe, Morgan could hardly make out it was a ship at all. She wondered if the other three shuttles had made it out. She sure hoped she and Lawless weren’t the only ones. “Anything on the tracker?” she asked Lawless. “The instruments are all screwed up, but it looks like two other shuttles escaped. Readings indicate they’re on the other side of the ship from us and heading for a small green planet. Maybe they’ve found a place to land.” Morgan returned to her computer and brought the planet up. “Terago, never head of it. The life readings are off the charts though. It has plenty of water too. Well, I guess we’re not too bad off. At least it can sustain human life.” He glanced at her, his expression grim. “Until something indigenous eats us.” Morgan felt light-headed as a wave of fatigue moved over her. She yawned. “That’s want I love about you, Lawless, you always look at the bright side. I’d say we’ve been pretty lucky so far, at least we’re still alive.” Lawless set a course for the planet and set the shuttle on autopilot. He leaned back in his chair and propped his boots up on the control panel. “You look tired.” “Imagine that, I wonder why. Could it be because someone wouldn’t take the extra bridge watch?” He shrugged. “I told you I’d do it.” Morgan shook her head and lay back on a cargo bench. “There were strings attached. I don’t understand why you couldn’t take that watch for me. You just can’t stand to do someone a favor. There always have to be strings attached.” “You really think you know me that well?” Morgan held her hands out as if the answer was obvious. “Look at our conversation not two hours ago. I asked you to do one thing for me, and you refused unless you got something out of it.” “What’s wrong with that?” Morgan closed her eyes feeling drained. “See? I rest my case. I shouldn’t have to sleep with you for taking a watch for me.” Lawless frowned. “Hey, wait a minute. Who said anything about sleeping with me? As I recall, the only thing I asked for was dinner and drinks.”

She was melting into the bench as sleep started overtaking her. “Please. Don’t insult me. You’ve slept with every woman in the Fleet. Everyone knows your track record. You don’t just simply go out to dinner, everything turns into a seduction.” “You know all that from talking to me in a bar once on a mining colony,” he said, annoyed. “I heard the stories.” “The stories you’ve heard are crap, Morgan.” “Don’t get so touchy. Besides, what do you care what I think? You scored with me before,” she said her voice getting softer. Lawless let out a sinister chuckle. “I never slept with you.” A rush of adrenaline chased her relaxation away. “What are you talking about? We slept together the first night we met.” “No, we didn’t. You were too drunk. I was planning to nail you in the morning, but you were already gone when I woke up.” Morgan’s cheeks grew hot. She folded her arms and turned her back to him. “Sorry to ruin your plans. Now if you don’t mind, I’d like to get some sleep before I pass out.” He grunted, and she felt sure it meant nothing at all. “Wake me if something exciting happens,” she said. “Yeah,” he said sarcastically. “The day’s been boring so far.”

Chapter Six The sweet aroma of baked beans filled the air and woke Morgan from her sleep. She opened her eyes, blinked twice, and stretched. Every muscle in her body felt stiff as if she’d been sleeping for a hundred years. She tried to remember where she was, and then it hit her. The Defiant had been destroyed. She and Lawless had escaped together. A sorrow filled her belly, and tears threatened to flow from her eyes, but she fought it off. It was too early to mourn her friends, because for all she knew, they had landed safely on the planet. She and Lawless wouldn’t know anything until they landed themselves. Sitting up she spotted Lawless crouched at a small round table. He was wolfing down beans and studying some star maps. He looked calm, relaxed as if all this disaster was something to be expected. Just watching him made her feel better. If he wasn’t panicking, then neither would she. “Did you make some of that for me?” He gestured to a covered bowl without looking up. Morgan came over and sat down with him. She uncovered the bowl, her mouth watering. Picking up her spoon, she dug in. “How long did I sleep for?” Lawless glanced at her. “About six hours.” “Why didn’t you wake me up?” “What for?” Morgan shrugged. “So I could help you navigate.” “No need,” he said and paused to gulp down his coffee. “We’re on autopilot. The plotting has already been done for us.” He leaned back in his chair and dropped the charts down by his feet. “You want something to drink? I made coffee.” Morgan finished her beans and wiped her mouth. “Do we have any cocoa?” He grinned. “I doubt it.” She looked away from him and went to get herself a cup of coffee. The minute she poured it she regretted it. She hated coffee, never drank the stuff, but he was making her feel foolish about the cocoa so she pretended she liked it. “How long until we get there?” Lawless stared out the window at the endless sea of stars. “Another three, four hours.” Morgan sat in the copilot seat and sipped her coffee. She listened to him hunting around. He grabbed two survival backpacks and started stuffing them with food and water. Watching him brought all her emotions to the surface. She wanted to help, but she was afraid she’d cry. She really didn’t want him to see her cry. After twenty minutes of watching him prepare for their landing, she said, “Why didn’t you?”

Lawless took the opportunity to take a break. He came over and sat in the pilot’s seat. “Why didn’t I what?” “Seduce me that night at the colony. You had the perfect opportunity.” He stared at her, his gaze cool and predatory. “You were passed out. I’m not a rapist, Morgan.” “I know,” she said with an apologetic shrug. “I just thought, well . . . maybe you didn’t find me attractive.” He laughed. “Are you insulted that I didn’t rape you while you were passed out?” “Of course not! That’s not what I said.” “Then what are you trying to say?” Morgan shifted uncomfortably in her seat. “I just meant that if I hadn’t passed out, would you have . . .” He laughed, and it annoyed the hell out of her. “Yes, I do find you attractive, and yes, I would have.” Morgan nodded. She saw him look at her full coffee cup and grin. “When you’re done with your drink, maybe you can come over and give me a hand getting the weapons ready.” She got up and stretched again. Boy, she sure could have used another few hours of sleep. “Do you think the other shuttles made it to the planet?” “I don’t know. We lost their distress signals when they landed on the planet surface over an hour ago. We’ll just have to wait and see.” Morgan nodded stiffly and joined him over by the blasters. What if they’re all dead? What if something down there got them? “Are you all right?” he asked staring at the expression on her face. Morgan gave him the best smile she could muster. “Sure, it’s just that . . . I hate coffee.”

Chapter Seven The planet was a stunning bright and vibrant green. Lawless put his harness on and glanced at the atmospheric readings as they flashed across his screen. The surface is just like Earth. If everyone else survived, they should be fine for a while anyway. Morgan leaned over his shoulder to check the readings. As she did so, he caught the faint scent of soap on her skin. Her skin was lovely, the color of warm honey, and he ached to run his tongue along every exposed inch. “That’s amazing,” she said not noticing his reaction. “It’s just like Earth.” She looked into his eyes and smiled. Then she blushed and moved away. Desire roared through him like a sudden summer storm. He wanted her in a way he’d never known before. She was so beautiful, with her too-long body and her medium-sized breasts and eyes the color of good soil in spring. He wanted to bury his lust deep inside her until she cried out in passion, to consume her with his mouth and tongue and hands. Aware he was frightening her, Lawless tried to get a handle on his emotions. He took a deep breath and focused on the instruments but a moment later, he was lost in a vision of the past. Almost a year ago, she’d come home with him that night after having too much to drink at the bar. She’d been like fire itself, kissing and caressing him, her hands working feverishly to strip his shirt off. He’d wanted her too, but something felt wrong, so he’d stalled her until she’d passed out. Cursing himself for a fool, he lay down next to her and watched her as she slept. He’d studied her in a way he’d never studied a woman before, and during that bewitching night, he fell in love with all her tiny imperfections. He’d fallen asleep next to her eager for the morning to come when he could have her sober, but when he’d finally awakened, she was gone. Later, he’d tried to recapture those feelings of love and longing with other women he’d dated, but it was no use. Morgan was the only one who could make him feel that way. But as happy as that realization had been, it was also a brutal curse, because after that night, Morgan hated him. He’d never been sure exactly why, but he guessed it was because she thought he’d had sex with her while she was passed out. Over time, he’d come to accept she didn’t care for him. He’d tease and pick fights with her, if only to get a little of her attention, but losing her was torture. He’d never been able to get her to go out with him again, no matter what he’d said to her. “We’re coming in too low,” she said, strapping in next to him. Her voice brought him back to the problem at hand. “You seem a little preoccupied. Worried about Penny?” A flash of anger brought heat to his neck. “Who?” “You know . . . Penny, the pregnant girl.” “What about her? Don’t tell me you think I dated her. Everyone knows that baby is Lacosta’s. Penny’s been seeing him for months.”

Morgan switched off the autopilot and took her control stick. “She told me once you two dated. I just assumed the baby was yours.” “It’s not.” “How can you be so sure?” “Because I never fucked Penny, okay, Morgan?” Morgan stared at him. “Temper, temper. It’s just that I know you’ve dated a lot and . . .” “Drop it,” Lawless snarled. “Why don’t you focus your energy on helping me land this thing?” “Fine,” Morgan said tensely. “Peachy. That’s just great by me.” “Good, now why don’t you shut up for a while?” Morgan fell into an artic silence, and Lawless knew he won the battle. Unfortunately, the war was just beginning.

Chapter Eight The planet was as lush and green as Earth was blue. As they began their descent, Morgan could see the vast forests and thick jungles. I’ll bet all kinds of animals live on a place like this. What will we find when we land? Adjusting the surface monitor, she hit the magnification button and just stared for a minute. The scanners still hadn’t picked up the other shuttles, and Morgan was worried about the crew members. She sure didn’t want her and Lawless to be the only survivors. She had a lot of friends on that ship. “See anything that we could use as a landing sight?” Morgan blinked and studied the topography below. “It looks like the only thing around is a long beach.” “That’ll do. Where?” She pointed to the screen indicating a wide flowing body of water. “Just follow that wide river east.” There was a moment of silence, and then Lawless said, “Are you okay?” Morgan grinned. “Yeah. Listen, I’m sorry about the Penny thing. I shouldn’t have said those things to you. I’m just worried about the others.” “Forget it. I’m worried too.” “You think they survived?” “All we can do is hope. It’s very possible the planet itself is interfering with our scanners.” Morgan nodded. The monitor showed the image of a vast and beautiful beach. It looked like it stretched on for miles. The body of water it surrounded was only one of three oceans she’d been able to pick up, and all of them were teeming with life. Lawless dropped the shuttle down lower and Morgan watched the tops of the trees whiz past the monitor. Then the beach stretched out before them, and he brought the ship to a smooth landing. Morgan let out the breath she was holding. “That’s some impressive flying.” He grunted a “Thanks” and ran a scan of the area around them. There was animal life but nothing else. No people. Lawless opened the hatch and stepped outside with Morgan close behind him. The first thing that impressed her was the air. It smelled sweet, like a million flowers were in bloom, and it was slightly humid. The temperature was comfortable enough. She glanced at Lawless, but he wasn’t looking at her. Instead, his eyes were fixed out at the sea. Morgan followed his gaze and her mouth dropped open. There, rising up out of the rough ocean was a creature. It was easily larger than a whale with dark grey skin and two long, narrow heads perched atop two curved necks. Its body was oval with flippers at the front and rear, and its

long, narrow tail propelled it through the water with incredible ease. But the most shocking thing wasn’t the animal itself, but what the animal had in its mouth. Wedged within those razor-sharp teeth was a piece of metal from a U.S. shuttle with the words USS Defiant clearly printed on the side.

Chapter Nine “I’m going to have to shut down the generator for the night,” Lawless said. “We need to conserve energy.” Morgan nodded and paced outside the shuttle, her arms wrapped tightly around her. A feeling of panic gripped her, and dark thoughts kept racing around her mind. What if we never get off this planet? What if we’re stuck here for the rest of our lives? What if I never see Earth again? Lawless came over and leaned against the ship. He lit a cigar and watched her. “Are you all right?” She gave him a weak smile. “Sure. I think I just need to get some more sleep.” He didn’t appear to be convinced. Looking into his face she noticed there was a small frown pushing down the sides of his mouth. She tried to imagine what he was thinking and drew a blank. The man was a complete mystery to her. “You don’t seem very upset by all this.” “Don’t be ridiculous, Morgan. Of course I am.” She chaffed at his rebuke. “I’m going in.” He grabbed her elbow as she passed stopping her. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it to sound like that. I guess we’re both a little stressed.” Tears stung the corners of her eyes. “I’m terrified.” Lawless pulled her closer and wrapped his arms around her. “I am, too, but we have to stay focused on what we need to do to get out of here. There are some major shipping lanes out there. Someone is bound to find our debris. We’re already overdue to report back to Earth, so hopefully they’ll dispatch some other ships to come looking for us.” Morgan slipped out of his embrace and went inside. The interior of the shuttle seemed small and cramped and for a moment she entertained the idea of sleeping outside. Lawless had placed a few pillows and blankets on the floor. They were much too close together for her taste. Crouching, she moved her bedding three feet from his and laid down with her back to him. “I wonder what happened to the other shuttles. Do you think one of those creatures in the ocean ate them?” she whispered. Lawless didn’t respond. She turned and looked at him. He was studying her quietly like someone might gaze at a beautiful painting. When their eyes met, she was overcome with emotion. All her old desire for him resurfaced, twisting her heart.

“No. What that creature had in his mouth was a piece of the battleship, not a shuttle. I choose to believe they’re here somewhere on this planet. We’ll find them.” Morgan felt a little better. He must be right—they’d find the others. “Goodnight, Lawless.” “It would be a better one if you were closer,” he said with a mischievous chuckle. “Forget it.”

Chapter Ten Morgan woke up early in the morning just as the sun was rising. Lawless was still sleeping soundly, and she didn’t have the heart to wake him. Creeping around the shuttle, she made some coffee and tried to drink a cup, but it was no use. She just couldn’t stand the stuff. What she would give for a cup of cocoa. Her stomach rumbled. Morgan dug through her rations and pulled out a small package of crackers. She set some aside for Lawless and ate her portion slowly knowing they might be the last solid meal she’d be eating in a while. Unfortunately, their rations would last only a few days. She was going to have to learn how to hunt. The prospect did nothing to lift her spirits. Morgan hated the thought of harming anything, but she had to eat. She wondered if Lawless knew how to hunt. Glancing back inside, she studied his rugged features and concluded that she’d be surprised if he didn’t. He was very manly and definitely seemed like the kind of guy who’d hunted and fished before. She hoped her hunch was right. Morgan felt a little guilty about being so hard on him. She guessed she was wary of him because she liked him so much. Strangely enough, there were aspects of his personality that reminded her of her father. She’d loved her father very much and had never forgiven him for dying on her. The sting of that morning when he’d died came to life in her memory. In her mind, she heard the deafening thump on his bedroom floor, and later the doctor’s diagnosis of a fatal stroke. Her father had been her best friend. He’d been a career officer in the Fleet—just like Lawless—and had moved her all over the galaxy. Her mother had died when Morgan was young, so her father was the only family she had. She smiled remembering how driven he was, working like a fiend to move up in rank so they’d always have enough money. The Fleet was his life and through his passion, it became hers as well. Her father had volunteered for some of the most dangerous duty stations in the galaxy and had taken outrageous risks to move up. For most of his career, his strategy worked. He moved up quickly and became the poster child for Fleet success. Then age caught up with him. The fleet was a young man’s game, and her father was creeping up onto sixty-five. Then, one day the brass decided to force him to retire. Her father was devastated. Most men would have turned bitter, but not her dad. From that moment on, he’d focused all his energy and ambition into her. He pushed her to join the Fleet at a young age, encouraged her through the rigorous training, and had been there through all of it. All except the end. She heard Lawless move up behind her. He gave off a warm animalistic scent that she found very arousing. He sat down and glanced at her full cup of coffee. “I thought you hated coffee,” he said. “I do.” She sighed. “But it’s all we have.” Lawless grinned. “I wouldn’t say that.” He pulled a box of powdered cocoa out of his navy jacket. Morgan’s mouth dropped open. “Where did you find that?”

“I grabbed it off the mess deck on my way to rescue you from the bridge. With all the excitement, I’d forgotten about it until now.” She couldn’t think of a thing to say. She stared at the cocoa confused by the mixture of emotions that swirled inside her. She was so overjoyed she wanted to lunge for the box. “That was very nice of you, Lawless,” she said. “Thank you.” “I thought so too.” “You’re not going to ask for anything in return?” Lawless thought for a long time. “Only whatever you’re willing to give me.” Morgan took the box from his hand. She was about to stand up and walk away then hesitated. Leaning over, she kissed him on the mouth. The feel of his lips was a narcotic in her blood, and before she realized what she was doing, that innocent kiss turned into a scorching inferno. Lawless drank in her affection, pulling her into a hungry embrace. He smelled good and gave off a heady scent of soap and male pheromones. Her attraction was all instinct, and it took everything she had to fight off the urge to seduce him. Instead, she placed her hands on his chest and pushed him back, breaking the kiss. Morgan blinked, trying to regain her bearings. She’d been with a few men before, but no one had ever made her feel like this. She gestured awkwardly to the shuttle. “I’m . . . um . . . going to make this.” His smile was all-sexual heat. “You do that. I hope you enjoy.”

Chapter Eleven Lawless waited until late afternoon before he tried to use the transmitter. To save power, he only sent out Morse code with the coordinates of where they were. Hopefully someone from the Defiant would pick up their transmission. He kept the message running in a loop for an hour then shut it down. He made his way down to the beach where Morgan was sitting, watching the waves lap the shore. This alien ocean was a strange but beautiful sight. The water was warm and rich with life. Thick-bodied fish jumped out of the waves struggling with the current as large vulturelike birds swooped down to catch them with their jagged claws. Far off in the distance, great ocean beasts rose up out of the water, their pale blue flesh glistening in the sun. A few webbed clouds moved lazily across the pale blue sky. Lawless sat next to her. A thin homemade spear and a flimsy looking net made from vines lay on the sand nearby. “What are you doing?” he asked. “Trying to catch fish, or what passes for them on this planet.” She glanced down at the spear. “Unfortunately, I’m not having much luck.” “I’ll tell you what. I’ll catch the food if you cook it.” “I don’t know,” Morgan said with the hint of a grin. “That sounds kind of sexist to me.” “That’s the deal, take it or leave it.” “Okay, but may I ask what you’re planning to catch?” “I can’t tell you. It would ruin the surprise. Besides I have the advantage of being an experienced hunter. I used to go with my buddies every season when I wasn’t deployed.” “Okay, you win. Just tell me what you want me to do.” **** Morgan followed Lawless into a small patch of brush. Situated in the middle of a clearing were a few larger trees as tall as pine. Morgan shielded her eyes and looked up to where the trees stretched high in the sky. “Are you going up there?” she asked, “Because that looks really high up.” Lawless smiled trying to look confident. He wished she hadn’t mentioned the height. He didn’t like heights much, but he kept his expression neutral so she wouldn’t pick up on his nervousness. “I know but we don’t have a whole lot of options anymore. We’re not going to be able to stay alive on those puny protein rations.” “There’s still the fish.”

“We can always fish, but if I can reach that nest up there,” he said pointing to a particularly high branch, “I can get us some eggs.” Morgan chewed her lip. He could tell she suspected he was full of macho courage. “Okay,” she said. “What do you want me to do?” “Just wait down here, and if I slip, try to break my fall.” “That’s really not funny, Lawless,” she said flatly. “You’d better not get yourself killed and leave me here alone.” Lawless began climbing. The first few branches were thick and easy to get a foothold, but things became a little hairier the higher he went. After a dangerous ascent, he finally reached the branch where the nest was. Wrapping one arm around the trunk, he reached into the nest and touched one of the large round eggs. “Jon,” Morgan screamed, breaking his concentration. “Look out!” Her voice startled a few tiny birds nearby and a sudden flutter of wings filled the air as they took flight. Lawless was about to ask her what she was yelling about when he found out for himself. Following the ear-piercing screech, he was assaulted by a barrage of claws and feathers. The bird’s nails dug into the flesh of his hand, causing him to let go of the eggs and almost lose his balance. With a high-pitched cry, the creature flapped off and prepared for another attack. As it climbed high in the sky, he could see it was one of the vulturelike birds he’d seen catching fish by the shore. It was a massive creature with black and white feathers and a vicious hooked beak. The vulture dove at him again claws outstretched. The impact was harder this time as the bird slammed into him. Lawless had to fight to keep his hold on the tree. Deciding that he wasn’t hungry enough to risk his life, he took the next lull in the attack to begin as quick a descent as he could manage. More than once, he was sure he was going to fall. The fowl came at him, growing angrier by the moment. Morgan’s voice took on a note of hysteria. “Jon! Get the hell out of there!” He wanted to answer her, to tell her everything was okay and not to panic, but it took all his concentration not to lose his footing. The bird attacked again, this time digging its claws into his back and tearing through his shirt and into his flesh. It seemed intent on dragging him off the trunk and dropping him to the ground below. The only thing preventing the creature’s success was his weight. Enraged, Lawless swatted at the bird, determined to drive it off. Lawless felt himself lose his grip on the tree trunk. A moment of terror filled him as he realized he was going into a freefall. With his last ounce of strength, he seized the vulture around the neck and hung on. The creature screeched out its fury as the two of them tumbled to the ground together. The last thing Lawless heard before he hit the ground was Morgan’s terrified voice shouting, “Jon!”

Chapter Twelve Morgan raced to where Lawless had fallen with her heart in her throat. He had tumbled about two stories, but lucky for him, the bird had twisted under him and broke his fall. Jon’s weight had killed the creature instantly. Carefully, Morgan checked him as best she could for injuries. Except for being unconscious, he looked okay. She moved his arms in all natural directions and met with no resistance. Reaching behind his head, she ran her fingers over his scalp looking for blood, but there was none. No apparent head injury. So far so good. She shook him gently. “Lawless?” He didn’t respond. She decided she needed to get him back to the ship and break open the first aid kit. Propping him up, she moved behind him and wrapped her arms around his back and under his arms. He weighed a ton and she only got a few feet before she had to stop and rest. A few tears escaped her eyes and she wiped them away with her sleeve. Suddenly she spotted his eyes fluttering. Then they opened. “Oh my God, Lawless, are you all right?” He groaned and rubbed his head. “Yeah,” he grumbled. He looked over to the tree and grinned at the dead bird. “See,” he said getting to his feet. “I told you I’d get us dinner.” Relief went all through her, then a flash of anger. “And you almost got yourself killed!” “I didn’t think you gave a shit if I got myself killed.” “Don’t be ridiculous. I never said that. Of course I care. Who’s going to hunt for our food if you die?” “You could always take up fishing again,” he said, getting up slowly. He rolled his head from side to side, then stalked over and picked up the dead bird by its claws. “Whatever. I’m going back to the shuttle,” she said and turned to leave. “Wait,” he called after her. He held out the vulture. “Don’t forget our meal. Do you think you can come up with a recipe for this thing? Unless you’re planning to renege on our agreement. In that case, I’d be very disappointed in you.” Morgan stormed over, took the bird, and stumbled. It was heavier than it looked. “I’ll cook it, but could you at least carry it back for me?” He eyed her up and down with an evil twinkle in his eye. “I don’t know,” he said, strolling toward the shuttle. “That sounds kind of sexist to me.”

Morgan sighed and picked up the heavy bird. It was easy sixteen pounds and awkward to carry. She started back, wishing she’d been stuck here with another man. Anyone would have been better than Jon Lawless. **** The meal was delicious. Lawless had to hand it to her, she didn’t look like she could cook, but she certainly surprised him. Morgan was a fascinating woman, different than anyone he’d ever known. She was so afraid of being hurt that she kept everyone at a distance, and he guessed that was one of the things he understood the most about her. He was guilty of the same thing. Sure he’d had plenty of women in his life but none who’d ever made him feel like Morgan did. He felt like they were similar in so many ways. All he had to do was get her to trust him. He lounged on a bench watching her as she plucked the leftover meat from the bones and stored it in the food compartment. “Who was your first boyfriend?” Morgan cleaned her hands with a rag. “I don’t know,” she said distracted. “Some guy in high school.” “You don’t remember his name?” She gave him a strange look and then said, “If you must know, his name was John.” Lawless smiled, but she didn’t seem amused. “Did you love him?” She shrugged. “I guess I did.” “Was he the first guy you had sex with?” Morgan glanced at him with fire in her eyes. “That’s really none of your business.” He continued undaunted. “Do you enjoy sex?” “Don’t be silly, of course I do.” “Then why won’t you sleep with me?” “Because I don’t want to.” “Well, Morgan,” he said, lying back and staring at the ceiling, “I hate to break it to you, but we’re probably the only survivors of the Defiant. We’re going to have to learn to live on this planet because I doubt we’re ever going to be rescued. So it seems kind of strange that you won’t sleep with me because you’re afraid of being used.” “That’s not the reason why I don’t want to sleep with you,” she said flatly. He turned on his side and stared at her. “Why then?”

Morgan folded her arms. “I just don’t want to get too attached to you.” “Why not?” “Because I don’t want to be devastated if something happens to you. And with your hunting skills, something is bound to happen to you.” She tossed some leftover bones into the garbage pit. After a few moments, she said, “I sure hope we can locate the others.” Lawless came over and pulled her into his arms. “We will,” he said in a voice soft as mist. “I have a radio sending out Morse code for a few hours every day. If they’re here, they are bound to pick it up and signal us back. Then all we have to do is make our way to where they are.” Morgan stiffened and tried to pull away, but he wouldn’t let her. “Please let me go.” Lawless tilted her face up and stared into her eyes. Powerful emotions swirled inside him making his gut ache. He wanted her desperately and completely. “I can’t let you go. I need you.” Placing his lips on hers, he kissed her with all the passion in his soul. It flowed out of him in a torrent, like a river after its dam had burst. The kiss was the only way he could show her how he felt about her, and he poured all his love and anguish into it. At first, she pushed on him, trying to escape this hungry thing she could not face, but then the kiss took her over. She returned his passion with a fire all her own. Then she turned her head and broke the kiss. “This is too much,” she protested. “Too strong. I can’t control it.” “Then let go and let it happen,” he whispered into her ear. And that’s exactly what Morgan did.

Chapter Thirteen Morgan had never been so aroused by a kiss before. Pushing her breasts against Lawless’s chest, she crushed her mouth harder into his, reveling in the taste of him. Within moments, she was aching with desire. Tearing his mouth from hers, he dragged a trail of kisses along her cheek and throat. Morgan heard an animal groan and realized it came from her. His hands were all over her, sliding under her shirt and finding the firm roundness of her breasts. The flesh of his hands was hard and rough as he massaged her, awakening the most intense desire she’d ever felt. Laying her down on the floor, he peeled her clothes off in seconds. Morgan closed her eyes and enjoyed the pleasure of his touch. He slid off her pants and underwear and gently nuzzled with his mouth the throbbing secret of her sex. Parting her legs, he caressed her with his lips and tongue. She leaned her head back and moaned. Lawless opened her and inhaled her scent. His tongue ran through the tender pink folds, pushing, tickling and exploring. Finding her swollen button, he nibbled and teased it causing shockwaves of ecstasy to race through her body. Morgan could barely catch her breath. Reaching down, she ran her fingers through his hair and whispered his name. Blinded by pleasure, she lifted her hips and rocked them up and down matching the rhythm of his mouth. Then he stopped and moved up and over her. Lifting her legs up over his hips, he found the soft, wet center of her pussy and eased himself in. The feel of his thick cock deep inside her was complete bliss. She caressed him with her hands down the twisting muscles of his back finding new levels of pleasure with every stroke of his rod. Memories came back to her of their drunken but uneventful night a year ago and every casual encounter since, all leading up to this wondrous moment. Morgan was happier than she could remember ever being. She listened to the rich tones of his voice as he whispered sexy threats in her ear. The hair on his chest tickled her nipples, making them tender and stiff. Then the sweeter pleasure began building to a fever pitch within her slick, throbbing pussy. Morgan could tell Lawless too was close to orgasm by the carnal animal sounds coming from his chest. Squeezing his buttocks she encouraged him to go deeper and harder until the hunger within her was so wild she could bear it no longer. Her peak took her with the violence of an earthquake and pushed all the air from her lungs. As her body came down, Morgan realized she’d reached a high she had never thought possible. Knowing her lover was close to release she nuzzled his ear and whispered naughty demands. Every muscle in his body was rock hard and slick with sweat. He bucked into her like he hadn’t been with a woman in years. Then Lawless stiffened and released his lust deep into her womb. He lay on top of her panting as Morgan stroked his thick dark hair and realized she’d never been so happy in her entire life.

Chapter Fourteen Over the next few weeks, they busied themselves with learning how to survive. Morgan combed the woods for fruit and nuts to supplement their diet, even taught herself how to fish. Lawless hunted and built them a beautiful seaside shack with side-by-side hammocks. They spent their days working and their evenings feasting on what they’d collected during the day. After all the chores were done, they lounged in their hammocks and talked about everything from the evolution of humans to their careers in the Fleet. She loved listening to his stories, and he seemed to enjoy hers as well. Sometimes they just argued all day then made up by making love like teenagers. Morgan came to love this strange and alien land, but most of all, she loved the deep, growing bond between her and Lawless. Every night before going to sleep she wondered what happened to the others. She hoped they were all right too, but the more time that passed, the more her hope bled away. When she was feeling sad, she’d often share things with Lawless she’d never told anyone. One night, just as he was dozing off, she said, “I heard on the ship that you were married once.” He nuzzled her neck and kissed her cheek. “Actually, I’ve been married twice.” “Oh,” she said, feeling awkward. “What happened? I mean . . . I hope you don’t mind me asking. Why did they break up?” Lawless put his hands behind his head and turned his searching gaze to the ceiling. “My marriages broke up because I didn’t tend to them properly. I didn’t put in the time and attention to make them work, and I regret that.” Morgan was confused. Did that mean he wished he’d stayed with those women? Where did that leave her? “So I guess if you’d been a better husband to those women, you’d still be married and not stuck here with me.” Lawless studied her. “No.” Those marriages wouldn’t have lasted no matter what I did. They had other problems. I just wish my behavior hadn’t caused those women all that pain. As for being stuck here with you, I can’t think of anyone I’d rather be stuck with. You and I have something different, Morgan. We have something very special.” Morgan grinned and placed her head on his chest. “That was a very nice thing to say.” “I meant it. But now let me ask you—how do you really feel about me?” “I don’t want to talk about this.” “Why not? I told you how I felt.” “No you didn’t. All you said was you were glad you were stuck here with me and stuff about us being special . . .”

“Oh come on! All right then, the truth,” he said. “The truth is I’ve been in love with you from the first time we met in that bar a year ago.” Morgan didn’t know what to say. She bit her lip, then finally said, “Me too.” Lawless propped himself up on one elbow. “If you felt like that, then why didn’t you stay till morning that night you came home with me? Why did you sneak off before I woke up?” “Look, I’m really tired. Can we just go to sleep now?” “No, Morgan, we can’t,” he said. “You brought this up, and now I want to know. Why did you take off?” Morgan got up and grabbed her blanket. She glared down at him. “Because I didn’t want to be used like you use all those other women you slept with, that’s why.” Then before he could answer, she stormed off to sleep in the cold, empty shuttle.

Chapter Fifteen Morgan’s father had once told her there were a million mysteries to the human heart, but she never understood what he meant until now. Why had she gotten so angry with Lawless? Was she still afraid of getting hurt even with no one else around? The thought worried her. She hated to think she was so dysfunctional that she couldn’t let go of such a ridiculous fear. Climbing into the shuttle, she grabbed a blanket and settled into the rickety metal cot. For a moment, she half expected him to come after her. She wondered if she’d hurt him, and a sudden surge of shame came over her. Instead of beating herself up, she thought of the many things she needed to do tomorrow. A loud clicking interrupted her thoughts. Rolling over she tried to ignore the sound thinking it was just a branch tapping against the shuttle’s hull. Then with a rush of adrenaline she realized what the sound was—Morse code. Morgan jumped up and raced to the transmitter. Lawless had hooked up a tiny computer with a screen just in case they got a signal. The screen was cluttered with repeat coordinates and names of the crew members at that location. Morgan couldn’t believe her eyes. She stared at the screen in disbelief. We weren’t the only ones to survive! Stumbling out of the shuttle she raced to the shack on the beach. “Lawless! Come quick, the transmitter is picking up the other crew members and they’re alive!” Lawless came out and stared at her in disbelief. “Are you sure?” “Come see for yourself,” she called over her shoulder while racing back to the shuttle. He came in behind her watching the screen display as if it held the meaning of the universe. Kneeling down by the machine, he picked up a pen and carefully wrote down the coordinates. Then he went to the shuttle’s main computer and started it up. They hadn’t used it much since landing to conserve the power cells. The large display screen shone to life above them, showing a dazzling map of the area. It pinpointed the coordinates in seconds and plotted the route. By the computer’s estimate, they should be able to reach the others in two days. Morgan’s head swirled with the possibility of seeing her old crewmates. She licked her lips more confused then she’d ever been in her life. What did this mean to her fledgling relationship with Lawless? Was everything over now that they’d found the others? A nagging doubt moved over her when she realized that their affair could have been an illusion. She doubted he’d give up the prospect of other women now that he had his pick again. “What do we do?” she asked him in a voice devoid of emotion. He folded the directions and placed them into his pocket. “We’ll secure this place as best we can and head out tomorrow morning to find them. I hope they did as well as us.” Morgan only nodded. She couldn’t find any words to say what she was really feeling and it seemed selfish to bring their relationship up now. “I’ll pack some extra food just in case.” Lawless watched her. “Are you still angry with me?” “No, of course not. I was never really angry with you. I guess I was just tired.”

“You still want to sleep in the shuttle?” Morgan shrugged. She might as well get used to life without him. “Sure,” she said. “I sleep better when I’m alone.” She felt his gaze bore into her as she crept back inside the shuttle and curled up on the cold, empty cot.

Chapter Sixteen Lawless trudged through the thick forest, cutting the heavy branches out of their path. They were making good time as they trekked in tense silence. Both were nervous, wondering what they would find as their journey brought them ever closer to their lost crewmembers. Morgan hadn’t said anything to him in over two hours, and he was worried about her. Her normal good-natured quarreling had been replaced with a sullen brooding that he found puzzling. He suspected he knew the reason behind her mood change. He was convinced Morgan must be pregnant. Her breasts were plumper, and her belly had a barely visible paunch that he loved. Lawless didn’t know if she suspected anything about her condition, but he was fairly confident she didn’t have a clue. He stopped and looked back to make sure she was keeping up. “You okay back there?” he called. “I’m fine,” she snapped. Lawless grabbed her arm as she passed by. She stared at him. “Hey, we’re on the same side, remember?” “Do you have a side or are you just a freelance boyfriend?” she retorted as she marched past him. Lawless didn’t move. He folded his arms across his chest and waited for her to stop. After a few feet, she noticed he wasn’t coming with her. She turned around and frowned. “What?” “That’s a good question,” he said. “Let’s start there. What is your problem?” “Nothing. I’m just a little irritable, that’s all.” “Bullshit. You’ve been treating me like crap ever since last night, and I want to know why.” “I told you, I’m just tired. Let’s go before we lose all the daylight.” “Wait, Morgan. We’ve been having a lot of sex since we got here. Do you think you might be pregnant?” he asked. Morgan laughed but he could tell there was no real humor behind it. “That’s impossible,” she said. “I’ve had the shot.” “That shot is not one hundred percent effective. Plenty of women have gotten pregnant while on the shot. Just look at Penny.” Morgan’s face turned beat red. “I am not pregnant, Lawless!” “Then what the hell is wrong with you?” “There’s nothing wrong with me. What the hell is wrong with you?”

Lawless took a deep breath to stay calm. “Morgan, listen to yourself. You can’t seriously tell me there’s nothing wrong with you. You’re coming unglued over the simple suggestion you might be pregnant.” Her pupils dilated so large her eyes looked black. “For the last time, I am not pregnant!” He leaned against a tree and stared at her. Something was definitely not right with her, and raging hormones seemed like the best fit. “Yes, but how can you be sure? It’s not like we have a pregnancy test on hand . . .” Morgan stormed up to him stopping inches from his face. “I think I know my own body, and I’m telling you I’m not pregnant!” “Don’t you want my baby?” She blinked as if she hadn’t understood the question. “What?” Lawless sighed. “I said don’t you want my baby?” “Why are you bringing this up now? Why are you dragging out this argument to piss me off?” She paced back and forth along the trail like an angry panther. “I want to know the truth. Are you in love with me or not?” Morgan stopped, her mouth twisting into a tortured frown. “Yes, I’m in love with you. I’m hopelessly in love with you, and I’m afraid of losing you once we get back with the others.” Lawless felt a great weight lift off his chest. He unfolded his arms. “Show me,” he said softly. “Right now?” “Right here, right now,” he said and touched his lips to hers. **** The kiss was smooth and sweet like milk chocolate. Morgan pushed her breasts against him aching for the closeness to make her feel loved again. What she hated to face was he had become everything to her and she couldn’t imagine her life without him. Deep within her, she hoped she was pregnant. Then at least she’d have something from him if their relationship dissolved. She didn’t know what to expect when they met up with the others. She ran her hands in his hair, rubbing the texture through her fingertips. Morgan buried her face in his neck and hugged him. “Please tell me I won’t lose you,” she whispered. “I thought you knew me better than that, babe.”

Morgan was so ashamed that she just shook her head. Lawless responded by sliding his hands under her shirt and caressing her skin. The feel of his hands on her flesh was pure bliss. Every fiber of her being came alive, wanting and needing him to be inside her. Grabbing him by the lapels of his uniform, Morgan pulled him down to the ground and straddled his hips. The insistent bulge of his erection pushed against her begging to be encased within her. With trembling hands, she undressed him and then herself. His hands feasted over her nakedness, touching her in all the places she loved. The alien world around them melted away, and they were alone. Lawless moved his hands down and explored her pussy with the light, gentle touch that drove her mad. Rolling the idea that she might be pregnant with his child, she arched her back as he teased her. Did it really matter? She guessed not, and the more she thought about it, the happier she became. He worked his magic with touch, arousing the tiny bud of her clit. It plumped growing more sensitive with each stroke of his lips. Repositioning herself down on his hips, she took his stiff cock and rubbed it against her slick folds. He moaned her name with a heady passion, and she smiled at the sound of his voice. Sex with Lawless was intense and magical, not like the many fumbling encounters she’d had with other men. Was this what love was all about? Easing herself onto his cock, she felt the carnal pleasure of him filling up her aching channel. His masculine scent was all over her body, and she loved every draw of breath. The hunger was taking him now, and he grabbed her hips and pulled her down over and over again, mumbling her name like a man in a delirium. Morgan let her emotions out of the tiny cage she kept them in. Currents of unspeakable cheer filled her until she thought her heart would explode. She ran her hands through the hair on his chest and pounded her pussy down onto him until her orgasm seized her will and drained her mind. Then he was on top of her like a tiger, rolling her onto her back and pounding his lust into her. His words meant nothing, just primal grunts and hungry words but they spoke a language of love all their own. Morgan arched her back and wrapped her legs around his thrusting hips. “More, my love,” she whispered in his ear. His sweat dripped onto her cheek and neck. “More, deeper . . . yes, that’s it.” Lawless became another man, a man possessed by his passion. He whispered delicious threats to her as he labored and with every thrust of his cock, her womb thrilled. With a harsh snarl, he climaxed inside her empting his desire in several lusty bucks. Morgan ran her hands down his back as he rested on top of her. Please let me be pregnant, she thought. Please let me have something to cherish from this dazzling affair.

Chapter Seventeen The waterfall was the most beautiful place Morgan had ever seen. The water poured from a ten foot perch above a small crystal blue pond. Bright green moss covered the grey rocks surrounding the magical water. “Guess we’ll make camp here,” Lawless said lowering his backpack on a patch of bright green grass. Morgan sat on the ground feeling exhausted. For the past few miles, she’d been thinking through a bunch of scenarios on what it would be like when they rejoined the others. The fear that their affair would be over when they rejoined the others evaporated. Would they still have a relationship when this was all over? She felt confident they would. Lawless stood and stretched his long, athletic body. Grabbing the hem of his shirt, he peeled it off his torso revealing his thick chest and muscular arms. Morgan’s breath caught as she admired his masculine beauty. His skin was the color of sun-baked sand, and his chest and belly were lightly covered in hair. A light sheen of sweat made his flesh glow, and Morgan found she couldn’t look away from him. Just watching him move made her heart ache with want. He unbuttoned his pants and slid them off with his underwear until he stood before her completely naked. His cock was long and graceful against his thigh with a hint of stiffness. Lawless dipped one foot into the pond and swirled the water. The water grew murky from the stirring. Satisfied that the temperature was pleasing, he walked into the pond and submerged himself into the deepest part. For a moment, Morgan panicked, watching him go under. Then he came up again, the glossy water dripping off his face and body. “Come in,” he said, grinning. Morgan chased her worries off and stood. She undressed before him, taking her time to let him see every inch of her. His eyes smoldered with a fiery need that she knew all too well. When she, too, was naked, she crept toward the pond’s edge and moved into the water. It was cool but pleasing, and she lowered herself into it to get used to the temperature. Lawless swam up beside her and pulled her into his arms. She wrapped her arms around his broad back and rested her head on his chest. How she wished this moment would never end. Lawless playfully grabbed a handful of her hair and pulled her head back. He kissed her then said, “I have to admit, Morgan, I’m a little worried about how you’re going to treat me when we rejoin the others.” Morgan took a step back from him. “What do you mean?” “I mean, it seems like you’re always looking for an excuse to run from me and end our relationship. I can’t live like this, babe—I can’t have you hot and cold. Either you’re with me or you’re not. You need to choose.” “Well, if I’m a little defensive it’s just because I don’t want to be used—”

Lawless held up his hand. “I know, I know. But did it ever occur to you that I can feel used too?” Morgan’s stomach dropped. He was right. She’d been so worried about getting hurt that she hadn’t noticed how much she’d hurt him. She was very ashamed. He’d never done anything to make her distrust him. In fact, he’d been nothing but honest from the start. She was the one who’d been pushing him away sometimes. Taking his face in her hands, she kissed him on the jaw, then dragged her lips up to his mouth. “I’m sorry, Jon,” she said softly. “I’m just so used to having to wall up my feelings. It’s been so long that I don’t feel comfortable expressing them anymore. I don’t want to feel this strongly about you. I’m confused, and I don’t know if you’re telling me the truth about how you feel. You have to admit, you’ve been with a lot of women.” Lawless pulled her arms from around him and stared into her eyes. “Okay, yes, there have been a lot of women in my life, but I never lied to any of them about how I felt.” He shook his head and frowned. “Let’s just drop this. If you can’t trust me after all we’ve been through, then you never will.” Morgan wanted to say she was sorry, to make it all better with words but she had none. She just stood there feeling her guts fall to the ground. Climbing up onto shore, he turned to her and said, “Hurry up and get dressed. We only have a few more hours of daylight to find the others.” Morgan just nodded and got out. They walked in silence for a long time. Lawless wasn’t angry anymore, but he wanted Morgan to think he was. How could he stay mad at her? She had become everything to him. It was true that there had been many other women in his life, but none had made him feel like she did. When she opened up to him, he felt like the sun shone a little brighter and the world was a little warmer. He loved her but didn’t have the words to make her believe it. He stopped for a moment to let her catch up and that’s when he noticed it looked like she’d been crying. “Are you all right?” “Yeah,” she said. She came up alongside him and he put his arm around her shoulder. He kissed her on the cheek, and she gave him a warm smile. “You’re not still mad at me?” He shrugged. “I was mad, but I just can’t seem to stay that way.” They resumed walking, and Morgan suddenly stopped. “What’s that?” she said pointing to something grey in the bushes ahead. Lawless unsheathed his machete and moved forward slowly. “I think it’s a hunk of metal,” he said when he could see it clearer.

They both rushed over and stared down at a large piece of the Defiant lying in the shrubs. The ruined ship’s hull number was partially printed on the side in white block letters. As they continued on, they spotted a few more pieces randomly scattered along their path. The next thing they encountered was the sound of voices off in the distance. Lawless felt a rush of relief. He turned to look at Morgan, and she looked as stunned as he was. “It’s them, Morgan,” he said as if trying to make himself believe it. “It’s the rest of the crew. We’ve found them.”

Chapter Eighteen The survivor camp was bustling with activity. A few large huts had been constructed out of branches and, although impressive, weren’t as sturdy looking as the one Lawless had made. Rustic signs hung over each door indicating what service was offered inside. The two huts closest to where Morgan stood were marked “Clinic” and “Store.” Someone cried out in surprise, and Morgan turned around to see Penny, very pregnant, waddling toward them. “Oh my God,” she said with her arms outstretched. “We thought you guys were dead!” She threw her arms around Lawless and gave him a bear hug. He smiled and hugged her back much to Morgan’s dismay. Lawless pulled Penny off him and looked her up and down. “You’ve gotten big.” “The doc says a few more weeks, but I can’t wait.” She beamed. “Got a name yet?” he asked. Penny winked at Morgan. “I though I’d call him Jon.” Both she and Lawless laughed, but Morgan could only muster a smile. They sure were chummy for two people who hadn’t slept with each other. Penny reached out and squeezed Morgan’s arm. “What’s the matter, honey? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.” Morgan forced herself to smile. “I’m sorry, I’m just really tired. We trekked a long way to find you guys.” Suddenly there was a chorus of delighted gasps. A group of crewmembers who knew both her and Jon rushed over and began talking a mile a minute. Morgan thought her head was going to explode. Her feelings were so confused. She was happy that they’d found the others safe, but she didn’t look forward to her relationship with Lawless possibly ending. Worse yet, what if he was right and she was pregnant? Then what was she going to do? It was hard to stay in the Fleet and take care of a baby properly. The group urged her and Lawless to go and see the commanding officer, but she begged off, telling them she needed to stop by the clinic first. Lawless didn’t seem to think anything strange from her request, and without a backward glance, he went off catching up everyone on their adventures. Morgan came into the hut marked “Clinic.” Although no one was there but the medic, she felt alone and vulnerable. The medic was sitting at a homemade table labeling small bottles of medications. He looked up and smiled at her. The action made the skin around his eyes wrinkle. “Are you hurt?” “No,” Morgan said, shifting her weight to her other foot. “I need a pregnancy test if you have one.” The medic didn’t even blink. “Sure,” he said. “Take a seat. This’ll only take a second.”

Morgan sat down and ignored the butterflies tickling her stomach. She couldn’t tell if she was afraid she was pregnant or afraid she wasn’t. The medic cleaned off her right hand and pricked her palm. A small drop of blood formed on top of the skin. Next, he placed a small monitor over the drop of blood and pushed a red button. A second later, the silver screen read out the word “negative.” “Nope,” he said putting the monitoring device away and returning to his work. “You’re not pregnant.” He glanced at her. “I hope that’s good news.” “Sure,” she said as her gut dropped. “That’s great. But I have a question.” The medic looked up at her raising his eyebrows slightly. “When does the ovulation shot wear off?” “The one they give you when you go into the Fleet?” “Yes,” she said feeling her mouth grow very dry. “About five years from when you took it. I do have an antidote if you want it, though.” Morgan shook her head. “No that’s fine. Maybe later. Thanks very much.” She walked outside and watched everyone hurrying back and forth, preparing food, working on electrical equipment, and making more huts. It did feel good to be back, but she couldn’t help mourning the child that never was. Lawless walked up looking happier than he had in weeks. “Morgan, did you hear the news?” “No what?” “They’ve gotten a signal from a Fleet freighter called the Patriot. Everyone will be off this planet in the next few days. Isn’t that great?” Morgan felt her world crashing in around her. “It sure is, Jon. Great. I couldn’t be happier.”

Chapter Twenty The celebration went well into the night but Morgan didn’t feel much like celebrating. She sat by herself watching the first group of shuttles from the Patriot taking the surviving crew up to their new home. A dark depression had taken hold of her, and she didn’t know if or when it would ever lift. After several hours of soul-searching, she realized she was upset about not being pregnant, but worse, she hadn’t seen Lawless in over four hours. She knew she should have expected this, but it still came as a shock. She remembered when it was just the two of them fighting to find enough food and shelter. As difficult as that had been, she missed those simpler times when they spent every day together. She’d shared more about herself with him than she had anyone ever and that was a good feeling. Why had it taken a shipwreck to make her come out and tell him how she felt? Why hadn’t she been bold enough to reach out and connect with him before they’d crashed like she’d always wanted? God, she felt so foolish for wasting all that time. The shuttles were now picking up the medical equipment and the last of the crew. Digging in the dirt with a stick, she looked up and saw Lawless coming toward her. Behind him, the sky was growing dark. “Why are you hiding back here like a hermit? It’s time to go.” Morgan shrugged. “I guess I’m just a little sad to leave.” “Did you go and see the doctor earlier?” She nodded and tossed the stick. Lawless sat down next to her, his muscular thigh touching hers. “What did he say?” She took a deep breath to control her emotions and let it out slowly. “You don’t have to worry,” she said. “I’m not pregnant.” He nodded grimly. “Wow, that’s too bad. Guess I was really off the mark with my prediction. I’m really sorry, Morgan. I was so sure.” “What are you trying to say? Did you really want a baby?” “Of course I did. I didn’t just want a baby. I wanted a baby with you. I told you I loved you, and I meant it. Why do you find that so hard to believe? I was hoping you’d consider making this relationship more permanent. Everything was so good with you, so right. I’d love it if we could get married and try to have a baby together.” “So you and Penny aren’t . . .” Lawless frowned and shook his head. “I told you, there is nothing between us and there has never been. We’re just friends. I have a lot of female friends, that doesn’t mean I’m having sex with them.”

“But, Jon, how can we have a life together on a ship? With our different schedules, we might never see each other.” “The Fleet will accommodate us if we’re married. Lots of people do it. There are nurseries and schools, everything we could need and as good as any you’d find on Earth.” Lawless leaned over and kissed her. “But,” he said and hesitated. “Maybe now that we’re back with the others, you’ve changed your mind about being with me.” He shifted uncomfortably. Morgan shook her head. “No,” she said after a brief pause. “If I’m going to get married, I can’t think of anyone I’d rather be stuck with than you.” Lawless got up and held his hands out to her. Morgan took them and pulled herself up. They walked hand in hand to the evacuation shuttles. She couldn’t believe how free she felt as the terrible worry lifted from her soul. She squeezed his hand. “I love you, Jon,” she said. “And I’m sorry about everything.” He gave her a mischievous grin and winked. “I knew you’d come around if I just held on long enough. Now about that baby . . . maybe we could get started on that project tonight.” She laughed. “Hold your horses, Romeo, I have to get the antidote first. But I have no objection to a practice run.” “Sounds like a plan to me,” he said, wrapping his arm around her waist. THE END

TuÉâà à{x Tâà{ÉÜ Michelle has long been a fan of erotic romance, science fiction, and horror. She is a member of the Winter Park Writers Group and has authored many novels and short stories for the Internet. When she’s not writing, she’s spending time with her family and her evil Irish Terrier, Guiness.