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Her closet held practical choices. She either slept ready to go for the next day or in an oversized shirt for comfort. Anything remotely sexy packed away, since she’d not needed it for a while. Therefore, there were very little options. Kira landed on a black shirt that hit mid-thigh and boxer-like underwear that hit at the same spot in a dark purple. She threaded her hair into a loose plait and padded barefoot into her room.
“You’re pretty.”
Kira blinked. A quick check of his eyes clarified his neural net hadn’t promoted him. His eyes were their natural pale blue.
“Oh?” He’d never complimented her before, that she could recall as an outright compliment. He’d find she wasn’t above flattery, especially unprompted flattery. She walked towards him in the dim light of a single lamp.
Settling her hands on the side of the bed, she leaned towards him.
He swallowed his Adam’s apple bobbing.
Tugging on her side of the covers lightly since he laid on top of them, she’d follow it up jokingly. “You’re on my covers, Quinn.”
“Oh, sorry.”
An awkward shuffle occurred, then she pulled them down before joining him laying on her side facing him as he faced her. He met her contemplation with his own inquisitive nature. He assessed her with an obvious curiosity, despite his inability to follow the usual prompts of the program for communication he’d developed. It seemed he decided she was worth tempting as he leaned forward to capture her lips.
Kira wished so much in that moment that she was not so distracted. Their heated session earlier could have been repeated, she could be willfully swept under, but Quinn needed a gentler touch and she needed to make herself clear before it came to that.
A few softer couplings of one before a light pressure indicated he should pull back. “It has been a long day.”
“I only wish to be here with you,” he expressed.
She smiled and turned her back to his front. Kira moved his arm around her, intertwining their fingers beneath her sternum. Feeling his warmth, his closeness, there was another thing that was impossible to miss but he hardly moved beyond his breathing but what she felt… well, they may not have enhanced him everywhere but he certainly didn’t lack there.
Chapter Twenty-One
QUINN
When she stirred, Quinn awoke. Her room had automatic lighting changes for her alarm instead of an intense sound to jar her awake. He yawned, brushing sleep out of his eyes. He met her with a soft sleepy smile. Somehow, that night had differed from the ones they’d shared before.
“Good morning.” It wasn’t a greeting he’d used before since he rarely saw people this early, but he could see why it was apt now.
“Good morning.” She smiled in return. She knew what time it was by the lights. “You can go back to sleep.”
“What are you doing?”
“I’m going to go for a run. Then I’m sparring with Rick.”
“Oh, well, I wouldn’t mind joining you for your run, if that is alright.” Quinn said with a small, hopeful smile. Obviously, he had no interest in sparring, but exercising in the morning was part of his routine.
“If you can keep up.”
He recognized her teasing and was becoming familiar with the flutter he felt when she planted a kiss on his lips as she slid out from under the covers.
“I’ll do my best.” With their plan set, he headed to his room to grab his workout clothes, but not without being bold enough to kiss her as he said goodbye first.
Finding her on the promenade, he noticed she wore slim shoes with minimal padding. He had quite a bit more in his shoes, but he was aware Praetorian joints were more durable than human ones. Stretching, she leaned over, hands flat on the ground beside her straight legs, giving him a rather accentuated view of something her long shirts usually covered and it was well worth taking a second look at.
So Quinn looked. Of course, he looked. He wasn’t even self-conscious about it at first. Right until he realized the effect it had on him. Then his cheeks turned bright red, and he looked away, desperately trying to get his mind on another thought.
“Do you have a stretching routine?” Kira sounded politely indifferent in the question, rising to switch to another position.
“Uh, yes, I’ll get started.” Still quite flushed, he turned away from her direction.
“I think perhaps we should put forth our expectations for what this is between us.” An offhand comment from Kira, but he didn’t face her, so he couldn’t see her face.
“I don’t know. I just like being with you.”
