Editing Interrupted

He had actually just come to bring her a fresh cup of coffee, which now sat getting cold on the floor near the engine. Like many of his conversations with Rina these days, there was a big blur, and he remembered something about submission and wanting to get comfortable. Next thing he knew, Rina had grabbed his left hand and put it to hers, raising them above her head. Then came the kissing. And the fondling. He had some sort of vague feeling that maybe they should be headed back to her room, but it was a little too enjoyable to worry much about.<br>

He had actually just come to bring her a fresh cup of coffee, which now sat getting cold on the floor near the engine. Like many of his conversations with Rina these days, there was a big blur, and he remembered something about submission and wanting to get comfortable. Next thing he knew, Rina had grabbed his left hand and put it to hers, raising them above her head. Then came the kissing. And the fondling. He had some sort of vague feeling that maybe they should be headed back to her room, but it was a little too enjoyable to worry much about.<br>

As I’d expected, my initial spurt of fear—unjustified knee-jerk reaction that it was—spent itself after an intense second and I was able to relax into him.  Even as I kissed him, a corner of my mind marked this as a big step forward for both of us.  As I was learning to trust being vulnerable, so Joshua was learning to trust his control.  As with anything in this endeavor, there was an element of danger to it but the payoff should we succeed far outstripped the risk.  So I implemented the idea that had occurred to me as I’d puttered in the engine room, had grabbed his wrists and planted my hands above me on the bulkhead and nodded to him to go ahead.  Which he did.  It wasn’t long before he’d manacled both my wrists in one hand and had his other up my tank and there really wasn’t much call for thinking after that.<br>

As I’d expected, my initial spurt of fear—unjustified knee-jerk reaction that it was—spent itself after an intense second and I was able to relax into him.  Even as I kissed him, a corner of my mind marked this as a big step forward for both of us.  As I was learning to trust being vulnerable, so Joshua was learning to trust his control.  As with anything in this endeavor, there was an element of danger to it but the payoff should we succeed far outstripped the risk.  So I implemented the idea that had occurred to me as I’d puttered in the engine room, had grabbed his wrists and planted my hands above me on the bulkhead and nodded to him to go ahead.  Which he did.  It wasn’t long before he’d manacled both my wrists in one hand and had his other up my tank and there really wasn’t much call for thinking after that.<br>

There are days when Nika wonders if this is what Shyla used to think when she caught the pilot and Brian necking in a corner. Oh yes, the similarities exist and they do not escape Nika's attention, though such thoughts pass without mentioning. Standing in the hatch, unnoticed for just a moment, the blond has the time to purse her lips and decide whether to back out discreetly. But there's a wicked imp riding her shoulder at the moment, and that Borderland drawl is thick in her tone when she speaks. "Well, now, there's a sight I wasn't expectin' to find right out in the middle of the engine room proper. I'm thinkin' y'all should go on and lock the door if yer gonna go get any more nekkid than that."<br>

There are days when Nika wonders if this is what Shyla used to think when she caught the pilot and Brian necking in a corner. Oh yes, the similarities exist and they do not escape Nika's attention, though such thoughts pass without mentioning. Standing in the hatch, unnoticed for just a moment, the blond has the time to purse her lips and decide whether to back out discreetly. But there's a wicked imp riding her shoulder at the moment, and that Borderland drawl is thick in her tone when she speaks. "Well, now, there's a sight I wasn't expectin' to find right out in the middle of the engine room proper. I'm thinkin' y'all should go on and lock the door if yer gonna go get any more nekkid than that."<br>

Joshua quickly lets go of Rina's hands...and other parts and jumps back. "Ummm." A bright red flush started up his cheeks.<br>

Joshua quickly lets go of Rina's hands...and other parts and jumps back. "Ummm." A bright red flush started up his cheeks.<br>

I took my time setting things to rights, there being nothing for it—Nika saw what she saw and there was no unseeing it or pretending it didn't happen.  Even so, I didn't dawdle.  I tugged my tank down, tightened the knot of my coverall sleeves, and raked a hand through my hair to settle it.  Three short actions and I was done.  I gave Joshua's shoulder a squeeze as I stepped between him and Nika to give him something to hide that blush behind.  ''We're going to have to work on that.  I wonder if he can turn it off when he's borrowing someone?''<br>

I took my time setting things to rights, there being nothing for it—Nika saw what she saw and there was no unseeing it or pretending it didn't happen.  Even so, I didn't dawdle.  I tugged my tank down, tightened the knot of my coverall sleeves, and raked a hand through my hair to settle it.  Three short actions and I was done.  I gave Joshua's shoulder a squeeze as I stepped between him and Nika to give him something to hide that blush behind.  ''We're going to have to work on that.  I wonder if he can turn it off when he's borrowing someone?''<br>

"Hey," I said, all business. "Everything okay?"<br>

"Hey," I said, all business. "Everything okay?"<br>

Leaning her shoulder on the jamb of the hatch, crossing her arms and her ankles as she stood there, Nika studied the two thoughtfully. "Everything's fine. We're a couple hours out from Meridian." Blue eyes flickered to Joshua. She hasn't forgotten their conversation in the gym. "Just figured I'd let you know." There definitely needs to be a little bit of girl talk about this. Rina's gone from far right to far left and it's about time she found the middle of the road again in Nika's opinion. This is just going a bit too far.<br>

Leaning her shoulder on the jamb of the hatch, crossing her arms and her ankles as she stood there, Nika studied the two thoughtfully. "Everything's fine. We're a couple hours out from Meridian." Blue eyes flickered to Joshua. She hasn't forgotten their conversation in the gym. "Just figured I'd let you know." There definitely needs to be a little bit of girl talk about this. Rina's gone from far right to far left and it's about time she found the middle of the road again in Nika's opinion. This is just going a bit too far.<br>

Joshua's eyes shifted between Rina and Nika. "Sorry, Nika, I should've been thinking." It seemed like a good place to maybe make a break for it, but that could end up pissing off both women. He decided to wait for a clearer sign that he should leave.<br>

Joshua's eyes shifted between Rina and Nika. "Sorry, Nika, I should've been thinking." It seemed like a good place to maybe make a break for it, but that could end up pissing off both women. He decided to wait for a clearer sign that he should leave.<br>

I turned briefly to Joshua and motioned with my eyes toward a shop chair.  ''Sit.''  Then I turned back to Nika, knowing she and I would have that conversation her look demanded. <br>

I turned briefly to Joshua and motioned with my eyes toward a shop chair.  ''Sit.''  Then I turned back to Nika, knowing she and I would have that conversation her look demanded. <br>

“Sure. Thanks," I told our putative Captain, refusing to apologize.  By my lights I'd done nothing wrong.  However, I made a note to change the settings on the door servos.  It's going to auto-shut the second Nika got herself through it on the way out. "I'll get started on making landfall here."<br>   

“Sure. Thanks," I told our putative Captain, refusing to apologize.  By my lights I'd done nothing wrong.  However, I made a note to change the settings on the door servos.  It's going to auto-shut the second Nika got herself through it on the way out. "I'll get started on making landfall here."<br>   

And Joshua sat down quietly in the chair, having brief flashbacks to detention at the Academy.<br>

And Joshua sat down quietly in the chair, having brief flashbacks to detention at the Academy.<br>

A faint grin quirked Nika's mouth at the look Rina offered. Acknowledgment passed between the women and the topic simply went away. "Been wondering if we could pick up a good cargo from Meridian on this run, but I'm a little worried about the length of time we may be on the planet. If this Valerie thing turns long, picking a cargo could get problematic. Thoughts?"<br>

A faint grin quirked Nika's mouth at the look Rina offered. Acknowledgment passed between the women and the topic simply went away. "Been wondering if we could pick up a good cargo from Meridian on this run, but I'm a little worried about the length of time we may be on the planet. If this Valerie thing turns long, picking a cargo could get problematic. Thoughts?"<br>

Joshua chimed in. "I think there has been no real shortage of jobs - I imagine we'll be able to find something back to New Canaan, so we can get paid for the cargo we're dropping off here."<br>

Joshua chimed in. "I think there has been no real shortage of jobs - I imagine we'll be able to find something back to New Canaan, so we can get paid for the cargo we're dropping off here."<br>

"No hurry," Nika replied with a bit of a grin at Rina. "Like I said, still a couple hours out. And extra payday back to New Canaan would be right nice." She shoved herself off the jamb and said, "I'll go on back to the cockpit now. Y'all have fun," she drawled lazily.<br>

"No hurry," Nika replied with a bit of a grin at Rina. "Like I said, still a couple hours out. And extra payday back to New Canaan would be right nice." She shoved herself off the jamb and said, "I'll go on back to the cockpit now. Y'all have fun," she drawled lazily.<br>

I waited til she'd passed through the workshop before closing the engine room door.  A quick series of taps on the controls reconfigured the door settings and I put my back to the hatch.<br>

I waited til she'd passed through the workshop before closing the engine room door.  A quick series of taps on the controls reconfigured the door settings and I put my back to the hatch.<br>

"You okay?" I asked Joshua.  As the responsible party in this little affair, I'd willingly taken on the role of mentor and guide as well as lover, and I knew that I couldn't just leave Joshua to twist in his embarrassment.<br>

"You okay?" I asked Joshua.  As the responsible party in this little affair, I'd willingly taken on the role of mentor and guide as well as lover, and I knew that I couldn't just leave Joshua to twist in his embarrassment.<br>

Joshua nodded. "A little embarrassed to be caught with my hand up your shirt. A little happy that we hadn't gotten any further." And maybe a little frustrated that they had been stopped in the middle, but he kept that to himself.<br>

Joshua nodded. "A little embarrassed to be caught with my hand up your shirt. A little happy that we hadn't gotten any further." And maybe a little frustrated that they had been stopped in the middle, but he kept that to himself.<br>

The door was locked.  We had the engine room to ourselves.  I strode over to him and pulled my tank off and let it fall to the floor.<br>

The door was locked.  We had the engine room to ourselves.  I strode over to him and pulled my tank off and let it fall to the floor.<br>