they’d floated toward and got them back to the door.
She let her legs down from around
his waist and when he had them in position she grabbed the railing as well as his shoulder. “I’m ready now, Chevon. Go
ahead.”
He tightened his hold around
her waist, then hit the button. A good
thing, too, because even though she’d thought herself ready, she wasn’t really.
“Steady. Flex and straighten your knees, little one. Keep hold until you feel steady. Then we’ll move to the outer
room where you can sit down to put your shoes back on.”
“Holy smokes, that took a lot
more than I expected. It is so odd to go from weightless back to our solid weight. Although now my stomach is
protesting the gravity.”
“It takes some getting used
to,” he said. Pulling her closer, he led her into the outer chamber and helped her sit down on one of the benches. “Lean back against the bulkhead
and focus on a point while you breathe slowly. Each breath you pull in for a
count of three, hold for three and release on three. The focus will help to settle your stomach.”
Once she was feeling better, he held out a hand to her and tugged her up into his arms.
Chevon winked as he drew her out of the room. “To the next surprise. This one
will be fairly quick. I want you to have lots of time for the last of this evening’s surprises.” On the lift, he took her to another floor, then led her through the
quiet, semi-dark corridors. Opening a door, he ushered her into a room that appeared to be filled with stars. Laura quickly
realized it was an observation room of sorts, lots of heavy glass allowing the occupants to feel
like they were among the stars. “I had to share this with you.”
“Chevon,” she whispered,
stepping closer to the massive glass that was between them and the stars. “This
is incredible.” Tears filled her eyes, then spilled down her cheeks. “It’s so
beautiful.” She pressed her hand to the glass.
“I didn’t mean to make you cry,
little one.” His arms closed around her, his warmth at her back and his reflection in the glass.
“These are good tears,” she told him with a grin and turned
in his arms. “It’s so beautiful. I’ve never seen anything so beautiful in all
of my life. It’s as if we could reach out and touch them. Amazing.”
“It’s nothing in comparison to
you, little one.” Resting his forehead to hers, he rubbed his hands over her
back. “One last surprise before we return to our rooms for the night. Hopefully, this one doesn’t elicit tears.
I’m man enough to admit they make me uncomfortable and seriously out of my
depth.”
“I can’t seem to help myself when it comes to you. You are
too good to me. The fact that you ’ re willing to do this for me, I love it. Everything, all of
it. I’m keeping you. I refuse to let you go, now or ever.”
“Glad to hear that since I had
no plan to ever let you go either.” He held her close as they stared out at the
stars for a little longer. Then he took her hand and led her from the room. This time, Chevon took her down into the
cruiser to a section she knew held the landing bays and storage areas for dry
goods. To say she was confused was an understatement. Chevon led her to a door, punched in
a code, and stepped aside. The lights flickered on a moment after the door slid open and
before her Laura saw rows of racks holding clothing. Civilian clothing. “I
thought you might want a little shopping trip. And this was the least painful
way I could think to make it happen for you while being at your side.”
She glanced from him to the clothing and back again.
Laughing, she threw herself into his arms and hugged him tightly. “I love it
but how? How in the world did you manage this?”
“A colleague was tasked to pick
up this shipment, and I offered to do it for him. He’s awaiting the birth of
his first child, so he didn’t even ask why . Whatever you take I will make sure
the shop owner receives proper compensation for.
She let her legs down from around
his waist and when he had them in position she grabbed the railing as well as his shoulder. “I’m ready now, Chevon. Go
ahead.”
He tightened his hold around
her waist, then hit the button. A good
thing, too, because even though she’d thought herself ready, she wasn’t really.
“Steady. Flex and straighten your knees, little one. Keep hold until you feel steady. Then we’ll move to the outer
room where you can sit down to put your shoes back on.”
“Holy smokes, that took a lot
more than I expected. It is so odd to go from weightless back to our solid weight. Although now my stomach is
protesting the gravity.”
“It takes some getting used
to,” he said. Pulling her closer, he led her into the outer chamber and helped her sit down on one of the benches. “Lean back against the bulkhead
and focus on a point while you breathe slowly. Each breath you pull in for a
count of three, hold for three and release on three. The focus will help to settle your stomach.”
Once she was feeling better, he held out a hand to her and tugged her up into his arms.
Chevon winked as he drew her out of the room. “To the next surprise. This one
will be fairly quick. I want you to have lots of time for the last of this evening’s surprises.” On the lift, he took her to another floor, then led her through the
quiet, semi-dark corridors. Opening a door, he ushered her into a room that appeared to be filled with stars. Laura quickly
realized it was an observation room of sorts, lots of heavy glass allowing the occupants to feel
like they were among the stars. “I had to share this with you.”
“Chevon,” she whispered,
stepping closer to the massive glass that was between them and the stars. “This
is incredible.” Tears filled her eyes, then spilled down her cheeks. “It’s so
beautiful.” She pressed her hand to the glass.
“I didn’t mean to make you cry,
little one.” His arms closed around her, his warmth at her back and his reflection in the glass.
“These are good tears,” she told him with a grin and turned
in his arms. “It’s so beautiful. I’ve never seen anything so beautiful in all
of my life. It’s as if we could reach out and touch them. Amazing.”
“It’s nothing in comparison to
you, little one.” Resting his forehead to hers, he rubbed his hands over her
back. “One last surprise before we return to our rooms for the night. Hopefully, this one doesn’t elicit tears.
I’m man enough to admit they make me uncomfortable and seriously out of my
depth.”
“I can’t seem to help myself when it comes to you. You are
too good to me. The fact that you ’ re willing to do this for me, I love it. Everything, all of
it. I’m keeping you. I refuse to let you go, now or ever.”
“Glad to hear that since I had
no plan to ever let you go either.” He held her close as they stared out at the
stars for a little longer. Then he took her hand and led her from the room. This time, Chevon took her down into the
cruiser to a section she knew held the landing bays and storage areas for dry
goods. To say she was confused was an understatement. Chevon led her to a door, punched in
a code, and stepped aside. The lights flickered on a moment after the door slid open and
before her Laura saw rows of racks holding clothing. Civilian clothing. “I
thought you might want a little shopping trip. And this was the least painful
way I could think to make it happen for you while being at your side.”
She glanced from him to the clothing and back again.
Laughing, she threw herself into his arms and hugged him tightly. “I love it
but how? How in the world did you manage this?”
“A colleague was tasked to pick
up this shipment, and I offered to do it for him. He’s awaiting the birth of
his first child, so he didn’t even ask why . Whatever you take I will make sure
the shop owner receives proper compensation for.
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