Page 135 of Commander’s Mate

“Already did, sir. She said that was suspiciously diplomatic.”

Zared looked at me, and the warmth in his eyes made my chest ache.

“Tell them I’ll be out soon,” I called.

There was a pause. “Yes, Harper Avery.”

The panel went silent.

Zared rose from the bed, and I tried very hard not to stare at the way the sheet slid down before he retrieved his night pants. I failed. He saw. I saw him see.

This time he did look a little smug.

“You’re doing great until you ruin it.”

“I will practice.”

He dressed while I used the cleansing room. When I looked in the mirror-like surface above the water basin, the woman staring back at me looked like someone who had survived a catastrophe and kissed an alien commander and cried herself hollow and slept better than she had any right to.

My hair was a mess. My eyes were puffy. My mouth looked thoroughly kissed.

Scarlet would notice immediately.

Good.

Let her.

When I emerged, Zared was in uniform again.

The sight did something to me.

Last night he had been the man in the bed. This morning he was commander, rank bars fastened, shoulders squared, authority restored. But now I knew what he looked like undone beneath it.

That felt like power.

With him.

He held out a cup of tea. “No stimulant. Mild.”

“Thank you.”

“I will be in command meetings for part of the day,” he said. “I would like to see you after, but you are not required to wait for me.”

“I wasn’t planning to.”

His mouth curved faintly. “Good.”

“I will speak with intake command.”

“I can speak with them.”

He stopped.

I raised my eyebrows.

“Look at that. Progress before breakfast.”

“Do you want breakfast?”