Seven Days - A Space Romance Read Online Free PDF Page B

should.”

 
    Day 2
     
     
    Zoey rolled out of bed the next morning, grateful that Kaden wasn’t there to make this awkward and slightly disappointed that he wasn’t. Coming together last night was probably a terrible idea, but at least she only had six more days in which to be embarrassed around him. That was good. Still, why did she feel weird about it? Because Kaden was gorgeous and totally off limits? Because it was desperation that pushed them together?
     Or because it felt a little like she was using him—just a little—to take the edge off her despair?
    Last night had been sexy and intense, but it wouldn’t happen again. She’d used him to desperately forget their situation, and it wasn’t fair to him... or to her. She wanted to be in a good place when the end came.
    The end .
    Her throat suddenly felt hot and tight.
    She needed a drink of water. Getting up from the bed, she tugged on a plain undershirt and dragged on a pair of pants, heading to the mess hall. It was empty. She peeked in the cockpit, also empty, though the system’s computers were humming, data zipping across the screens. How odd. Was Kaden running a program? She frowned at the monitors. She hadn’t expected to see every terminal lit up and in use. Perhaps it was the autopilot? Something Kaden was running to divert their course? Not that it mattered. The lifepod had been launched, all hope of rescue disappearing when Dr. Nevis had abandoned them. That asshole. She clenched her fists. Too bad this little science vessel didn’t come equipped with guns or she’d have sent a homing missile after his sorry ass.
    Instead, it was just her and Kaden, waiting for certain death. Stranded in space. Alone.
    An odd sense of anxiety swept over her and she suddenly paced down the hall, opening doors. She hadn’t seen him this morning... “Kaden?”
    No response. Her heart pounded in her chest, seizing up with anxiety. “Kaden? Kaden!”
    Had he abandoned her too? She couldn’t breathe.
    A creak down the hall, then a muffled voice. “In the control room,” he called, and she heard the roll of something across the floor. She ran there, flung the door open, just as he was sitting up. A look of alarm crossed his face and he got off the mechanic’s creeper and came to her side. “You’re as white as a sheet. You okay?”
    Zoey pressed a hand to her forehead, feeling stupid. “What... what are you doing down here?”
    “Trying to fix the communications link,” he said with a grimace. “Figured if we could send a signal to dick over Nevis, that’d be the most fun we could have this week. Well, one of the most fun things,” he amended with a slow grin. When she didn’t smile, he studied her, grasping her shoulders. “You okay?”
    She gave a shaky nod.
    “What is it?”
    She shook her head, not wanting to vocalize it. “I just thought...”
    When her words trailed off and her gaze shunted away, he tilted his head, trying to keep eye contact. “You thought when you woke up and didn’t see me that I’d abandoned you too?”
    “Silly, huh?” Her voice wavered.
    Kaden’s expression was immediately contrite. He tugged her forward, enfolding her in his arms. She let him pull her in close, and nearly sighed with relief when he rested his chin atop her head. “Not silly at all,” he said softly. “Given our shitty week, you’re handling it really well. I’m sorry I didn’t realize it’d freak you out.”
    “It’s okay,” she said, hooking her hands in his utility belt, since they just slid uselessly down the slick fabric of his uniform. “I’m just really glad to see you.”
    He patted her back, and then to her surprise, his hand slid down to her backside and squeezed.
    She yelped in surprise and backed away.
    Kaden gave her a boyish grin when she scowled in his direction. “Bet you’re not thinking of that asshole now.”
    She wasn’t. Kaden was infuriating... and charming, she decided grudgingly when he winked at her.
    He sat