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back down on the rolling bench and gestured at the panel. Several wires hung out of the underside. “I’m going to be here a bit longer. You want to stick around?”
    “No,” she said, crossing her arms over her chest and shaking her head to emphasize it. She’d just feel stupid, hovering and fluttering in the room like some damsel in distress, just because she’d had a moment of panic. “I think I’ll go shower.”
    His eyes flashed with pleasure and he lay back down on the bench, but not before adjusting his erection rather obviously. “Wish I could join you. Next time, tell me before I start a project.”
    “Who says you were invited?” she asked in a silky, teasing voice.
    “Maybe I invited myself,” he replied. “Of course, this comm unit kind of disinvited me,” he said, sliding the bench back under the mess of wires. “Just don’t take all the hot water,” he joked.
    She rolled her eyes and sauntered out of the room. Like the shower was even hot water. It was an old earth expression, she thought with amusement as she entered the small bathroom facility, pulling her toiletries from her locker and heading to the shower. The showers on board the small science vessel were nothing more than spray showers. When she stood under the pipes and pushed a button, she’d be quickly sprayed with a blast of dry soap, followed by a heated blast of air that would scrape it off her body. Quick and painless, and all she’d have to do is shake the excess powder from her hair before going on with her day. The only tub in this place was in the athletic room, and it was used for immersion and muscle soaks. You had to have a special dispensation from a medic to waste that much water on board such a tiny ship...
    She paused, thinking, then headed for the gym.
    It took several minutes for the tub to fill, and each minute, the computer continually chirped a warning. As a reminder, if she did not have authorization to utilize the bathing facilities or a note from her doctor, this would be marked on her record as a wasteful proclivity. Was she sure she wished to continue?
    Zoey was sure. She didn’t care how wasteful her record was. Let it show that she used all of the ship’s potable water. It wouldn’t matter in a few days. She wanted a hot bath, damn it, not just blasted clean with powder.
    When the tub filled with several inches of steaming water, she stripped and sat on the edge of the tub, sinking her feet into the water. A full-on water bath was a luxury, and though the tub was small, she planned on taking advantage of it. She slid into the tub and moaned at the sensation of the hot water licking against her skin. Oh, that was decadent. Absolutely sinful. She luxuriated in the tub for a long time, and when the water began to grow cold, she had the computer turn on the heaters and warm the water all over again, just so she could stay in a bit longer. When her fingers were wrinkled, she reluctantly stepped out of the water and tugged on her robe. “Computer, recycle the water,” she instructed. “I’m taking another bath tomorrow.”
    “As a reminder,” the computer gently said, “Your use of an increased amount of potable water diminishes the water supply available on Alcestis to 198 days—”
    She left the room.
    Padding down the hall, she ran a hand through her wet hair, letting it slap against her shoulders. Her stomach growled. She’d eat after she got dressed. Then she paused, thinking.
    Why should she have to get dressed? Who was here but Kaden? With a naughty smile, she turned and headed for the mess hall, whistling, her robe loose, the belt swinging from her waist.
    She ordered the food processor to make her a cherry strudel, a muffin, and two orders of bacon. She also ordered an enormous coffee, loaded with sugar and cream. Who cared about the calories? Not her. As she ate, she licked her fingers and flipped through a magazine that had been left in the mess hall. A popular entertainment magazine, dated