29. Aurelia

TWENTY-NINE

One nightin his bed turned to two, and then three, and suddenly, I'd blinked, and I couldn't remember the last time I'd so much as showered in my own quarters. I'd even brought a backup of both sets of uniforms to his room, meaning I didn't have to sneak back to my room at the crack of dawn anymore.

Now I just had to sneak out of his without people realizing where I'd stayed all night.

Brina was content in her little corner, enjoying all the attention she got from following me all over the ship. I was pretty sure she was going to be plump and fat quickly, considering how much food she conned out of unsuspecting crew members.

I'd joked about putting a bed under my console on the bridge, and then the next day, there had been one. Sylas's eyes had sparkled with mischief when I looked back at him, and I didn't think I'd ever had a man care for me like this before.

All the officers had now been down to the surface of the planet, and though Sylas and I had kept the exact location of our cave a secret, everyone had seen the underground beauty that it boasted. Both of us had an unspoken understanding, though. We'd have to leave soon.

And I hadn't touched the chip in my room. It was still in the same little locked box where I left it. Part of me was afraid to look at it. I wasn't sure what I was more afraid of, though—finding nothing, or finding everything? What sort of data in those last moments had they protected?

So, instead of facing the things that were hard, I'd decided to just live in this little bubble with Sylas. Here, in his room, none of the things that kept us apart mattered. We were just Aurelia and Sylas. Not a captain and pilot, not in a forbidden relationship.

We flourished at night, speaking with our bodies the way we never seemed to do with our words. I felt it in every action of his, the way he was always making sure I came twice before he did, touching me so gently, so tenderly. It was everything. But was it enough?

"Mmm." I nuzzled against his chest.

"Are you awake?"

"No."

He laughed. "Aurelia."

Was it possible to notice a change in someone like this? He seemed lighter. Happier. The bags under his eyes weren't as deep, and he laughed more. And maybe… that was because of me. Because he was happy with me.

We'd still never clarified what we were to each other, even though I already suspected how he felt. Not that I was very far behind him.

He brushed his finger under my chin, bringing my gaze to his.

"What?" I asked, pulling the sheet tighter against my body as I turned to face him fully.

He traced a thumb along my cheekbone. "You have stars in your eyes."

Oh. My heart.

Didn't he know sweet nothings like that weren't good for it? Because if I wasn't careful, I'd give him my heart. I was having a hard time reminding myself why I couldn't do that, why I wasn't supposed to trust in this.

He cupped my face, bringing our lips together in a soft kiss. "Little star…"

"Why do you call me that?" I whispered the words I'd held back from the very first time he'd uttered the nickname.

His hand stilled. "It's dumb."

"No." I took his face between mine. "Tell me. Please?"

"I can't hide anything from you," he said with a sigh. "It's because you're brighter than any star in the sky. Because I look at you, and all I want to do is orbit around your presence. Because you're my star, Aurelia Serena Callisto. And I never want to look away."

"Oh." My eyes were filled with unshed tears, and I tried to blink them away. Because his words were so sweet, and all I wanted to do was cry. "My dad used to call me that. My star. He said…" I shook my head, the lump in my throat getting bigger. "He said as long as I continued to shine, he'd find his way home to me." Tears were falling now. Big, fat ones. "It was so cheesy, but I love it." I let out a strangled laugh. When was the last time I'd truly let myself cry?

I couldn't remember.

Sylas wrapped me in his arms, letting me sob into his chest. He'd put on one of his soft t-shirts that I absolutely loved. Probably why I kept trying to steal them. Sure, they weren't any different than the federation shirts in my closet, but his were way bigger. I liked how baggy they were against my slender frame. And that they smelled like him.

"I miss him," I said with a hiccup as my tears finally slowed. "I miss him so much that it hurts. You know? Because he's gone, and he"s not coming back. No matter what I do, he's gone."

"It's okay," Sylas murmured, stroking the back of my head, over and over. Soothing me through it, just like my dad used to when I was upset. I didn't even remember any of my reasons for crying back then, just how my dad had been there for me.

I shook my head, not saying anything. "I just can't help but wonder."

"Wonder what, baby?"

"What he would say if he was here. If his hug would feel as good now as it did when I was twelve. If this pain will ever really stop, or I'll miss him for the rest of my life."

"You don't have to wonder."

"Huh?" I scrunched up my face.

"I know what he would say. I…" He took a pause. Gave a shaky breath. "Don't be upset with me. I looked at the chip we salvaged off the ship, and I found something on it. Your father's files. I know I should have told you before but I… I just wanted to keep you to myself just a little bit longer." Sylas's hand weaved through my hair, like he was combing through it.

Nervous. He was nervous. It was cute.

"Okay?" I whispered the words. Because what else was there to say?

Sylas kissed my knuckles before standing up, still in that damn-sexy white t-shirt. The one that stretched over his abs and pecs, and I definitely did not spend the rest of my night sighing over it.

"The flash drive you gave me had files embedded in it. Some were corrupted, but I think I figured out a work around."

"You did?"

He winked at me. "I did. And it didn't even take much. Just a little bit of tinkering, but the files on the chip from the ship were encoded in the same way."

I nodded, the words caught in my throat. It wasn't too crazy, since it was all federation technology from the same time period.

"They're video diaries of your dad's." He smoothed his hand over his jaw. "Ones where he's talking to you."

"What?" I was floored. "They're really…" I trailed off, not finding the words.

The fact that Sylas had thought about it, spent time to find a way to make the clips playable… It all melted my heart. "You did that for me?"

Did he really think I'd be mad that he touched the chip? Because I knew that I would have avoided it for months. The same way that I knew as much as I needed the closure, it would hurt, too.

"Of course." He brushed my hair off my shoulder, pressing a kiss to the stars. I noticed that he liked to do that, and it was just another thing that warmed my chest. "I would do anything for you, Aurelia."

Climbing onto his lap, I cupped his face between my hands. "Thank you. You have no idea what this means to me."

He shook his head. "You don't have to thank me—" But I cut him off with a kiss.

Pressing soft ones all over his face, until he groaned, taking my mouth with his and kissing me deeply. His tongue swept over my lower lip, seeking entrance, and it was all I could do to let him in.

Just like I'd let him into my heart.

He tugged my nightgown over my head, his eyes darkening as he took in my naked body on top of him. No matter how many times we did this, he still had the same reaction. Pure and unrestrained lust. The man worshipped my body any chance he got, and he never failed to make me feel sexy. Beautiful. Desired.

Tonight was no exception.

Sylas was asleep,his dark brown hair falling onto his forehead, the gentle rise and fall of his chest making me feel at peace.

I shouldn't have been this comfortable with him. Not with everything at stake. But being here, in his giant bed, wrapped in his arms each night, just felt… right.

Untangling myself from his arms, I brushed the strands off his forehead before pressing a kiss to his stubbled cheek.

He grumbled, stirring awake. "What are you doing?"

"Just going to go get something to drink. Go back to sleep."

Sylas sat up, frowning at me as I grabbed his shirt where he'd taken it off last night. His eyes flared, and there was something about the way he was looking at me, knowing that his last name was written across my back, the soft cotton hitting my thighs that made me feel invincible. Like I could do anything.

Maybe that was why I stuck my hand on the door pad, opening up his door.

He tilted his head, an interested smirk crossing his lips.

"Are you coming?" I asked, curling a loose strand of hair around my finger.

Before I could blink, he was out of the bed, pulling a pair of sweats up over his hips, and throwing a plain white t-shirt on over top.

I slipped out into the hallway before he could reach me, carefully evading his grasp.

The ship was quiet—thankfully, considering the late hour, and that this was a relatively unoccupied floor, even during the day. Captain's perks. I wouldn't complain if that was what kept the rest of the officers from hearing me scream each night.

"Little star," he growled. "Where are you going?"

"I'm thirsty," was my only reply, as I tiptoed through the hallway, feeling his presence right behind me, knowing he had a full-view of my bare legs.

"Someone's going to see—" He protested.

"No one's awake, Sylas. You need to loosen up." I shimmied my shoulders, and his eyes dropped to the hem of my shirt. "Live a little."

Reaching the refresher, I filled a glass of water, looking up at him from under my lashes as I drank half of it, before offering it to him.

He placed his lips in the same spot I had, finishing it off, before caging me against the wall. "Now what?"

I ran my finger up his chest. "Now I think I'm hungry for something else entirely." I winked.

"Brat." His arms pinned me in place, and I could see the desire flaring in his own eyes. The sweatpants he wore did nothing to hide his erection, and I giggled.

Slipping under him, I opened the door to the bridge, thankful that I didn't have to use my ID card anymore. The room was empty, though I knew at least one officer was on standby in case any alarms went off, which meant we had the whole place to ourselves.

I could hear him follow me in, the padding of his footsteps against the tiled floor, and when the door slid shut behind us, I couldn't resist the devil on my shoulder.

Swaying my hips in a way I knew would drive him crazy, I waltzed over to his chair, settling against the soft leather before I could convince myself it was a bad idea.

"You're in my chair." Sylas raised his eyebrow as he crossed his arms over his chest, even more delicious than usual sans his jumpsuit.

Biting my lip, I fluttered my eyelashes at him. "I am. And what are you going to do about it?"

I knew that we shouldn't have snuck out here at night, but there was something about the way he was looking at me, with those sweatpants slung low on his hips and t-shirt tight across his muscles that made my heart race.

Just like I knew sneaking around like this was wrong, that dating a superior was strictly forbidden, but… I didn't care. Not anymore.

He slapped his hand on the control panel across from me, giving him access to the ship as I rubbed my hands over the arms of the chair. "Lock down the bridge," he commanded, his voice rough.

The ship's AI beeped back, confirming the request, and I heard the door locks bolting us in.

Sylas stalked towards me.

"Captain…" I shifted my position, knowing that his shirt would ride up, showing more of my skin.

He let out a pained groan. "Aurelia." Sylas gripped the arms of his chair, effectively pinning me in place once more as he nudged his knees in between my legs. "You're on thin ice here, little star."

"Hmm?" I ran my tongue over my bottom lip as his fingers dug into the leather. "I don't know what you're talking about, sir."

A guttural noise left his throat. "You're killing me. Do you even know? What you do to me?"

I shook my head. "Show me."

He didn't say anything else, just spread my legs apart and kneeled before me. His eyes were focused on that spot between my legs, where I knew he would find me already wet for him. Sometimes it felt like all it took was one look, and I was burning for him.

Fuck. "Sylas," I moaned as his tongue entered my slit. He repositioned my left leg, pulling it up to give himself better access as he gripped the outside of my thighs.

"You look so perfect sitting here in my chair. Like it was made for you." The words were a rasp against my skin.

It was hard to ignore the fact that I was sitting in his chair, and he was worshipping me like I was a queen on a goddamned throne.

"Always so sweet for me," he mused, rubbing his stubble against my inner thigh, giving me the most delicious burn.

I dug my fingers into the arm of his chair as he licked me thoroughly, plunging inside of me with that talented tongue of his. I'd never enjoyed a man going down on me before—maybe it was because they'd been doing it wrong. But maybe it was because they hadn't been Sylas. His beard scraped against my inner thigh, and the burn was so good that I didn't even care.

He ate me out like a man starved of thirst, like I was the first drink he'd had in months.

A moan slipped from my lips, and I clasped my hand over my mouth.

"Let me hear you," he rasped, looking up at me with my release glistening in his scruff. "Let the whole fucking ship know whose you are."

Oh, God. He was going to ruin me. No—he already had. Definitely. How could I ever move on after being with a man who talked to me like that? His filthy words elicited a reaction in me like never before, and I didn't even want to try.

I buried my hands in his hair, pushing him back against my aching clit.

Resuming his ministrations, Sylas added his thumb to my clit as his tongue fluttered inside of me. He rubbed it just the right way, providing the most glorious pressure, and I couldn't hold back my whimpers of pleasure.

That, and a string of oh's, and don't stop's and right there—and I was exploding, seeing stars—literally, since the galaxy stretched out in front of me. Sylas's rough grip kept me in place as I screamed his name, my insides clenching around his tongue as he eagerly lapped up my release.

I freed my hands from his hair, a smug satisfaction rolling through me at the way I'd messed up the strands.

My eyelids drooped, feeling satiated, and a little drunk with pleasure as he licked his lips.

"I'm never going to get over that," he said.

"Making me come on your tongue?" I asked, breathless.

"No." He smirked. "You saying my name."

Pushing at him with my foot, I tried to hide my blush. He caught my leg, kissing my ankle.

"You're way too smooth." I pouted. "Where did my grump go?"

But his smile didn't fall. "Maybe you fixed me."

A laugh burst out of me. "No, that's not it."

He scooped me up into his arms, ignoring my sounds of protest, before sitting back down in his chair, me in his lap.

I leaned my head on his shoulder, looking out the window. "Does it ever get old?"

"Honestly?" His voice was low. "No."

Humming, I snuggled into his side. "I hope it never does."

A yawn slipped from my lips, and it didn't take long before my eyes were growing heavy. Especially with Sylas's warm chest as my pillow.

"Let's get you back to bed, little star," he murmured, adjusting his shirt on my body to cover me before standing up.

I was asleep before we were even back in the room, feeling safe and comfortable in his arms.

There was nowhere else I'd rather be.