Doanor

DOANOR

T he Koloss hummed steadily as we sliced through the inky void of space, stars streaking past the viewports. My footsteps echoed down the narrow corridor, but I barely noticed the sound, lost in my thoughts.

This fake relationship was becoming increasingly difficult to maintain. Cassidy's warmth, her infectious optimism...it drew me in like a moth to a brilliant flame. I couldn't deny the growing attraction, the desire to make this ruse a reality.

Cassidy was seated at the small table we shared, her tousled blonde hair spilling over her shoulders as she worked on a datapad. I cleared my throat, feeling oddly nervous. "Cassidy? Can we talk for a moment?"

She looked up, her sparkling blue eyes meeting mine. "? Is everything okay?"

"Everything's fine." I forced a smile, trying to steady my voice. "I was wondering if you'd like to have dinner with me tonight? Just us?"

She blinked, clearly taken aback. "Alone? But...we're just pretending, remember?"

"I know, but..." I searched for the right words. "We should practice our act. Make it more convincing."

Her eyebrows raised. "If you insist, Captain." She set aside her datapad and brushed past me, our bodies almost touching, sending an unexpected bolt through me.

I busied myself in the kitchenette area of our quarters, feeling her eyes on me as I prepared a more elaborate meal than usual. I activated the auto-chef, selecting a menu that included braised synth-meat with a glaze of Andromedan honey, accompanied by a medley of hydroponic greens and litanium-infused potatoes. The aroma of exotic spices filled our quarters as the meal materialized on the plates.

I set the plates on the table and took the seat opposite her.

"So..." She toyed with her fork. "What made you decide we needed to ‘practice'?"

I met her gaze, my throat tightening. "I...I want this mission to be a success. We can't afford any slip-ups."

"Right, of course." A faint blush crept into her cheeks as she looked away.

We ate in awkward silence, the simmering tension almost palpable. As she rose to leave, I reached out and gently grasped her wrist. "Cassidy..."

She froze, eyes widening. "Yes?"

My thumb traced small circles over her soft skin as I drank in her features, her slightly parted lips. "Thank you...for indulging me tonight."

A tremor ran through her, and she swiftly pulled her hand away. "Don't...don't make this harder than it already is," she whispered, cheeks flushed, before fleeing. Heading back to the safety of the lazamai enclosure no doubt.

Alone once more, I let out a frustrated growl and raked my fingers through my tangled hair. This was going to be more difficult than I'd anticipated.

The next morning, I found Cassidy in the galley, humming softly as she poured a steaming cup of caffeen. The simple domestic scene tugged at something deep within me.

"Good morning," I rumbled, trying to ignore the sudden fluttering in my chest.

She started, nearly spilling her drink. "Oh! , you startled me."

"My apologies." I stepped closer, unable to resist being near her. "Did you sleep well?"

A faint blush crept over her cheeks. "Well enough, I suppose."

My gaze drifted over her lithe form, taking in the way her shirt hugged her curves. "You look...radiant this morning."

She blinked rapidly, flustered by the compliment. "Th-thank you. You're in a good mood today."

"I'm simply appreciating the beauty before me." The words slipped out before I could stop them.

Cassidy's blush deepened as she averted her eyes. ", we can't--"

"Can't what?" I stepped even closer, invading her space in a way I knew made her flustered. "Admire one another?"

She swallowed hard, her chest rising and falling with each breath. "We're supposed to be faking it, remember? This..." She gestured vaguely between us. "This isn't part of the act."

"Maybe I want it to be more." My voice dropped to a low rumble as I reached out, gently tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "Maybe I'm done pretending."

Cassidy's breath caught, her pupils dilating. For a moment, the air itself crackled.

Then she blinked rapidly and took a hasty step back, nearly colliding with the counter. "I...I should go." She clutched her mug like a lifeline and hurried from the galley, leaving me alone with the lingering scent of her shampoo.

Letting out a heavy sigh, I leaned back against the cool metal wall. Getting through to her would be more difficult than I'd anticipated...but I was far from deterred.

Later that evening, I found Cassidy in the observation lounge, her nose pressed against the viewport as she gazed out at the endless cosmos.

"You know," I rumbled, startling her yet again. "If you stare too hard, your face might freeze like that."

She whirled to face me, flustered. "! I didn't hear you come in."

"Clearly." I closed the distance between us, standing close enough that our bodies were nearly touching. "Hard at work admiring the view?"

"I..." She faltered, captivated by my proximity. "I've just never seen anything like it. It's so vast, so...beautiful."

"I couldn't agree more." My gaze roamed over her features, drinking in every last detail.

Cassidy swallowed hard, hyper-aware of the sudden heat between us. "You're doing it again."

"Doing what?" I feigned innocence, though my lips twitched with the hint of a smirk.

"That...thing. Where you look at me like..." She trailed off, unable to put her feelings into words.

"Like what?" I leaned in closer, my chest brushing against hers with each breath. "Like I'm utterly captivated by you?"

A violent shudder ran through her, and she took an unsteady step backwards, pressing herself against the viewport. ", please..."

"Please what?" I crowded her space further, planting one hand on the glass beside her head. "Please stop making you feel things you're not ready for?"

She opened her mouth, then closed it again, at a loss for words. Her gaze flickered down to my lips, and I felt a rush of heat coil low in my belly.

"You can't hide from this forever, Cassidy," I murmured, drinking in her quickened breaths, the delicate flush of her skin. "Sooner or later, you'll have to admit how you really feel."

For a long, heated moment, we simply stared at one another, the air sparking with an undeniable charge. Then Cassidy gave a small, defeated shake of her head and slipped beneath my arm, disappearing down the corridor without a word.

Alone once more, I turned back to the viewport, my pulse thundering in my ears. She was weakening...and soon, I vowed, she would be mine.

The next day, I waited for Cassidy in the cargo hold, my heart pounding with nervous anticipation. This would be my last chance to break through her defenses, to show her how I truly felt.

When she finally entered, her gaze immediately found me leaning against a stack of cargo crates. "You wanted to see me?"

"Indeed." I pushed off from the crates and closed the distance between us in three long strides. "I believe it's time we had a frank discussion."

She tensed, sensing the shift in the air. "A discussion about what, exactly?"

"About this damnable charade we've been playing." I reached out, calloused fingertips grazing her jawline. "About the fact that I can no longer bear the thought of pretending, of ignoring what burns so fiercely between us."

Cassidy's breath hitched, her pulse fluttering wildly beneath my touch. "..."

"Don't fight this, Cassidy," I murmured, leaning in until our foreheads were nearly touching. "Don't fight what you feel here." I pressed her hand against my chest, allowing her to feel the frantic pounding of my hearts.

She stared up at me, eyes wide and luminous, a whirlwind of emotion flickering across her features. "This wasn't supposed to happen," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "We weren't supposed to..."

"But it did happen." I cupped her face in my hands, holding her gaze with an intensity that bordered on desperation. "And there's no use denying it any longer. I want you, Cassidy. Every arrogant, stubborn, beautiful inch of you."

A tremulous breath escaped her lips as they parted, silently inviting me closer. My hearts thudded in my ears as I dipped my head, closing the scant distance between us.

The moment our lips met, it was like a dam bursting, every ounce of pent-up longing and desire surging forth in a dizzying rush. Cassidy melted against me with a whimper, her hands fisting in the fabric of my shirt as she returned the kiss with fevered intensity.

My arms slid around her waist, pulling her flush against me as I deepened the kiss, savoring the sweet taste of her, the warmth of her body pressed to mine. She made a soft sound of pleasure against my lips, sending a jolt of pure need searing through me.

When we finally broke apart, breathless and flushed, Cassidy stared up at me with eyes dark with longing. "I...I didn't think this was possible," she murmured, her voice tinged with wonder. "I tried so hard to fight it, but..."

"Shh." I pressed a finger to her lips, tenderly tracing their swollen curve. "No more fighting, little one. Not anymore."

She nodded wordlessly, her eyes shining with a radiant happiness that sent warmth blooming in my chest. As I gathered her into my embrace once more, I knew in that moment that I would never let her go, would never again deny the depth of what I felt for this remarkable, infuriatingly stubborn woman.

She was mine, as surely as I was hers. And this...this was only the beginning.