Free Object of My Affection by Tracey H. Kitts Page A

with the matching robe open to reveal his torso. I watched for a few moments as the ridged muscles of his stomach expanded and contracted with every breath. His hologram wasn’t as good as the real thing, but it was close.
    “Are you alright?” he asked.
    Something must have been wrong for him to skip his usual flirtatious greeting.
    “I’m fine,” I answered the miniature image of Marco that stood on my vanity.
    He looked at me for a moment as if he were sizing me up before smiling slightly.
    “So, what are you doing?”
    “We’re going to have a conversation now?” I teased.
    “Might as well. There aren’t too many other options for you and I.” He winked.
    “I was just about to take a bath.”
    “Please, don’t let me stop you.”
    I carried the communicator, along with the smiling hologram of Marco and placed it on the rim of the tub. While I did this I said, “I thought you didn’t have a communicator anymore.”
    “And what did you think I did with it?”
    “Well, I just assumed that you’d destroyed it. I mean, can’t they trace your calls?”
    “Not if I know how to jam the signal.”
    I almost asked him to close his eyes while I got in the tub, but felt it would be pointless. Besides, he’d already seen this show. As soon as the thought crossed my mind I could hear Marco saying, “sometimes re-runs aren’t so bad.”
    As I lowered myself into the hot water my skin tingled slightly. It was hotter than I normally liked it, but I needed to relax. My muscles had been tense ever since I’d had that awful vision of Marco’s injury. I curled up and rested my forehead against my knees.
    “You sure you’re alright?” Marco’s voice was soft and concerned.
    I looked up at him and answered, “I was sick a few nights ago.”
    “But you’re fine now?”
    “Yes. So, you can jam their signal?” I changed the subject.
    I didn’t want to share with Marco what my father had told me about his attack.
    “Yes. But I still use this type of communication sparingly.”
    “And this was an emergency?” I inquired.
    “Yes, it was. I had to see that you were alright. A few nights ago when you say you were sick ... you were suddenly screaming through my head. I didn’t exactly hear your voice, I felt you. You were calling out to me in a way I’d never felt before. So, my question to you is, why did you call?”
    I rested my forehead against my knees. I couldn’t look at Marco and lie to him. “It must have been something I ate,” I mumbled.
    “Is that really what you’re telling yourself, or just what you’re telling me?”
    I groaned.
    “Come on, Red. That was a good bit more than bad sushi.”
    Finally I responded, “I had a bad dream ... a haunted vision. It would disturb you if I shared it and it’s something that I’d rather not re-live.”
    His image grew very still for a moment and his brow knit in concentration.
    “Of the past or of the future?”
    “The past,” I whispered.
    “I guess you’ll tell me when you’re ready.”
    “I’m sorry, Marco. I just don’t want that in my head again.”
    “I understand. There are a lot of things I’ve seen that I wish I hadn’t.” He sighed. “Red, I can’t leave you on a bad note like this. How was your visit with Sam?”
    I was glad for the change in subject, but surprised that he didn’t already know the answer to that question.
    “You mean he didn’t tell you?”
    “Sure. He reported back that you were safe and all was well. He also made it very clear he was not my spy and if I wanted to know more I could ask you.”
    “I knew I liked him.” I laughed.
    I shared with Marco most everything. Of course I left out our intimate conversations about my life and the fact that I’d seen Sam naked. Marco laughed when I told him about Kat meeting Sam. That also brought something to mind I had wondered, but was afraid to ask Sam.
    “Marco, does Sam keep a harem?”
    During my week long visit, Marco had told me that Bade Garren used to