Free The Space Colonel's Woman (Dragonus Chronicles Book 1) by Jay Shaw Page B

8
    “Morning.”
    “Hey, you’re awake.” Mark lifted his head and smiled, water dripping from his fringe, when Julia wandered into the bathroom; still half asleep and her hair in angry snarls. “Thought I’d get a head start.  I’m starving, how ‘bout you?”
    She stepped into the silver square behind him and wrapped her arms around his chest, playfully gnawing on his ear. “Famished.”
    “Better move that sweet ass, Beautiful.” He bestowed an appreciative grope and stepped out for a towel. “If we’re lucky, Coop might’ve left us a few scraps.”
    Julia’s body and mind submitted to the water’s coaxing and by the time she stepped out, she felt like she was floating within a warm fuzzy bubble of awesome.
    Mark had dressed with the same military precision and attention to detail he gave every task and was clipping the last buckle of his holster when Julia returned to the main room for clothes. It wasn’t until she’d donned a pink button down over white bra and panties, and slid on jeans before shrugging into her leather jacket, that he spoke.
    “Why the wings?”
    “Pardon?” Julia asked, distracted in the search for her hairbrush.
    He gestured to the angel wings embroidered in silver thread. “On your jacket.”
    “Oh, Wings is my call sign.” Julia blushed.  “Jase called me it one day, after an eight year old girl told me I looked like an angel.  She was high as a kite, but it just stuck I guess.”
    “Wings, huh?” He traced first one wing, then the other. “It suits you.”
    Mark wrapped his arms around her from behind, getting as close as he could. “Thanks for saving me, Wings.”
    His words caught her off guard, creating a bright warm glow around her heart as she leaned her head back, neck following the curve of his shoulder. “Any time, Colonel.  Though I’d rather you didn’t make a habit of falling through portals onto alien beaches.”
    “Got your attention, didn’t it?” Mark grinned, breath hot against Julia’s neck. “Let’s go eat.”
    “Boots first.”
    The instant she had her second boot laced, he was pulling her by the hand toward the door; Julia doing a double step to catch her balance.
    Phoenix City’s Mess hall with its white sweeping walls stretching up to blend into the rippled ceiling high above, clusters of eating nooks scattered like spilled building blocks, and a seamless panoramic window wall flooding the space with natural light, seemed too glamourous for such a mundane designation.  Julia found it difficult not to walk around with her mouth agape.
    Conversation hadn’t appeared to falter with her and Mark’s entrance, but she still felt the weight of every gaze burning a curious hole between her shoulders as they joined the queue at the breakfast smorgasbord. 
    “We’re headline news.”
    “Hmmm?”
    Mark was distracted by the prospect of food.  Julia couldn’t blame him.  He had willingly missed dinner, but there was no way he was going without breakfast.  She followed his example and filled her own tray’s compartments with scrambled eggs, something bacon-like, toast, yoghurt, and what appeared to be fruit salad.  With his tray full to its limits, Mark led the way to a central table where Anora and Hayden were half-way through their own meals.
    “New day, Julia.” Anora said, a welcoming smile on her dainty mouth.
    “Morning, Anora.” Julia took the chair next to Anora and opposite Mark.
    “Sleep well?” Hayden’s amusement played on his full lips as he reached for the steaming cup in the corner of his tray; ignoring the carabiner handle in favor of wrapping his palm around it.
    She was fascinated by the way the morning light caught in the iridescent designs etched across the backs of Hayden’s hands and disappeared inside the sleeves of his coat, only to reappear up the honeyed stretch of his neck and morph into an eye mask like that of an American Indian.  Ice blue and silver blended with a rich scarlet to enhance the