ENSIGN (A Starship Hope Prequel)

CHAPTER 9

To celebrate the day's accomplishment, Wade invited Dana to his quarters for dinner. She'd worn a slinky, low-cut black dress she'd borrowed from Bonnie, and a colorful shawl in a delicate, sheer material her mother had given her, but she'd never thought to wear. According to Bonnie, they worked in unison to show off her best features. She'd also blown out her hair until it hung like silk on her shoulders.

Wade answered the door wearing a white shirt unbuttoned to the chest, a pair of blue linen slacks, and no shoes. He pulled her into his private quarters, letting her get a good look at his surprise. To her delight, he'd arranged a pile of large floor pillows in a circle, a low table in the center of them all covered with a spread of bowls of glistening fruit, nuts, thick, crusty slices of bread, and steaming, roasted vegetables.

"How did you get all of this?"

"I had to call in a few favors, but it's worth it, seeing the look on your face," he said, grinning from ear to ear.

"There's so much food here."

Wade pulled her close. "I'm hoping we work up an appetite."

He dipped down to kiss her. Dana drank in the smell of musk and pine on his skin, intoxicating enough to make her light-headed.

"Have a seat. Can I offer you a fruzsi?"

"Yes, thank you." It wasn't her favorite. The sweet bubbles of the pink drink were popular with most, but it wasn't as good as a shot of whiskey.

He lowered her down to the soft red, blue, and pink cushions before picking up their glasses. Dana slipped off her shoes as he filled them, grateful that she'd taken more time with her feet, as Bonnie had insisted.

"You've thought of everything," she said when he returned, handing her a glass.

"COMP, play track five on level two." On cue, strains of soft piano and violin began filling the room, a duet in the Blue Earth classical style.

Wade sat beside her, reclining comfortably back against the cushions so she could lean against him as they nibbled their meal. Dana gulped her glass quickly to avoid the taste, and the pink bubbles went to her head. She twisted around to face Wade, draping an arm around his shoulders. This time she didn't wait for him to kiss her, planting her lips against his. He groaned against her, and she feasted on her power.

A synthetically metallic ding broke the spell. Wade pulled back, swaying lightly as they parted. Dana's mouth fell open, gasping as she remembered how to breathe for herself again. The signal at the door sounded again, and she glanced its way before turning back to Wade. He was having a harder time recovering. His eyes had gone from blue to almost black, his focus divided between her and the door. A slow smile spread over her face as Dana imagined her features no doubt mirrored his.

"Are you expecting someone?" she asked.

He shook his head. "It's probably nothing."

But there was an insistent knock on the door, and Wade huffed as he detangled himself from her with visible effort, his impatience audible as he called out, "Just a minute."

The smile on his face faded the door slid open.

"Captain." He was slow to come to attention, but his shoulders flew back and his chin tipped up. Dana shifted, clutching the shawl tightly together over her shoulders, covering her exposed cleavage. From where she sat, she could see Wade's face flush.

Her father glanced at her, but didn't acknowledge her, focusing his attention on Wade instead. "Lieutenant Chance, I apologize for the inconvenience. I came to personally inform you that you've been chosen to join the team heading out to investigate the nebula tomorrow morning. Please meet the rest of the team at oh-eight hundred in the shuttle bay."

"Yes, sir. Thank you for considering me for the mission. I'll be there." Wade kept his shoulders back and eyes forward until Captain Pinet turned to go, the doors closing between them. Wade turned back to Dana, a frown replacing the neutral expression on his features. "He seemed surprised to see you here. Doesn't he know about us?"

Dana plucked a small piece of red fruit, popping it into her dry mouth, muttering her reply around it as she chewed. "He knows now."

"I thought you would have told him you were dating me by now. Unless you didn't want him to know."

She rolled her eyes. "I don't run and tell my dad every time I meet someone new."

"Is that all I am? Someone new?"

Dana saw the tension in his body hadn't eased with her father's exit.

"What's wrong?" She asked.

"You never told me exactly what happened at that dinner with your father."

Dana groaned. "Can we please talk about my piloting skills and not my father?"

She watched the line of his brow remain furrowed, even as his eyes widened. "You're ashamed of me. You don't think he'll like me." He swallowed hard. "Is it because I'm not a bridge officer?"

She hadn't realized he'd be so hurt that she hadn't told her father they were seeing each other. Dana huffed, pushing up from the pillows and standing up to wrap her arms around his waist.

"I'm not like that, and neither is he."

"So you're saying he would approve of me dating his daughter?"

She shrugged. "If you were serious about me, I'm sure he wouldn't have a problem."

Wade looked down at her, but his expression was unreadable. Then he pulled away again.

"Wade?"

"If, I'm serious? What do I have to do to prove to you that I am serious?"

"You're misunderstanding what I'm trying to say–"

"No, I'm not," Wade snapped. "You said if I was serious, your father wouldn't have a problem with me, so you're implying that I'm not serious. Do you not think you're capable of making someone love you in a week?"

Love? He can't be serious.

Dana threw up her hands, letting them drop to her thighs. "What's happening here?" she asked, her words coming out in a rush. "I thought we were celebrating tonight, having a good time, not worry about whether or not my father approves of me dating you."

Wade swallowed hard and let his arms hang loose at his sides. "Looks like I've misread where we are in this relationship. You might think I do this with all the women I meet, but I don't. Especially not with the captain's daughter."

Dana's face warmed. "Why especially?"

"I'm working on his ship. It matters what he thinks of me as an officer. Our future together is dependent on whether or not he approves of us. If he doesn't want me with you, he could separate us. Worse, he could see I never get on another starship ever again. Don't you get that?"

"What I get, is that what my father thinks of you is more important to you than what I think." Dana scooped up her shoes, moving barefoot to the door, throwing a looked back at him as it opened. "The only person you should have been worried about impressing tonight, was me."

He called out after her, but she didn't turn back.