A Charming Match chapter 5

Malcolm's Quarters...

Hoshi woke up feeling warm and secure, having to fight the cold fingers of consciousness and tried to go back to sleep.

She suddenly realized that the warm feeling was coming from someone sleeping next to her.

She opened her eyes and looked around to find she wasn't sleeping in her quarters. 'Ohhh no' she thought. 'What happened?'

She wondered about that for a second then remembered; dinner, dancing, then kissing him. They had moved to his couch, and after more kissing and some talking she had fallen asleep in his arms.

She didn't want to leave, but she knew that if anyone saw her on her way back to her quarters in the morning it would be all over the ship by lunch. And she couldn't very well wear this dress on the bridge.

She got up slowly, trying not to disturb Malcolm. No such luck; he woke up too, and had obviously had the same thought, because he said, "I'd better walk you back now, or we'll be hearing about this from half the ship."

It was about 0200 hours, so they managed to smuggle Hoshi to her quarters without being seen. Though it was difficult- they nearly got caught twice. She gave him a quick kiss goodnight and slipped into her quarters.

He went back to his quarters and fell asleep remembering the feel of her weight in his arms…

She felt a little strange having woken up in Malcolm's quarters, then sneaking back to her own. Though god know the alternative, even if it did sound pleasant, would have very difficult to explain.

She lay down in bed and slowly drifted off, thinking how wonderful it would have been to stay with him all night…

The Bridge

Again Malcolm arrived early, but this time he went to the Captain and immediately said, "Thank you Captain, for yesterday."

The Captain grinned when he thought of Hoshi the day before. "Your welcome Malcolm. So how did it go?" He didn't want to let on that he or anyone else knew about him and Hoshi.

"It was a wonderful evening, and that's all anyone knows." Malcolm replied cryptically. He wasn't about to tell the Captain that his linguist spent most of the night in his quarters.

Hoshi arrived early too and with a smile directed at Malcolm she took her seat. She had woke up that morning feeling like air, so fact being she was more energetic than usual.

She had dreamt about Malcolm; nothing major, just dreamt of falling asleep in his arms again to the sound of his voice reading to her.

The rest of the bridge crew arrived a few minutes later, accompanied by Trip- who had heard about their little dinner in Malcolm's quarters and wanted to see for himself.

As soon as he stepped off the bridge he went to the Captain and handed him the morning reports. Under normal circumstances he would have had someone on his staff bring it up, but it gave him the excuse he needed.

He said, "The repairs to the freighter will be done sooner than we thought, likely by the end of the day. They said they wanted to meet with you and Hoshi tomorrow for lunch, to thank us for our hospitality and use of communications. And that the phase cannons fluctuated in their last test." He said the last part a little loud as kind of a test.

Both he and the Captain turned to Malcolm. He hadn't heard. He usually heard anything and everything about the weapons he checked out before the end of the sentence.

It was good that he wasn't so uptight anymore, but he couldn't neglect his duties either. So the Captain called to him and told him what had been said. As soon as he heard, he called up their schematics on his board and said "Okay, I'll get my people on it right away."

After that they had no more problems. He just stole a glance at Hoshi every now and then, and she did the same.

On their way off the bridge that evening Hoshi pulled Malcolm aside and asked him if he wanted to have dinner again. She explained that during her lunch break she had arranged to have the steward bring dinner to her quarters in half an hour.

With a grin he replied, "I'll be there as soon as I can change."

They went their separate ways. She wore a blue dress this time, and once the candles were set and the music was playing she remembered she had forgotten the perfume he liked so much. He got there just as she was finished. "Come in!" she called.

He was wearing a very nice navy blue sweater and gray slacks. He looked every bit as handsome as the day before, and was grinning as he stepped inside.

When Hoshi came over to give him a hug, he wrapped one arm around her waist and kissed her until her knees threatened to give way.

After releasing her he stepped back and pulled two yellow roses from behind his back. "I stopped by the aphonics bay on the way."

She laughed and replied. " 'On the way' huh? Two decks out of the way?"

He smiled sheepishly and Hoshi asked if he wanted to sit. They made themselves comfortable and began to eat.

They began to talk about the usual, but then turned to the freighter that they were assisting. Malcolm was his usual "I don't think they should be near so many key systems and should have a security escort at all times."

Hoshi was quiet for a second then said, "I don't know about the rest of the crew, but some of the people I have seen give me the creeps. They asked the Captain and I to have lunch with them tomorrow to thank him for the help, and me for the use of communications. I'm not sure I want to go."

Malcolm was instantly defensive. "If you're uncomfortable with them I could arrange for an escort. You should have one going over there anyway."

'That is a very nice thought Malcolm, but the Captain wouldn't go for it and you know it. Besides it's probably from not being around other humans for so long. You get a little weird."

They let it drop at that point and went back to eating their pineapple cream pie deserts. Hoshi thought it would make a good joke, and it had. But he liked it anyway.

Later that night Hoshi woke up to a gentle shake. She had fallen asleep in Malcolm's arms again, but this time in her quarters. He was now carrying her to her bed. She just snuggled into his chest and wrapped her arms around his neck. 'So strong,' she thought sleepily. 'And still so gentle.'

When he laid her down on her bed and pulled up the covers, she reached out and smiled. "Don't go, stay here." She said in a voice thick with sleep.

"That wouldn't be very appropriate Hoshi. What would people say?" he asked.

"I won't tell if you don't" she said, and yawned.

She looked so cute he couldn't resist, so he climbed into the bed with her and she put her head on his shoulder, curled next to him, and fell asleep

He lay there for awhile, just enjoying the feel of her, the smell, and the presence. However he too eventually fell into sleep, and dreamed of her and how much he wanted to do this every night.

End Chapter Five