Author's note: Another chapter. Hope you enjoy. Thank you for the reviews so far! Let me know what you think! Happy reading. Dark rolling sea.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Rachel was comfortable. She was warm. Her brain swirled between sleep and waking. There was some sort of ringing in her ears. She fought the waking and tried to burrow deeper into the warmth under her body. Someone was talking. The words were bringing her to the surface. She blinked her eyes and stretched, immediately regretting it as a pain burned through her side. She inhaled through her nose and was rewarded with Tom's scent. It made her pause, and she opened her eyes fully to see she was nestled into his side still on the couch.
He was talking quietly into the phone, his eyes watching her. She saw him quirk a small smile before he returned his attention to whoever was on the other end of the phone. She nestled her ear against his chest, listening to the steady thrum of his heart. He was wrapping up his conversation. Rachel was lost in the sensation of Tom's hand rubbing small circles on her shoulder.
Their conversation of the night before was running through her brain. His comment about falling in love already had truly rendered her speechless. She realized she hadn't said anything in return and Tom hadn't pushed or reacted to that fact. He had stopped talking and she looked up to see him laying with his eyes closed, his left arm around her, his right curled across his waist, the hand tucked under her.
"Something important?" she asked softly.
"Hmm?" he mumbled as his arm around her tightened. Rachel made an attempt to sit up, but his arm held her in place. "Not yet," he whispered. She laid her head back on his chest and breathed in the moment.
They stayed there for a while longer, his breathing evening out. Rachel was sure he had fallen asleep again. She contemplated what this meant. Hopefully he had worked past his guilt. She looked up at his wall clock and saw that they both needed to be getting to their duties. She tilted her head up and kissed his jaw.
"Tom, we need to get up," she said softly. He didn't open his eyes.
"Five more minutes, Darien," he whispered as his arms wrapped around her and he shifted more to his side than his back. Rachel froze. She was bombarded with a tidal wave of feelings as the use of his dead wife's name rang in her ears. She pushed herself up and out of his embrace and got to her feet. Tom stretched and then sat up on the couch watching her move towards the door. "Hey."
"I should get to the lab," Rachel said coolly. Tom sat up straighter at her tone.
"Okay," he drawled out. Rachel looked at him with a tight-lipped smile. Tom got up and walked towards her, leaning in, but she stopped him with a hand on his chest. He froze.
"What did I do?" he asked with confusion. Rachel looked down at her hand. She knew she shouldn't hold it against him, it was just a slip, and he didn't even apparently know he did it. He was half asleep. "I can see I did or said something that upset you, Rachel, but I'm clueless right now. Last night was very nice and waking up this morning…both times…with you there on the couch with me was…I don't even know how to explain it."
"I know," she whispered. The night had been amazing. They had worked through a lot and come to common ground.
"Is it what I said last night? It's okay that you didn't say anything back, it's okay if…"
"No," Rachel said her hand going to his jaw. He leaned into her palm, closing his eyes.
"Then what? What did I do?" he asked opening his eyes again. She looked at his shoulder and took a breath.
"It's silly. I'm sorry."
"Something obviously bothered you. Please, so I can not do it again."
"You called me…Darien," she said. Rachel's eyes drifted up and met his blue ones. She saw the embarrassment and pain in his eyes. She saw him trying to remember doing it. Racking his brain for that moment that he had made that mistake. "Look, it's okay. I just…it took me by surprise is all. I should be going."
"I'm sorry, Rachel," he breathed out. She nodded.
"You were half asleep it's really okay, it just…"
"It did bother you; I could see it in your reaction."
"It did, but not the way you think…I mean it did, but it didn't. Her memory is still very raw, and very close to the surface. It's going to happen and I'm going to have to decide if I can deal with it."
"Oh, how I hope you can," Tom said as he leaned down capturing her lips with his own. The kiss was a slow sensuous kiss. When they separated Tom leaned his forehead against hers. "You don't know how sorry I am that it slipped, but you're right. She was in my life a long time and I do love her still. I'll try harder to make sure it doesn't happen again."
"Really, it's okay, Tom," Rachel said as she pulled back from him. He nodded, his hand resting gently on her shoulder. She turned to leave, and he stopped her by gripping her shoulder. She looked back at him.
"By the way that was Rios on the phone earlier," he said, with a smirk. She gave him a sheepish grin and shrugged.
"You didn't make me go back last night," she teased. He laughed.
"No, I didn't. I told him when I found you, I'd send you back for a checkup."
"So, you ordering me to the infirmary?"
"Yes," he replied. "Stop in. I told him if he thought it was okay then you could be released."
"Well thank you for that."
"Have lunch with me," he whispered as he pulled her into a hug gently.
"Okay," Rachel said. "In the wardroom?"
"No. Here," Tom said. Rachel smiled and pulled away from him.
"Okay," she replied. He leaned down and kissed her quickly on the lips, before walking around her and opening the door. He looked down the p-way and didn't see anyone. Rachel smiled and left his stateroom, heading for her lab.
To Be Continued…
