CHAPTER TEN:
RUDE AWAKENINGS

Shafts of golden sunlight sliced through the dark cloud of sleep that hazed Vay's half-opened eye. Squinting it tightly shut, she lifted a hand up to rub her face and felt it brush against something warm. She blinked furiously until the sleep haze had dissipated. When her eye finally focused, she remembered where she was.

She was lying on a small foldout bed aboard Kirk's ship, with Kirk himself lying right beside her. He was still asleep. Vay sat up. The blankets slid down from her chest and she realized she was naked. Memories from the night before came flooding back to her. Damnit, Vay. Look what you've gotten yourself into! You have no self-respect at all, do you? Just hop in bed with the first guy who comes along. You are such a slut, but you don't even care. Her battle of conscience went on for a minute or two, oblivious to the fact that Kirk was beginning to wake up.

"Mornin,' babe," he yawned, startling her. He stretched luxuriously and smiled up at her. Vay stared back at him. It took her a moment to notice that he wasn't making eye contact with her. When she realized what he was looking at, she grabbed the blanket and pulled it up over her chest.

"Morning," she mumbled. Damnit Vay, don't blush!

"Hey, what's wrong?" Kirk asked, looking concerned.

"Nothing. I just… I just can't believe what happened last night."

"You don't regret it, do you?"

"I don't know. Do you?"

"Not even for a second. I told you I love you, Vay, and I mean it."

Vay looked away, pretending to comb her hair with her fingers. "Love and sex are two totally different things. I love Wendy with all my heart, but… And then I've had relations with men I despised. You get what I'm saying?"

Kirk sat up a little and put a hand on her arm. "Yeah, I do. But I don't regret it, and I'm not retracting what I said. I love you, and I want to be in your life again."

Vay gave a half-hearted chuckle and looked at him. "You mean you want to have sex with me again. Right?"

Kirk blushed and shrugged. "Well, yeah. That too. But that's only the icing on the cake, babe. I want the whole enchilada!"

Vay chuckled again. "All this talk about food is making me hungry. What time is it? We've probably missed breakfast."

Kirk grinned. "And all this talk about sex is making me h— " Vay silenced him with a pillow in the mouth. Kirk spat the pillow out and grumbled, "I was gonna say hungry."

Vay started to climb out of bed, but Kirk hooked an arm around her and pulled her back down. "Where do you think you're going?" he purred.

"I'm going to neuter you if you don't let me go in three seconds. One, t — " Her words were muffled as Kirk sealed his mouth over hers. For a moment Vay yielded, returning the kiss twofold and savoring the taste. Then her more sensible side took control and slapped him across the face. Kirk broke the kiss and looked hurt. Vay softened a little at that and lifted her hand to his face again. He cringed, but she did not hit him. Instead, she caressed his cheek.

Kirk relaxed under her touch and snuggled in close to her. Vay purred contentedly as he nuzzled and nipped at her neck, slowly but surely working his way downward. She tried half-heartedly to push him away, but passion got the best of both of them and she surrendered to her own desires as well as his.

God, why am I doing this? Vay demanded of herself. The man doesn't even deserve a moment of my time, and here I am giving him what every guy wants most.

She felt Kirk's lips and hands exploring private property beneath the blanket and bit her lip to suppress an ecstatic whimper. …And taking what I want in return.

A few moments later he resurfaced, a lusty gleam in his eye as he rose above her prostrate form. Oh Lord, why?

She felt one of his legs rub against her own and shuddered at the tingling feeling it created between them. She smiled seductively and pulled him down on top of her. Why not?

They kissed again, longer and deeper than before, until the heat of their passion caused them to melt into each other. It was time.

"Oh. My. God."

Vay and Kirk both bolted up in bed at the sound of a familiar voice. At the threshold of the forward hatch, which had been left open all night, stood Gidgel, looking paler than death.

"PLEASE tell me I'm not seeing this."

Kirk made a small sound like a sob and grabbed the blanket, pulling it up to his chest as if he had something to hide. A moment later Vay did the same, blushing furiously as her brother continued to stare unblinking at the two of them. He seemed to be in a trance. When he finally broke free of it, his face twitched and he said calmly, "Excuse me. I'm going to go bleach my eye out now and then have myself committed. Sorry I disturbed you. Have a nice day." And with that he turned, very stiffly, eye still bulging, and trudged down the ramp and out of the ship.

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(Stops to gasp for breath) Phew! What an update! And for all my hard work, I humbly request a few meager reviews. Plllleeeeeaaaaazzzzze? Anyone? Reviews? Hellooooooo? I'm not talking to myself here. C'mon! You know you wanna give me a review! After those last couple of chapters, you all must have SOMETHING to say! (wink wink) I feed on reviews, even flames, if necessary, though I don't care too much for junk food (tee-hee!).