Chapter 12 #2
“One should never drink and swim,” I said, taking a big gulp. The heat was almost too much. Clouds of breath filled the space between us as snowflakes settled into the water.
I leaned my head against the back of the tub, shivering in pleasure as each of my muscles loosened. Okay, this wasn’t too bad. I just had to keep my eyes straight and my thoughts PG-13.
The group fell into a comfortable rhythm, talking about which Lew Elliott book was their favorite and who would play whom in the movie adaptation of their version of the series.
“I think Tom Hiddleston would be the choice for the captain. Or Idris Elba,” said Jeremy, whose reddish curls had gotten even curlier.
He’d put the sunglasses on his head, now covered in snow.
It had really picked up. But somehow, the heat of the tub, the soothing bubbles, the chill, crisp air, and the slight buzz of the champagne had an odd effect on me.
I was actually enjoying myself. This wasn’t just mundane small talk.
We chatted about our common interests. My social anxiety was pleased.
This was...nice. So nice, in fact, that I could almost ignore the proximity of someone’s boil-free body.
I hmmed at his suggestion.
“I like to see someone who is maybe a little older. Charismatic. Mads Mikkelsen, for example.”
I smiled as Jeremy clutched his chest. “Oh gosh, yes.”
“I’d like one of the Hemsworth brothers,” Elaine said. “They’re all so handsome.”
I snorted. “Don’t they all look the same?”
Elaine guffawed at me.
“Who’d you cast?” John asked me, elbowing me slightly.
I frowned at the skin contact. He just wanted to rile me up again. I twirled my glass in my hand. “I haven’t really thought about who would play her.”
“Her?” Elaine asked.
My gaze snapped to hers. Crap.
“Your captain is a woman?” Jeremy looked equally elated and aghast.
I hadn’t wanted to say it out loud. But then…by tomorrow evening at the latest, when the blurbs were posted online, everyone would know.
“Interesting.” I felt John turn his body more toward me. Like he didn’t already know.
I shrugged. “I thought it was time. We got a female doctor, why not a female captain?”
Elaine made a face. “Because of readers' expectations. I think this is a very risky strategy.”
Was she right?
“I think it’s brilliant.” Jeremy leaned his head back and slipped his sunglasses back on. “I can totally see that.”
I grinned into my drink.
“Who would play the love interest?” Elaine asked, obviously uncomfortable not having all the attention.
“Love interest?” I asked.
“Why? You don’t have a romance arc in your story?”
They all looked at me.
“I don’t see why one is necessary.” I was hesitant to give even this much of my story away. On the other hand, I didn’t want to fit into the category of: she is a woman, of course, she must write romance.
Jeremy’s mouth fell agape. “But all the fighting and the tension and the leather,” he threw his hands out wide, resulting in splashing all of our faces. “It’s all so sexy.”
I shrugged, secretly thinking that yes, he and Otis would get along just perfectly. “That may be, but I don’t see why she needs to have a love story.”
Elaine tsked. “Sounds boring. A book with no love is a clear no from me.” She looked smug, like she was happy to have found common ground with the group against me.
I straightened. “She has all she needs. Her ship, her crew, her best friend…I just don’t see why you have to ruin a perfectly good sci-fi with a romance plot.”
“So your Captain is asexual?” John asked, readjusting his seating position. The water sloshed as he shifted his legs, brushing mine for an instant. A little jolt zapped through me, reminding me of the moment my lips brushed his cheek last night. I took a swig of my champagne, suddenly dry-mouthed.
“I didn’t say that. She may or may not have sex, but I think the romance part is overrated.”
“I think it’s a shame not to let her be loved,” John said.
“I agree,” said Elaine. Of course, she would.
I shook my head. Caruso meeting a random dude, deciding to fall in love, possibly compromising her team’s safety just for him to abandon her with a broken heart…
my girl didn’t need any of that. She was too busy fighting a galaxy full of alien monsters and saving her father from Terra before the planet’s destruction.
Elaine looked at me with a pitiful expression, as if to say, I’m not going to miss you in the next round.
“Is there more fizz?” I asked.
I probably shouldn’t drink too much. I probably should call this a day now that the familiar awkward silence had once again regained full force. Cut my losses. Charlene had seen me hang out with the group, and I should go back upstairs and polish the big ending I had planned.
“This one says no,” May said, shaking the empty bottle.
“Maybe for the better,” I sighed, straightening and bracing myself to face the cold.
“I’ll get one.” John suddenly stood. Water fell from his shoulders like a wet blanket.
Hot droplets sprayed my face as his torso, then his stomach, and at last the very wet, very tight boxers rose into my vision.
Inches from my face. With a body like this, of course his personality had to come short.
It took quite an effort not to turn around and watch him leave. He hadn’t bothered with a towel. Show off.
May and Jeremy exchanged a look.
“What?”
May shrugged, putting both elbows on the ledge of the tub. “Am I picking up on some...tension between you two?”
“I don’t know what you mean,” I said flatly.
“Yeah, I don’t think he likes you much,” Elaine said, flicking blond curls from her face as she took a selfie.
“Really?” I said, with uncoated sarcasm. “What makes you say that?”
But she didn’t get my tone. “He always looks at you with such contempt.”
Even though I knew she was right, her words did hurt a little.
“Not what I would call it,” May said, raising her brows.
“Isn’t he married?” Jeremy said, as if that had anything to do with this.
Elaine twirled the blonde curl with her finger but leaned closer, as if telling us a secret. “Engaged. But I hear they are having trouble.”
“From whom?” I heard myself asking. Why did I care all of a sudden?
She shrugged, leaning back. “It’s all over social media.”
“And that makes it true? So, if BuzzFeed declares that the Kardashians are starting a rock band just because Kim was seen posing with a guitar, you’d believe that too?”
Elaine seemed to try to use telekinetic powers to pop my head off. Her face had gone all red.
May cleared her throat, warning us of John’s return.
He settled back between me and Elaine, this time leaving a bigger gap between us. It for sure read like contempt to me.
“So… Nora. Where are you from originally?”
I tried to hide my wince. Small talk. I knew where this was going. Endless questions about education, jobs, and what car you drive. All that boring stuff that didn’t really matter in the end.
I straightened as John handed me a refilled glass of champagne.
“How about a game instead?”