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“I’d like to invite you and Jerred over to my ship to share a meal,” he continued “I’m sure you’d enjoy the opportunity to hted,” Jerred said, his tone anything but “I suppose it’s too much to hope that you’ll leave the ship untouched while we enjoy your hospitality?”

“Yes, that would be too much to hope for,” Josiah said “I don’t trust you, Jerred I’ve never made a secret of that Now you’re on s ain, as if trying to coh She didn’t like Josiah, not one little bit, and she’d been a waitress long enough to trust her instincts where strangers were concerned

“We’ll leave immediately Jerred, would you like to take the lead?” Josiah asked politely Jerred nodded tightly, then dropped his arers gratefully

“How long e be off the ship?” she whispered Jerred shrugged, then sly at her as he led the way to the airlock

It took them less than five minutes to make the short trip to Josiah’s station She’d known it was big, but as they walked out of the airlock and down the corridor, she realized it was more than a sh-lookingtheht she spotted wo railing, but it was hard to tell The lighting was just a bit dimmer than standard

They were escorted to a sain

‘You’ll find toiletries in the fresher, and I had the for you,” he said “We’ll have dinner in an hour I anticipate you’ll be with us for a while, sobow, and then the door slid shut behind hiust that he had a bemused smile on his face

“You can’t tell inal plan,” she asked “You said it would be a quick o!”

“That’s a distinct possibility,” he said softly “At least at the h”

“Easy for you to say,” she snapped, throwing herself down on the bed She draped one arm across her eyes, and decided that Jerred’s ship really wasn’t so bad after all At least he didn’t lock her in the cabin

“What are we going to do now?” she asked after a ust, her voice wavered

“I think we should just relax,” he said “I would iine we’ll be treated to a very nice dinner Josiah likes to show off”

“Lovely,” she o well, we’ll be done here within the next cycle and be on our way”

“Do I want to knoill happen if things don’t go well?”