daynight by Megan Thomason Read Free Book Online Page A

items. Creepy. Really creepy. I shudder at the thought of a stranger watching me sleep or climb into the shower. With some effort, I finally find the standard issue socks and shoes, put them on, and answer the second knock on my door.
    “What are you doing here?” I grumble at a surprisingly hoodless Blake Sundry. The last time I saw him I’d swear his hair was long, or did I just assume that? Maybe he did have long hair and cut it recently? In any case, his face is framed with dark, straight hair that has streaks of platinum highlights. His green eyes are flanked by dark eyelashes. He looks better hoodless and well groomed. But he’s not quite normal, his shimmery ivory skin being an anomaly, given we both came from such a sunny climate. Not that my slightly freckled skin tans easily, but his skin appears porcelain. I watch as he runs his hands through his hair. His hands are marred, as if they were transplanted off a burn victim. Abruptly, he pulls them into his long sleeved shirt and I realize I must have been staring.
    “I’m your flatmate,” he says as he motions for me to step into a small living and kitchen area. “We each have our own room, but share the kitchen and living room.”
    “ We are sharing this place? This is where we’ll be spending a year?” I ask in a harsh tone. I don’t mean to sound snotty, given it’s pretty nice, but I’m just surprised and somewhat horrified that they have me sharing a suite with a guy. Particularly this guy. I hope the SCI drug-tested him and checked his background to make sure he’s not dangerous. Sure, he saved my life, but I hardly need a constant reminder of that night and I can’t see Blake without seeing fire, flying debris, and dead bodies.
    I must have allowed a nasty look onto my face, because Blake grimaces at my reaction and says, “Just the first week, apparently, while we are in training. They plan to transfer us to our long-term residences Saturnight.”  
    “Saturnight?” I ask. “You mean Saturday night?”
      “Whatever, uh yeah, just repeating what they said while you were passed out,” he responds, looking at me like I must have missed a couple-hour briefing that he doesn’t intend to fill me in on. “Anyway, I made some breakfast if you are hungry.”
    “Awesome,” I say, figuring he must have popped some pre-made waffles in a toaster or something. “How long have you been up?”
    “Our wake-up call was at the same time, but I’m a guy so it only took me 5 minutes to get ready. And I was starving, so yeah, I made eggs.”
    “Cool, thanks. I’m hungry, too, though honestly it feels like we should be eating dinner, not breakfast.”
    “Maybe because it is 1850 hours? 6:50pm,” he says, reminding me that for some reason our training is happening in the evening.
    “What’s up with evening schedule, anyway?” I ask. “And what else did they mention while I was passed out?”  
    He shrugs and says, “Nothing they won’t cover again in training, I’d assume,” and then walks over to the small table to eat his own breakfast.  
    “They didn’t mention anything about interplanetary travel?” I say. He rolls his eyes and I join him and marvel at the simply executed ham and cheese omelet before me. It’s a little rubbery, but I quickly inhale it. In the last 24 hours I’ve only had a stale bagel and cup of juice.
    “Do you also do dishes, cleaning and laundry?” I joke when I’m done.
    “Don’t push your luck, gorgeous,” he says. I grimace. The complement makes me feel uncomfortable, since the last person to call me gorgeous was Tristan. I don’t like being stuck in a suite with Blake or being around any guy for that matter. It makes me feel like I’m cheating on Tristan, even though I can’t cheat on a dead boyfriend. Not that he was a great boyfriend in the end, but it’s not like I got to resolve the whole cheating issue before he died.  
    Blake must see the displeasure on my face and adds, “Give me a break.