“But he didn’t have this in mind, did he?”
Ryan kissed her, the water flowing over both their heads like a divine benediction from the past. Her fingers still gripped his growing hardness, and he replaced the soap in the dish, putting both his hands to better use.
Krysty threw her head back, allowing the water to wash the grime and dust from her long, sentient hair. It hung loose across her shoulders, like liquid fire.
“Good to be able to relax, lover,” she said, “and good to have you and the boy back safely.”
“Close call,” he admitted. “Have to watch out for that sort of accident in future.”
“You believe that all experience is good experience, Ryan? You do, don’t you?”
He nodded, nuzzling his chin against her neck. “Yeah. Even bad experiences, because you learn from them and that makes you a stronger and wiser and better person.”
“I guess so. Hey, you need a shave. There’s razors in sealed packs in the main part of the bathroom.”
His hand was between her parted thighs, the middle finger probing into her moist depths, moving slowly in and out, making her moan in delight.
“Never done it in a shower before,” she whispered in his ear, barely audible above the roaring hiss of the steaming water. “New experience. And Bit harder, and use your thumb, as well. That’s it.”
Her fingers were tight, sliding back and forth over his swollen length, bringing him toward the brink faster than he’d have believed possible.
“Slower or”
“Hold me,” she said. “Under the back of my thighs, and brace yourself against the wall of the shower.”
Her green eyes were smiling into his face, her fiery hair seeming almost to caress his skin, as he lifted her off the ground. Krysty spread herself wider, one arm around his neck, the other reaching down to guide him into her, then gently lowering, so that he impaled her.
“Oh, Gaia!” he moaned. “That’s something else.”
She nipped at the side of his throat with her teeth, very gently. “Fireblast!” she whispered, mocking him. “Now we both start to move like this”
EVERYONE IN THE GROUP took showers or baths, taking advantage of the rare chance to relish endless, temperature-controlled water, as well as the opportunity to feel safe while doing it.
Afterward, they all met in the dining area, Jak, Abe and Doc browsing through the packed shelves of the larder.
“Think it’s safe, Mildred?” Trader asked.
“Should be” she looked at the display and the expiry dates on some of the packaging “although it’s mostly a hundred years or so past its time.”
DEAN FELL ASLEEP, facedown over his third helping of processed minced pork, with a mixed pepper sauce and frozen hash browns.
“Have to play those vid games tomorrow,” Ryan said, picking the boy up and carrying him to the dormitory, where Krysty helped tuck him into one of the beds.
“Anyone want microwaved chocolate pie?” Jak asked.
“Yeah, me,” Abe replied, “Still a few hollows stopping my belly and backbone from touching.”
“Mildred?” the albino queried.
“Hell, why not? Shame it’s not banana royale, with cream and a triple scoop and some pineapple chunks. Now that was something like a dessert! But this’ll do.”
RYAN AND KRYSTY TOOK one of the small study rooms, while Mildred and J.B. shut themselves into another. Everyone else was content to spend the night in the dormitory, along with the sleeping boy.
There was a small desk, its drawers emptied, in one corner of the room, the single bed along the wall opposite the door.
“Was it J.B. who said that there was still some junk in one or two of the other rooms?” Ryan asked, as he sat down to pull off his steel-tipped combat boots. “Fireblast, but I need this rest!”
“Meal was good.” Krysty struggled to suppress a belch. “The sauce wasn’t bad at all. That what they used to call convenience foods, I guess.”
Not getting any response, she glanced behind her, seeing that Ryan, half-undressed, was lying flat on his back, mouth open, snoring slightly.
Chapter Seven
Ryan yawned and opened his eye, awakened by Krysty getting up from the narrow bed and switching on the overhead light. She was standing by the tiny washbasin in the corner of the room, splashing cold water in her face.