Alpha One - Chris Burton [21]
Jake sipped his coffee and returned to more pressing matters. He had not really had time to establish how he felt about last night. Yes, he had feelings for Maria and there was no denying her attractiveness. She was bright, articulate with a bubbly and effervescent personality—which came to the fore at the right time rather than all the time, which would have been annoying. This was not their first encounter of this kind. Last time, there had been no morning after, and he had not spoken to Maria for some weeks after the event.
“So, how come you and Maria hooked up again then?” Steve asked.
Jake smiled and replied that he was not entirely sure, but Maria enjoyed the cider along with everyone else and maybe this was not the best way for a ‘head’ student to behave. They bumped into each other and started to chat. Jake used Steve’s disciplinary meeting as a means to get the conversation started, although Maria remained professional and didn’t comment directly. She said she had seen Jake and meant to call him in the last few months but never had the chance.
So were they together. Steve asked and Jake replied.
“I think so. I am not really sure to be honest, but we are meeting up tomorrow. I guess that must be a ‘yes’. Let’s drink up and head for the Port. The Sabre 4’s are in and I’m ready for a sneak preview.”
Chapter Ten
Back to Class
Monday morning was monthly physical time for Jake Carter. He passed, and was cleared for active duty for another month. Jake spent the time mulling over his current ‘issues’ and he left the occupational screening facility with both a clean bill of health and a clear head.
He entered the physical testing room first, and then spent thirty minutes on the various bench, muscular and stamina testing facilities while being monitored by the PT assessors. Jake was physically fit. He must be. Flying jump ships was one of the most physically demanding roles in Alpha.
The tests were relatively easy and allowed him to spend a little time thinking.
He turned his attention to Maria. She was a breath of fresh air, and their burgeoning relationship came along at exactly the right time for him. Not that he wanted a deep and meaningful relationship right now but it was physical, which was good. He enjoyed the closeness. Maria also expressed her desire for the relationship to be casual.
“It should be more than just sex,” she said, “but we are not talking ‘meet the parents,’ honey.”
Jake and Maria met up again on Sunday evening for a quiet drink, a stroll and then sex, some food and then more sex. This was good, he decided. Let’s just continue and see how it goes and, hey, you could do worse than Maria Shavenosky.
His thoughts moved onto Carla. Not that he thought about Carla in the same way, he told himself, or tried to persuade himself. Carla was a little distant since her return from Titan, but she was still close to Jake and the two of them played their regular tennis match early on Sunday morning, before breaking for brunch at about ten a.m. Carla showed disapproval of Jake’s relationship with Maria at first, but she softened her approach after Jake made it clear they were just casual.
She’s still coming onto me, he thought. Is it me, or does she really want me?
As for Carla’s relationship with Steve, she made it clear she disapproved of Steve’s recent jump ship misdemeanors and