Sheena surfaced to the enticing scent of hot male and her own arousal as she moved against him. His rising interest pressed against her hip, mere inches from making this the best morning she’d had in a very long time. But when she went to lift a leg over his thigh in welcome, a large hand gently pushed her leg back down to the bed and held it there. The action was accompanied by a regretful sigh, which had her snickering against his chest.

Did he think they didn’t have time?

A groan and a hard kiss on her mouth had her arms tightening around the owner of the impressive erection. Unfortunately, she lacked the strength this morning to keep him from peeling away from her clinging arms.

“Nooooo…” she complained in a whisper as she clutched him tighter, still not opening her eyes. She didn’t dare take the chance yet. The light was trying to burn through her eyelids.

The male chest her breasts were squashed against was nicely muscled, and oddly familiar, but not in the usual way. Who the hell had she climbed into bed with? Scott was with his wife. Had she picked up some man the night before?

Since he smelled good, and rubbing against him felt good, did it really matter? No was the logical conclusion. Scott never spent the night and it was nice for once not to wake up alone. Didn’t she owe her mystery lover for that at least?

She pressed closer, aligning every inch of her against every inch of him. Her mystery lover’s grip tightened in response and he groaned in her ear. She ordered her eyes to open so she could see the man who seemed so in sync with her this morning. The lids were still heavy and refused to obey the command.

“Damn it, Sheena. I don’t want to turn you loose either, but it’s for the best. You’re still the hottest woman I ever met.” His groan of reluctance was a sexy whisper against her ear as he reluctantly turned loose.

“Damn straight I am,” she mumbled groggily, her response automated and only meant to soothe them both.

His responding chuckle over her bragging inspired a weak smile from her mouth, but it was the best she could do. She tried again to open her eyes, but they squinted shut immediately when the first tiny slivers of light hit her too sensitive retinas.

“Light,” she groaned hoarsely, “hurts bad… ly.” She giggled at correcting her own grammar.

“If you still feel like this when your mind clears this morning, come see me. I already miss you and I haven’t even left yet,” he whispered, his mouth hard and hot on hers a final time before he wrenched away.

“O… K…” Sheena answered automatically, fighting the urge to beg him to stay.

Without him there to distract her, Sheena tried several more times to open her eyes, but instead ended up pulling the covers over her face to create more darkness. She blinked beneath the covers. Even the darkness didn’t help much.

Fine. Maybe it was best she not see the object of her latest transgression. Seducing random guys wasn’t her usual style anyway, but whatever she’d drank the evening before obviously had packed a big wallop of sexual bravado in it.

As Sheena drifted in and out of twilight sleep in her dark cave of bed covers, she listened to a bathroom being used in the distance. Then there was a rustle of clothing, which she knew meant her mysterious fleeing lover was getting dressed rapidly. If she’d had the voice, she would have called him back just to see if he’d return.

How could she ache with longing for the man when she didn’t even know who the hell he was? Her own arousal, not to mention feeling such strong sexual interest in a complete stranger, had her chuckling at her unusual stupidity.

Guess it was time to cut Scott loose. None of her relationships had ever lasted for long, but so happily climbing into bed with someone other than Scott was a sure sign it was over between them.

A door opened and she thought she heard him swearing. Had he gotten caught by someone as he was leaving? She giggled in the cozy darkness under her covers, but had no idea why the idea was so amusing to her. Her mind was still too fuzzy around the edges to figure it out.

So she smiled at her silliness and snuggled back down, intending to sleep again. She might have drifted off if she hadn’t heard a man speaking to her fleeing lover. He spoke in a strange, musical dialect that seemed oddly familiar to her ears. It nagged at something in her memory.

As her mind woke at last, she blinked in the darkness she’d created, and lifted the covers a bit so she could hear better. She fought the light as she listened.

* * *

“Slept in, did ya, Admiral? Guess it was good thing I didn’t pop over here earlier. How’s our girl doing this morning?”

“Shut up, Angus. And you did not see me leaving here.”

“Okay. Guess I don’t see yer shirt hanging out of yer pants either then. Aren’t those the same clothes ya came tearing over here in last night?”

“Don’t mess with me this morning. I don’t care how many people on my airship like you… you can be replaced.”

“That’s true of all of us, don’t ya think, Admiral? Especially if we don’t tend to our business properly?”

“Look, I don’t have time to swap sarcastic quips with you. I have to check in on… things… I have to check on things.”

“Ah yes… those all important things… right. Well, don’t worry about the airship. I looked out the window just before I came over. We’re still floating and the birds are still flying by us faster than we’re moving,” Angus said cheerfully. “Have a good day, Nate. I’m sure I’ll see ya around.”

* * *

Nate?

What the hell was Nate doing in her apartment? How did he get to Arizona?

Oh, shit!

Escaping the covers at last, Sheena sat straight up and the rapid movement made her head spin. She grabbed it with both hands. Then feeling the cool of the room on her bare breasts, she released one hand to pull the covers up to hide them. Someone was now humming and doing things in her kitchen.

What the bloody hell was going on? Where the hell was she?

She wasn’t in Arizona.

She wasn’t home in her apartment.

Sheena blinked at the damn light and looked around her. The room was plain as was its furnishings. Her clothing was piled at the bottom of the bed. She did remember removing them, but just barely. At least her exiting lover had been thoughtful enough to pick them up from the floor this morning.

Lover? God, could that be right? Had she actually slept with Nate again after a hundred years of staying away from him?

She remembered lifting her leg over his this morning. Her drawn out groan of embarrassment had a worried man hustling to the door of the room. She blinked at the sight of him and winced.

“Dad?” No, that wasn’t right. Her father was dead. Carleton had assured her that his body had been disposed of completely and not taken by the Guardians.

Think, Sheena ordered her mind. Who was the man now watching her?

“Not Dad,” Sheena said succinctly, releasing her head to point a finger at the now grinning man. Then all the knowledge came rushing back. “Oh… I remember now. You’re Angus, but not a clone.”

“Ya got it, lass. And I’m sure yer real da would be proud if he was still here. Four alien ales and yer scientist brain is back up and working this morning. Yer a true McNamara, I have to say. Hang tight and I’ll bring ya a cure for the throbbing. I know that’s unpleasant.”

“Okay. Thank you,” Sheena said softly, willing to let someone take charge until she could figure out what was going on.

When her father’s mysterious doppelganger disappeared from the doorway, she reached to the bottom of the bed, sorted through the pile of clothing, and tugged yesterday’s shirt on to cover herself. She’d deal with the rest of her nudity after her vision cleared and she was sure she could stand up without falling.

“Here comes help,” Angus said brightly, bringing in a tray. He perched on the edge of the bed and set the tray beside him. Lifting the smallest glass, he handed it over. “Hair of the dog… otherwise known as a small shot of alien ale… just to level ya out.”

Thinking this was a lot like her college days, Sheena snorted over the tiny glass but still lifted it to her lips. She reached for humor to dull her embarrassment. “Will this fix all the shit I stirred up again last night?”

Angus chuckled. “No, just yer throbbing head, I’m afraid. Nothing much helps with the remorse.”

Sheena smiled reluctantly as she sipped. “I’m probably going to hate myself for this, but what the hell…” she finally said, tipping the glass to down the contents completely. The fuzziness lifted from her mind nearly instantly. “Actually, that’s much better. Thank you, Angus.”

“My pleasure,” Angus said sincerely. “The effect of the ale seems strongest the first time you overindulge. Here now, drink this one.”

Sheena snickered over the slightly larger glass. “What’s in this one?”

“Water with bubbles. Good to dilute the ale in yer gut. That way ya won’t get tipsy again.”

She smiled at the water. “You’re pretty well versed in morning after cures.”

“I am. For reasons, I won’t bore ya with. If yer curiosity gets the best of ya, I’m sure Erin would love to tell ya all about it. God knows the woman has nagged me to become a teetotaler often enough. What kind of horrible life would that be?”

“A horribly sober one?” Sheena quipped, trying to match his smart-ass tone. She’d hoped for a bigger grin, but all she got for her effort was a grunt. At least her savior took her answer in stride and didn’t seem offended.

“The tricky part of my cure was translating it to combat alien ale. Thankfully the aliens helped me figure it out. They’re mostly a good bunch of lads.”

Sheena burst out laughing as she handed the now empty water glass back. She wasn’t normal yet, but she could feel normal returning. “You seem like a very adaptable person in lots of ways, Angus.”

“I consider that high praise from such an educated woman,” Angus teased. “Now here’s the last and best part of my cure. This is a cup of freshly brewed tea.”

“Tea?” Sheena asked, sniffing the cup. “What kind of drug is that?”

Angus shrugged. “I don’t know exactly. It’s some sort of powder in packets that they keep restocking next to the kitchen cooking box. The drink provides a good kick to yer system. We don’t really know what it is. Erin and I just call it tea.”

Sheena took a sip. “It tastes like a stimulant with some healing herbs.”

Angus shrugged. “Calling it tea sounds better.”

Sheena chuckled and smiled at him over her cup. “I agree. Thank you for the tea then, Angus. I’m feeling much better.”

Angus patted her shoulder as he stood. “Good. That’s what I came for. Pop next door when ya get hungry. I’ll make ya something in the cooking box. There’s a blue wrapped sandwich in the refrigerator that’s not too bad after heating.”

Sheena watched him walk to the door and almost let him go. In the end, her anxiety won. “Angus… wait.”

When he turned around, she swallowed the knot in her throat and what was left of her pride. “Are you planning to tell Bri that Nate spent the night with me?”

Angus tilted his head and smiled. “Why would I say something like that? I never saw him.”

“Of course you did,” Sheena said firmly, running a hand through her tangled bed hair. “I heard you talking to him when he left. I just didn’t know who’d climbed out of my bed until then. I thought I was in my apartment in Arizona.”

Chuckling, Angus leaned one hand against the doorjamb. “Ya know, I lie so much here that one more isn’t going to kill me. Though in this case, it’s more a matter of just being discreet. Don’t ya worry, lass. I’ll not be spreading yer business around… or fecking Nate’s.”

Sheena snorted. “Fecking Nate? Does your swearing mean you don’t like him?”

Angus chuckled. “Oh, I like Nate just fine. I just don’t trust the secret-keeping bastard.”

“Despite whatever happened last night, neither do I,” Sheena said firmly.

Angus nodded, biting his cheek so he wouldn’t laugh over Nate striking out so badly. “I think ya are being smart. Ya obviously have a power over the man. I say use the smug bastard for yer own purposes, then kick him to the curb.”

Sheena choked on a drink of her tea trying not to laugh. She had no idea what Angus was talking about really, but it sounded funny.

“Well, I best be going next door again. I have to go report so Erin and Bri won’t be rushing over here. I’m sure I can hold them off a wee bit longer.”

“Let me finish my tea and pull myself together.”

“Right then—see ya in a bit.”

Sheena waved back when Angus waved goodbye. She heard him humming again as he walked to the front door.

* * *

As requested, she’d gone over and had some breakfast with the group. Now she and Bri were back in Bri’s quarters. A grinning Bri watched her disposing of the DNA test vials and their frustrating contents.

“I can’t believe you drank four ales last night. Angus said Nate put him in the rejuvenator after he’d only had three.”

Sheena snorted. “My extreme tolerance is why I don’t drink habitually. The last thing I need is to start losing brain cells to alcohol.”

“I thought maybe it was because being drunk makes you smile and laugh so much. I can see why someone as serious as you are would hate being in that state.”

“Screw you, Brianna. I smile, just not at my irritating sister. And I’ll have you know that I laugh at you all the time,” Sheena said tersely, startled when her snickering sister threw her arms around her for a hug. She had to set down the rest of her cleaning to hug her sister back. “I’ve missed you, Bri. I’m sorry I didn’t come home when Mom died. She asked me not to and I was trying to honor that last wish.”

“I know,” Bri said softly, pulling out of Sheena’s embrace. “She told me about your deal.”

When Bri walked a little away, Sheena reluctantly turned back to her cleaning. “You can talk to me, Bri. For however long you stay on this planet, and even after you leave, I will always be your sister. You mean everything to me.”

“I want to talk to you, but it’s like… no, never mind. How can I make you believe something that I can’t even make myself believe?” Bri asked, shaking her head at her own crazy thoughts.

Sheena nodded at her sister’s serious tone. “Let me guess then. You can’t believe Mom and Dad somehow knew about the Angus and Erin we’ve met.”

Bri nodded. “Right. There’s only one way that can be possible. They have to be clones that were made while our parents were still alive.”

Sheena nodded as she scrubbed the last of her testing equipment. “Or they could be extremely sophisticated replicants.”

Bri stiffened, her body going on alert at the idea. “Replicants? You mean androids made to look like them?”

Lifting her shoulders in a shrug, Sheena put the now washed out vials into the sanitizer and set it for the hottest cycle. “They’ve done experiments with transferring a person’s brain waves and thought patterns into an android processor. Early results are showing that the replicant gets part of the original person, but not all. Numerous malfunctions occur, not to mention a single reprogramming effort has shown to save the android, but not the transferred patterns. The full results are error-laden and typically bizarre.”

“More bizarre than Angus?” Bri asked with a grin.

Sheena chuckled as she nodded. “Yes. In my opinion, Angus is too humorous in his responses to be an android. No processor can duplicate his level of cheeky sarcasm. Cloning though can duplicate the entire person, including the personality and what it finds amusing. However, cloning doesn’t explain how Angus is so much like Dad, but yet not like Dad at all.”

Bri snorted. “Glad it’s not just me that’s confused.”

“My gut says Nate knows what Angus is,” Sheena said with a frown. “Depending on the classification of the experiment, he doesn’t have to tell me. We deserve to know, Bri. Somehow I’ll find out.”

“Speaking of Nate…”

“Must we?” Sheena asked.

“Yes. And you brought him up first,” Bri said, grinning at the dodge. “Angus said he called Nate to come talk to you last night. How did that go?”

Sheena frowned harder as she picked up her second cup of stimulant. As fuzzy as her head was, she needed about six of them this morning. Now she needed something benign enough to tell her sister that wasn’t an outright lie.

“You know what happened. We had the same old fight with same old outcome. I’ve forgiven Angus for doing that only because I know he was truly trying to help me get my questions answered. Nate’s not being honest with him and Erin anymore than he is with us.”

“So now you like them too,” Bri concluded.

Sheena sighed and nodded, relieved that the focus of their conversation had shifted. “Yes. I like them too. Angus told me he doesn’t trust Nate.”

“Who could when he keeps so many secrets from us?” Bri asked.

Her sister’s flat statement made her laugh genuinely. “Don’t worry. I’ll find out about Angus and Erin. It’s just a matter of time. If Nate doesn’t come clean, I’ll ask the Guardians. They’ll tell me.”

“Will they?” Bri asked, not as certain.

Sheena nodded. “Yes. Nate isn’t the only one with lots of secrets. The difference is I don’t keep the important ones from my family.”

“So in your newly acquired affection for Angus and Erin, are you going to be siding with my Familial DNA theory of our connectivity?”

Sheena snorted at Bri’s attempt to be scientific. “Yes. That and because of their sincere urges to take care of us the way Mom and Dad would have. If they are their clones, that makes them our organic property by New Earth law. I’m sure Nate realizes it, which is probably the reason for his silence. I won’t hesitate to exercise our rights to protect them as we see fit—no matter how short their life spans.”

When Bri nodded, the sad look on her face was all the reality Sheena could handle. She set down her stimulant and walked to put her arms around her sister who was a good six inches taller than her. Sheena had barely outgrown their biological mother. Height had not been included in her conception cocktail.

“Whatever happens, we’ll handle it together,” Sheena promised, planning to make sure she could.

They stood like that for several moments. Sheena sighed and finally pulled away. “Speaking of handling things. We need to find Nate and run you through the airship’s med scanner. I want to be sure those bionetic tracers are completely gone.”

“Do we have to?” Bri asked, sighing. “They’ll make me take off my metal. Do you know how fucking hard it is to put my shit back on?”

“No. I have no idea—something for which I am exceedingly grateful. Now come on. I saw Darcone outside earlier. We’ll make him walk us there. You can harass him and show me how it’s done. According to Angus, I need lessons in the art of masculine torture so I can use them to keep Nate in line,” Sheena declared, grabbing her snorting sister’s hand.

Bri’s wicked laughter made her smile widely as they walked to the door.