I leaned back in my chair, sipping the lukewarm lemonade that passed for a treat around here while the galley buzzed with conversation. Half the crew was chattering away, their voices blending into the usual background noise, but then she spoke. Emily’s voice cut through the chaos like it was tuned just for me.


    “I think we should plan some team-building activities,” she said, glancing at me with that look she got when she had an idea she wasn’t letting go of. That look always meant trouble. Or fun. Or both.


    I raised an eyebrow, setting my mug down. “Team building?” I asked. "Like what... trust falls in the observation deck?”


    Emily rolled her eyes, her lips curving into that playful smile that always managed to knock the sense right out of me. “No, not trust falls. Something fun. Like trivia night. We split into teams, compete against each other, make it a thing.”


    I leaned forward, resting my elbows on the table, trying not to get lost in how effortlessly she had everyone’s attention and mine especially. “Trivia, huh? Sounds harmless enough. Who’s running it, though? You volunteering to be host?”


    Her smile widened, her green eyes sparking with amusement. “Why not? We’ve got plenty of supplies between us to make it interesting.”


    “Interesting, huh?” I smirked, already knowing she had something planned. Emily didn’t do boring. “Alright, you’re on.”


    Before Emily could respond, Ryan, sitting a few chairs down, slapped the table like he was trying to make a statement. Hell yeah! Trivia night, I’m in.”


    I bit back a laugh, glancing at him as he grinned like a little kid who’d just been handed the keys to a candy store. What’s his angle? Knowing Ryan, it was probably just another way to show off. Or maybe, yeah, maybe, he was jealous. I mean, I had Emily, Danny probably had Zoe (or, more like, Zoe had Danny), and Ryan? He was just trying too hard, as usual.


    Emily laughed, glancing at me with that smug little look that made me want to kiss her just to wipe it off her face. “See?” her expression practically said. Told you it’d work.


    I shook my head, trying to suppress the grin tugging at my lips. “Yeah, yeah. Let’s see if you can even name five constellations, Ryan.”


    Ryan pointed his fork at me, his confidence dialed up to eleven, which was a classic I’m compensating for something move. “Doesn’t matter. I’m still winning.”


    The crew cracked up, turning the conversation into a mix of trash talk and team strategy, but I caught Ryan stealing a glance at Emily, and then quickly looking away. Yep. Definitely jealous.


    <hr>


    I stretched out on the leather couch in the lounge, finally feeling like I could breathe after a day trapped in that damn bodysuit. The loungewear was loose, airy, practically perfect. Sure, it was semi-sheer and left little to the imagination, but at least everyone was in the same boat. No big deal, I told myself. We’re all just comfortable.


    And then Emily walked in.


    She slid onto the couch beside me, her movements so effortless it was like she was claiming the spot, not just on the couch but in my head. My eyes drifted before I could stop them, not that I had a chance. The bold red of her bra caught the light, the straps thin, the cups minimal. It wasn’t just underwear, it was lingerie. Since when does Emily even own lingerie?


    Where the hell has she been hiding that? My brain kicked into overdrive, rewinding through every memory I had of her in normal, sensible cotton undies like the rest of us. And now? Bam. This. The faint line of red at her hips hinted at something just as daring below, a thong? Bikini briefs? My thoughts spiraled, totally out of control. What other surprises is she hiding under that sheer fabric?


    Where the hell has she been hiding that? My brain kicked into overdrive. And now? Bam. This. The faint line of red at her hips hinted at something just as daring below. My thoughts spiraled.


    Emily leaned back, looking completely at ease, like she wasn’t driving me insane. Her green eyes flicked toward me, and she smiled, but with just enough edge to make my chest tighten. She knew. Oh, she definitely knew.


    “Comfortable?” she asked, her tone casual, but there was a glint in her eye that made me want to scream.


    I swallowed hard, my voice rougher than I meant it to be. “Yeah.” It was a miracle I even managed that one word.


    I tried to focus on literally anything else, the fireplace, the sounds of the crew talking in the background, but my mind was already spinning.


    Ryan flopped down on the couch next to Emily with a beer in one hand and a bowl of popcorn in the other, blissfully unaware of the chaos the night was about to bring. His light green boxer briefs peeked through his loungewear, practical, boring, and totally forgettable. Why couldn’t the girls just keep it simple like that? I tugged at my own waistband, where my silver briefs were visible under the sheer fabric, grumbling internally. Functional. Easy. But no, they had to take it to another level.


    And then Zoe walked in. Holy shit. My drink nearly went down the wrong pipe. If Emily was subtle, Zoe was a full-on look at me billboard. Neon green. A thong. Like, a legit thong that practically glowed under the sheer loungewear pants. There wasn’t even the pretense of a bra. She wasn’t even pretending. The sheer fabric left her dark nipples front and center, daring anyone to look, or not. Zoe was flat as hell, and she knew it, but she’d always found ways to make people notice. Tonight? She wasn’t trying to blend in. She was taking center stage, and goddamn if it wasn’t working.Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    I leaned back, trying not to look. But my eyes kept slipping, like she had some magnetic pull dragging it back. Zoe strode into the room like she owned it, pausing only to scan her options before zeroing in on Danny. Poor guy didn’t even see it coming.


    Without a word, she plopped down right next to him, claiming the seat like it was a throne. Danny, who had been laughing at something Ryan said, immediately stiffened. His laughter cut short as Zoe leaned back, her arm casually brushing his, her confidence radiating like a spotlight.


    Danny’s reaction was priceless. His face flushed pink, and his posture turned awkward, his shoulders tight, like he was trying to shrink into the armrest without making it obvious. Was he nervous? Giddy? Resigned? Probably all three, knowing him. Zoe just smirked, completely unfazed, her dark eyes sparkling as she threw a sharp comment at Ryan, sending the room into more laughter. But she wasn’t looking at Ryan. Her focus was all on Danny, like a predator sizing up its prey.


    I tried to focus on the conversation, but the green strap at her hip practically glowed in the low light, and her nipples? Seriously? They were right there, all perky and happy looking, dark against the sheer fabric, like a flashing neon sign. Does she even know what she’s doing? Of course she does. She always does. I shifted slightly, suddenly very aware of the fact that I was practically staring.


    This is supposed to be trivia night, I reminded myself. Team bonding. Fun. Not… this. But nope. The girls had clearly turned the night into something else, and here I was, losing the game before it even started. Danny didn’t look like he was winning either.


    <hr>


    “So, what’s on the agenda for tonight?” Chris shouted from the pool table, taking a swig of his drink. He and Joey were already at it, the clack of the balls echoing through the room.


    Emily leaned back on the couch, giving me that sly smile again. She knew exactly what she was doing. "We’ve been planning a trivia night," she said, her eyes drifting to the crew. "What do you guys think?"


    Danny shifted slightly on the couch, already pinned into his usual spot by the armrest. “Trivia’s fine, I guess. As long as it doesn’t take too long.”


    “No more work tonight,” I said, my tone firm as I stretched out on the couch, trying to look relaxed. “Tonight, we relax. That’s an order.” I was starting to feel like a broken record.


    “What are we playing for?” Ryan asked, his eyebrows going up as he leaned back next to Emily, trying way too hard to look casual, and failing.


    Zoe was leaning in on the couch beside Danny, her body angled slightly toward him, her thigh pressed against his like it was the most natural thing in the world.


    Danny froze instantly. His body went rigid, his hands clutching the edge of the blanket like it was a shield. His eyes darted to Zoe, and yeah, her dark perky nipples were right there under that sheer top, before he quickly looked at the TV, like he was praying for it to save him. But he didn’t move. He was terrified. And also, thrilled. I could see it. Poor guy didn’t stand a chance.


    “Winner gets bragging rights,” Emily said, her smile widening as she watched the chaos unfold.


    “That’s it?” Joey yelled, lowering his pool stick with an exaggerated groan. “It’s already Friday! What’s the point if it’s only for two days?”


    Emily rolled her eyes. “Alright, Joey. What do you suggest?”


    Joey leaned his cue against the wall, a grin spreading across his face. “Loser does a dare chosen by the winner.”


    The room buzzed with interest. Chris set down his drink and strolled over. “Now we’re talking,” he said, dropping into a seat. “I’m in.”


    “Sounds like fun,” Ryan added, throwing a hopeful glance at Zoe. She didn’t even spare him a look, instead leaning even closer to Danny, her arm sliding along the back of the couch behind him. Danny’s face flushed red, his eyes darting between Zoe’s smirk and the blanket, where her hand, probably, was somewhere too close for comfort.


    She tilted her head, feigning innocence, her dark eyes sparkling. “Boys versus girls?” Ryan asked, and I could see the hope in his eyes, like he really wanted this.


    Zoe laughed, throwing her head back like it was all beneath her. “Is that even fair? That’s five against two.” Her confidence was insane, like she’d already decided she’d won.


    “Exactly,” Joey chimed in, his grin wide and mischievous. “You’re on!”


    I shook my head, smirking. Of course Joey and Ryan think they’ve got this in the bag. Idiots. “Alright, let’s do it,” I said, already bracing for the chaos that was about to unfold.


    As the teams settled in and the trivia questions started flying, I found myself watching the crew more than the game. Chris, the guy who usually treated everything like a joke, turned out to have a freakishly good memory for history. He rattled off answers about wars and treaties like he had them memorized, his cocky grin growing with each point. Where the hell did that come from?


    Zoe? No surprise there, she had a knack for cutting people down, and now she was doing it with trivia. Old movies were her weapon of choice, her smug smile growing wider every time Ryan missed a question. Smug little shit.


    But Emily? Emily was the biggest surprise. Normally so chill, she leaned forward with this fire I didn’t see coming. The second the questions dipped into sci-fi, she was on it, rattling off answers about wormholes and time loops like she’d written the damn questions herself. Joey and Ryan looked like they’d been hit by a truck, and I couldn’t stop grinning.


    “Seriously?” Joey groaned, throwing his hands in the air as Emily landed another point. “How do you even know this stuff?”


    “Some of us read, Joey,” she shot back, her green eyes sparkling with amusement.


    Zoe laughed. “It’s more than that. She’s like an encyclopedia.”


    Emily shrugged, her smile playful but sharp. “I can’t help that you guys don’t keep up.”


    The questions kept coming, and I kept pretending to focus. But my eyes? Yeah, they wandered. Zoe sat across from me, one leg crossed over the other, the faint line of her neon thong catching my eye again under the dim lounge lights. Of course she’s wearing that. She shifted slightly, her confident smirk making it impossible to look away.


    And then there was Emily, casually sitting like she wasn’t completely wrecking the game. The red strap of her bra peeked out from under her sheer shirt, and my eyes zeroed in on it before I could stop myself. Seriously? Get a grip, Rossi.


    I forced my eyes back to the scoreboard. Focus. Trivia now, distractions later. But between Emily’s smirk and Zoe’s neon thong, “later” was starting to feel like a very long time away.


    <hr>


    After several rounds, the girls were absolutely owning us. The scoreboard said it all, but Zoe’s triumphant grin made it crystal clear. She stood up, fists clenched like she’d just won a goddamn boxing match. She was hot, man. Her sheer loungewear left nothing to the imagination, and I couldn’t help but notice her dark nipples poking out against the thin fabric. It was the kind of thing I couldn’t stop thinking about. Of course.


    “Okay, Emily,” Zoe said, that smug grin plastered across her face as she stood there like a victorious queen. “What do we want from our defeated foes?” She was enjoying this way too much, but damn if she wasn’t fun.


    Emily leaned back, tapping her chin like she was really considering it, but I knew that glint in her eyes. “Hmm… what’s a fitting punishment for such a spectacular loss?” she teased, her voice dripping with mischief. She was too good at this.


    The guys groaned, Joey already slumping lower in his seat like the sore loser he was. Chris just leaned back, his smirk intact. “You better make it good,” he quipped, his tone cocky as hell. “We don’t back down from a challenge.” Cocky bastard.


    I could already tell this was gonna be good. The girls were plotting something, I just knew it. I needed to focus—had to pull my head out of the gutter and stop staring at Zoe and Emily like some lovesick idiot. Get it together, Rossi. This has gone on long enough.