Gigi Sinclair

From the moans coming from his bedroom, Commander Jonathan Archer guessed his lover was still alive.

Barely.

Since he was a compassionate man by nature, Jon turned on only the small bedside lamp as he came into the room. Trip looked decidedly off-colour.

"Feeling any better?" A grunt was his only reply. Jon took it to mean 'no.' "You missed a great fireworks display. Carter and Richards made sparklers out of stripped-back fibre optic cables. Didn't seem very safe, but it looked good."

Another moan. Jon sat on the bed. "It's your own fault, Trip."

Trip opened an eye. "I did it for us."

Jon snorted, but it was a sympathetic snort. "Oh, yes. It helped our relationship enormously. I don't think you've ever looked sexier than when you were shoving a dozen hot dogs down your throat. And watching you bring them back up again, that was intensely erotic."

"Commodore Forrest bet me three days' vacation that I couldn't win the hot dog eating contest."

"Really?" Jon raised an eyebrow. He'd thought the commodore had taken it remarkably calmly when Jon had told his star pilot and chief recruiting device was dating a lower-ranking officer and planned to keep on doing so, regulations be damned.

"I figured we could use three days to ourselves. Course, I didn't figure on you bringing that kid along. Where did you find her?"

"Hoshi's a high school intern over in Communications." Jon had met her in the mess hall one day. She'd seemed lonely, so he'd invited her to the NX program's Fourth of July party.

"Well, she's an expert at swallowing wieners. She won't be an intern for long." Pleased to notice that Trip was not too ill to be lewd, Jon began to undress.

Trip whimpered again, and Jon climbed into bed beside him, arranging their bodies so that Jon was holding Trip, Trip's head on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry, Jon." Trip sighed. "I always do stupid things."

"That's why I love you," Jon reassured him with a kiss. It was one of the reasons, anyway. "Besides, I'm glad you aren't a champion hot dog eater."

"Why?"

"Because," Jon smiled, bringing Trip closer. "The only buns I want you anywhere near are mine."