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“Something about that is just downright unsettling.” – Jayne Cobb

Zoe had certain incontrovertible ways of letting her husband know what she wanted. This was one of those ways. Wash descended the ladder into their bunk and had to blink twice to be completely sure of what he was seeing. Illuminated only by the bedside lamp, Zoe sat cross-legged on the head of the bed with the blanket up to her waist, bent over a book whose cover showed considerable wear from many readings. Her hair was loosely plaited in thick braids that fell one over each shoulder, connecting with the line of the thin straps of her baby-doll nightie. Its pale peach color charmed Wash with the way it made Zoe’s bronze skin glow so warmly. She looked up at him, smiled and waved.

Wash knew what Zoe wanted. This was one of her games, her idea from the very beginning. It was one of their most immersive games and, he had learned, the more intense the play, the more satisfying the results. It was all right that Wash did not share this particular kink of his wife’s – if anything, he had a Zoe fetish. “Whatcha reading, baby?”

“My unicorn book.” Zoe leaned over to give Wash a peck on the cheek as he sat next to her to unlace his boots. “You wanna read it with me?” she asked in a light, nearly effervescent voice.

“I sure would.” Wash swung his legs up onto the bed and Zoe snuggled against his side as he took the book and put his arm around her. She giggled as he made a dramatic presentation of clearing his throat. “Okay, where are we?”

Zoe poked at the open page, “Here, after the third spell.”

“Okay. ‘My dear, you deserve the services of a great wizard, but I'm afraid you'll have to be glad of the aid of a second-rate pickpocket.’” As Wash read on, inflecting the dialogue with different voices, his hand slid down Zoe’s bare arm. His fingers crept along the sensitive underside of one soft breast. The skillful way his fingertips stroked across her nip