Weren’t many things that tired Jayne Cobb out—turned out little Kaylee was one’ve ‘em. He was tired in a way he only got after hand-to-hand combat or skin-to-skin contact. Good skin-to-skin contact. Real ruttin’ good.

He felt her move a little beside ‘im.

“Jayne?” her voice was kinda hoarse.

He grunted.

“You awake?”

What the hell kinda question was that? Course he was. More er less. He rolled onto his back, keepin’ his eyes closed. “Uh-huh.”

“So this thing that just happened…”

Damn. She was gettin’ chatty. “Yep.”

“It’s nothin’… it ain’t nothin’ serious, you know. It’s just…” She kinda trailed off.

“Sex?”

“Well… yeah.”

“Good sex, though.” His voice was kinda hoarse too. He’d done a lot’ve groanin’ himself. Made him smile to think about it. And about the look on her face when he'd been doin' it. Kaylee hadn’t been smilin’ much just now—not that she wasn’t happy. Jayne’d had to cover her mouth to keep her from wakin’ the whole gorram crew up. She’d been happy. A couple’ve times.

Who’d a known that under those cute little coveralls was a claw-your-back kinda hellcat? Jayne could feel the lines down his back. Wondered if they was seeable. He could feel a bite mark on his shoulder that prob’ly was.

Wasn’t quite so tired just now. All kinds’ve awake.

“Wanna do it again?”

She sighed in a way that woke him up even more. “I thought you’d never ask.”