<div align="center"><strong>-=the Big Damn Hero – single stateroom 1 – the Gamble=-</strong></div><br/>So fast… everything was happening so quickly… her breath was caught in her throat. First the thudding of footsteps slowed as she reached 20, 21, 22. A second later, the door opened right in front of her, making her blink widely at the attractive dark haired man, her heart leaping under her ribcage as he looked her up and down just once. Frozen while he moved away, she blinked again, uncertain what had just happened. He’d hardly considered her with those deeply green eyes before moving off and checking other rooms. She overheard him entering the second stateroom, calling for Mae. Unsure what to do next, she thought about trying to continue her counting… but what good would that do? The whole idea around counting to 200 was to ensure that nothing was going on behind the closed door that she might then interrupt. Her door now stood wide open. Biting her lip in consternation, she heard a more furtive movement forward in the hallway.<br/><br/>Sneaking aside nearer to the wall, she heard Vincent’s voice thanking her softly. As he appeared before the stowaway’s open doorway again, he was cuddling the wrapped pilot in his arms. Another man came into her view while Vincent passed by, each talking to Mae briefly before disappearing in opposite directions.<em>The tall chocolatey man had been wearing only a towel! And a gun, let’s not forget.</em>As his voice rang out, she jumped, blinking widely again. He wanted someone to raise their arms and present themselves… but to whom was he speaking?<br/><br/>She figured it didn’t really matter anymore, her having been hidden all this time. The crew knew she was aboard and she'd had been seen by at least two members. There was no way she’d continue to hide aboard the Gamble - they'd hunt her down if necessary. Sucking in a deep breath to steady herself, she lifted her hands high, brushing the top of the doorframe as she leaned out, looking in Griff’s direction. Surprised that his attention and weapon were pointed into the second stateroom while drips of sudsy water clung to the hairs on his legs, she couldn’t help the smile that curled her mouth’s corners. He must have not understood Vincent’s explanation or been too distracted with Mae’s condition to have noticed the wide open door to stateroom one as he’d passed by. Sighing softly to get his attention, Mae’s big damn hero was a modestly sized woman of ample curves. Stretched up to cling to the doorframe, she leaned her body out, showing him she had nothing threatening upon her person, her makeshift toga sweeping the tops of her borrowed boots.<br/><br/>Something about this position… this scenario… made her bold, like she was the one in charge. Her attitude was more confident, welcoming, even brazen. Letting her eyes climb his structured muscular form, they rested upon his lips, her smile broadening. “<strong>Here I am. Am I showing enough for you?</strong>” The voice was made deep by her amusement, smoky in its delivery. Her body was wrapped in a bed sheet and tied in a single knot over one shoulder. The wife beater under it did nothing to conceal her figure, curves pressing against the soft material as she angled slightly more toward the man, hoping her increased body width before him didn’t make him want to shoot her. She tilted her head slightly, entertained by the situation and trying not to show teeth this early in the game… game? Her head did not hurt but there were myriad questions building up inside her mind.<em>What the hell was she doing</em>, the first and loudest one being asked.<br/>