"Why, Henry! What an idea! You're worrying yourself into a nervous breakdown. Relax. I'll tell you what: we'll play some checkers."
"Checkers!" he snorted. He had played checkers every night since he had been on the asteroid and he didn't even like the game. Besides, the girl always beat him.
Undeterred by his lack of enthusiasm, Sofi began to clear away the dishes and get out the men.
Hen sat back with a pained expression. It was black outside the plastic hemisphere. Only the vivid stars relieved the absence of light. Jupiter, by far the brightest, was visible as a small disc. The lights were still on in mine and lab, but nothing stirred in the two igloos.
"It's your move," said Sofi.
She was seated directly across from him, knees touching his. Her coveralls were open at the neck, and he could see the white pillar of her throat, the swell of her small, high, virginal breasts. He was conscious of his pulse ticking away in his throat, and grew furious with himself. He couldn't concentrate on the game; he couldn't concentrate on the much more serious problem of the robots.
The girl, he felt sure, was aware of her effect on him and used it deliberately to confuse him. He said grumpily, "I can't beat both of you."
"Both of me?"
"Yeah. You and your body."