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“Say it again, sweetheart. I wasn’t prepared.”
Swallowing, I braced my hands on his face, and he closed his eyes for half a second as my thumbs smoothed over his cheeks. “I love you, Cohen Campbell. A stupid amount.”
“It’s Michael. My middle name is Michael.”
Smiling, I leaned forward, kissing him. My legs tightened around his waist, and I pulled him closer. His arousal met my core as our kiss became frenzied. We made out like teenagers and it was only the buzzer going off twenty minutes later reminding us that the clothes were done that stopped us from going further.
Laughing, I pulled back, leaving his hair a mess from my fingers. My face tingled from his stubble, and my panties felt damp, but I didn’t care in the slightest. I felt full and happy, the feeling I’d been pretending to be for so long.
Jumping down, we both switched our loads into the dryer and then walked back to the room, hand in hand. The machines were connected to an app that would notify us when they were finished. Asa and Milo were spread out on the couches when we walked back into the suite, watching a movie. They smiled at me when we entered, and Asa stood to warm up some pizza.
In our conversation, I’d forgotten all about food. I guess there were some things more important than pizza, after all. Huh.
Sitting on the couch, I relaxed between Asa and Milo with a piece of pizza on my lap. “What are you watching?” I asked, lifting it up to my lips. Cohen chose to sit in front of the couch, pulling my legs over his shoulders so he could keep touching me.
“Just some movie on TV. Do you want to watch something different? We were too tired to choose.”
I realized it wasSweet Home Alabama, so I shook my head, liking this one. The guys fell into a comfortable silence as we all relaxed, giving way to decompressing from the night. When the app buzzed a while later, Milo and Asa were both passed out on the couch.
“Looks like it’s bedtime. I’ll grab the clothes if you get them to move to the bed?” Cohen suggested. Sighing, I laughed, knowing it would be easier to get the laundry but letting Cohen have this one.
Gently, I woke both of them up, and surprisingly they got up without any issue, heading to the bedroom. I waited until Cohen returned and helped him fold the clothes and hang the ones that needed to be. As we finished, I smiled at the domesticated bliss we’d seemed to have found amongst ourselves, and I realized just how much I liked it. A girl could get used to this.
Eleven
FINLEY
The next weekconsisted of training sessions ranging from physical workouts or combat in the morning to learning a skill in the afternoon to evening. I'd perfected my lock-picking ability, worked on some new code, and gained muscle I never thought I’d have. I still hated running, but at least now I wasn't dying after a mile. In fact, I’d completed five miles today. It felt nice to achieve something, and like maybe I could defend myself at the end of this.
Ryker had been there through it all like an overprotective guardian. He was always watching, but out of reach. I didn’t know if he was purposefully holding himself back or not wanting to cross lines while we were in training. The rest of us were growing closer in the meantime.
Nicole had been paired up with us on other missions, and thankfully none of them had been as stressful or down to the wire as the first one. I’d heard some rumblings that the only reason we were doing well was because of my relationship with Cohen. Still, I ignored them, knowing that, if anything, we were being held to a higher standard because of our relationship. Not the other way around. People would talk no matter what, especially whenever you did something well.
That was the thing I was learning about jealousy. Everybody was jealous over something, and some people would do whatever they could to take what you had. I’d worked hard to get to this point, fighting my demons and earning my retribution. There was only one obstacle left in my way of having the future I wanted. People who didn't even know me or my journey wouldn’t be able to take that from me. Not now.
“Guess what?” Cohen asked, walking into the suite.
“What?” I looked up from my phone, finding him smiling at me. I’d been scrolling through photos of my brother and Sawyer's latest costumes, and I hated them. Unfortunately, there wasn't much I could do being this far away, so I was trying to think of a nice way to send my recommendations to the designer.
“Everything okay?” he asked, stopping what he’d been about to tell me. I guess I hadn’t masked my frustration as well as I thought.
“It’s nothing. What were you going to tell me?” I placed my phone down and looked at him with my big doe eyes. Cohen sat on the couch, taking my hand. He smiled at me, and I melted. Gah, he was too cute.
“I just secured you and one person a pass off the base.”
I sat up straighter, intrigued by what this could mean. “Oh, and what would I get to do with this pass off the base?” I asked as excitement filled my voice. It wasn't that I didn't like it here. The Order had everything possible that you could want, from food to entertainment, exercise, and even a bar. But the one thing they didn't have was a clothing store. I was this close to making my childhood dream come true and finding some random fabric that wasn't being used, to make clothes. I felt that desperate.
Cohen lifted his eyebrows, giving me a look. “A trip to the mall, if one wanted,” he said nonchalantly like it wasn’t the best news ever.
Shrieking, I jumped up, waving my hands as I ran around the couch. “Please tell me you're serious. This is not something to joke about, Co-bear.”
Smirking, he stood and stopped my waving hands by placing his on my hips. He leaned forward and gave me a gentle kiss on the forehead.
“Oh, believe me, sweetheart. This is not something I would joke about when it comes to you. And as much as I would like to be the one to earn this. I think you should take Milo.”
“Really?” I asked, surprised he would offer this chance to get off the base to someone else.
“Yeah, I'm learning that being in this relationship means that sometimes there are sacrifices, and I can admit that Asa and I have had more opportunities and time with you. And if Milo is going to feel more part of the bro club, then he needs alone time with you. And that's really hard to do while we're shoved underground at this base. So, use your pass wisely. Besides, I think he would probably enjoy shopping the most anyway. The guy seems like the type to enjoy that stuff.” He shrugged like it wasn’t a big deal, but I heard it for what it was.
