AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Look, I think I just need to go back to my own rooms,” she continued, sounding ever so drained.
“What about tonight?” I probably should have let it go, but I had to ask. She played so hot and cold with me, and though I knew it was in the efforts to thwart her curse, it still confused me.
“What do you mean?”
“Are you going to hide yourself in your quarters again?”
At that, her eyes narrowed, and I realized I may have not chosen the best words. “What, so you can get laid? Are you that hard up for sex?”
“I mean, I’m not gonna lie, I wouldn’t say no to it, but that’s not what I meant. I miss you. I’ve been having trouble sleeping with you so far away.”
Ayla let out a little sigh, one that made me want to capture those cute, rose-petal lips of hers in another kiss, but I knew that wasn’t on the table at the moment, so I kept my mouth to myself.
“I’ve been struggling, too, but that’s half the issue. I let myself grow too accustomed to being near you. I can’t afford to be attached.”
Oh, ho, ho. She wasattachedto me now? I realized that probably wasn’t even a big deal compared to me dropping that I loved her, but I couldn’t help feeling smug.
“So, what, we just suffer in silence, wanting each other, missing each other, and shorting ourselves of sleep?”
“Yup,” she said, popping the ‘p’ like Darla so often did. “We have too much to deal with right now to waste time on…” She made a vague gesture. “All of the mess between us.”
It hurt, yeah, and I also wanted to argue, but I forced myself not to. “All right, then. I’ll give you the space you need.”
She seemed surprised at that but gave me the world’s tiniest nod. “Thank you. Really.”
“Just…be safe, all right?”
“I do always try, even if I don’t succeed very often.”
I couldn’t help it. I had to lean forward ever so slightly and kiss the top of her head. Then she hurried off, leaving me to go about my captain duties.
Instead of doing those, though, I was going to go mope in my office. That was definitely the mature thing to do considering the situation. Besides, I'd plenty of oh so exciting paperwork to catch up on because that was the go-to for anyone looking to distract themselves from their feelings and frustrations. Right?
Right?
It turned out that signing form after form didn’t do much to improve my mood, and before too long, a knock sounded at my door.
“Come in, Oren,” I said tersely, tossing my pen to the side with plenty of irritation.
My second in command and best friend did just that, his face serious.
“Sir? Are you all right?”
“I’m fine, why do you ask?”
“Well, your office and the entire office smells like angry alpha. Half the enlisted are afraid to even walk in this direction.”
“Oh shit,” I murmured, actually feeling sheepish. “I didn’t realize I was putting that many pheromones out.”
Now that I was paying attention to my friend, I noticed his nostrils were wrinkling ever so slightly. Yeah, I definitely reeked. Looks like I owed whoever was in the vicinity an apology.
“What’s going on, Captain?” Oren said, sitting across from me, though I knew I must smell. “Is it something that happened during the mission?”
I scoffed. “You got an hour or maybe a million?”
“I sure do.”
I probably shouldn’t have been surprised at my best friend’s eagerness, yet I was. I almost turned him down, as I knew Ayla wouldn’t appreciate anybody else being included on whathappened, but she had Darla. It was only right that I was able to confide in my own best friend.
