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“You coming?”
I looked to Kai’s extended hand, realizing I’d paused longer than normal, and got out of the transport without taking it. I wasn’t trying to be petty, but he needed to get used to keeping distance between us.
He seemed to understand, even if I felt the disappointment through our bond, and we headed inside the building we’d pulled up to.
It turned out to be an inn, which wasn’t a surprise, but whatshockedme was just how beautiful it was inside. How lush. It was quite fit for royalty, and far nicer than anything I’d stayed in before.
I was evenmoresurprised when we were all given our own rooms. I assumed the men would be in one, Darla and me in the other, then our auxiliary staff divided into equally gendered rooms if they weren’t on watch over our doors. This explained why we needed more people than just our vehicle’s load.
I didn’t say anything, however, though I did wander to a seating area with everyone else while our rooms were swept through to check for traps or other things that endangered our safety.
It was while I was sitting in the farthest chair from everyone, looking out the window over the town we’d driven into, that Darla approached me.
“Hey, bestie. You wanna come have a sleepover in my place? I think they gave me a suite.”
“A suite?” I murmured. “That’s a bigger room?”
“Oh, yeah, way bigger. It’ll be fun.”
I was half-tempted to tell her nothing about our trip was really supposed to befun, but I wasn’t able to before Kai was at our sides. My mate sure moved quietly for being such a large, muscular man.
“Not to impose, but I’d prefer if my mate spent the night with me. You know, the one she’s bonded to.”
Oh no, we’re not doing this right here, are we?
“Kai,” I hissed as quietly as possible, glaring daggers at him. “You promised.”
“What? We’re not in the capital yet.”
“No, but people here see things, and it’ll spread to the capital, you newt,” Darla said, rolling her eyes before checking herself. She cleared her throat and gave the captain a bit of a nod. “Uh, with respect, sir.”
“I’m going to stay in my own room,” I said sharply, my tone brooking no argument. “It would be best if all of you would give me as much alone time as physically possible right now.”
I stood, but Kai’s gentle hand landed on my shoulder. He wasn’t holding me in place, I could tell, but the movement did make me pause.
“Can I walk you up to your quarters at least? I’d like to talk a little before we say goodnight.”
I narrowed my eyes, fairly certain it was just a ploy for us to end up in each other’s arms again, but I only felt honesty and concern flowing through our connection.
“You can have ten minutes.”
“Twenty.”
Now my eyes were outright squinting. “Eight.”
“That’s not how negotiations are supposed to work,” Kai objected quietly while Darla snickered beside me.
“Five,” I said.
Kai drew himself up to his full height and squared his shoulders. “Fifteen, and I’ll sit up front as lookout for a shift tomorrow.”
Ah,nowhe was getting it. Distance was the name of the game. “Deal,” I said offering my hand. He shook it, then looked at Darla.
“All right, Sergeant Khan. If you don’t mind, we should really get to bed.”
“You shouldn’t gloat, sir,” she said primly. “It’s unbecoming of a prince.”
With that, she swept off, perhaps going off to her suite to wait for the all-clear.
