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“I used to play a lot of games with him,” I answered, yawning. Was this something new? I looked between them.
Mace smiled at me. “Well, I think he probably didn’t play this game with you, not unless he wanted you to pass out. It was the hold your breath game. We used to hold our breaths, figuring out which one of us could do it the longest.”
“No, you’re right, we didn’t do that.” I smiled. Gunnar stroked a hand up and down my arm. Every so often Mace and Crew would squeeze my legs somewhere. Ransom never looked away from me. The night grew very dark, but the fire offered some light, enough so that we could see each other. I told him, “We used to play What If. Like he’d say, What if suddenly this room spontaneously burst into flames? Then we’d all have to give an answer and vote on who gave the best response. Some of the responses were ridiculous, and that was sort of the point. Those who got the most out there with it tended to win. I’m a little bit dull. What if this room caught on fire? I’d say, well…I’m going to run.” I shook my head at the memory. “Stone would have said something like he’d use the flames to find a secret passageway that led to Earth. Or something.”
They were quiet as I spoke, their attention focused intensely on me. It wasn’t much of a memory, but a way we used to pass time sometimes at night. I shrugged, suddenly self-conscious.
“What did Amias say?” Ransom asked quietly.
I snorted, thinking back. “He said…” It took me a second to answer him. What had Amias said? All at once, I remembered. “He said he’d go find who set the fire and see to it they never had hands to set anything again.”
Behind me, I could feel Gunnar shift, nodding his head. “Sounds like him.”
“What would you guys say?” I asked the night, not looking at any one of them in particular. Whoever wanted to answer was fine by me. Or they didn’t have to. It was probably just a stupid game that was only fun because I remembered it.
Mace sighed. “I would get everyone out, figure out who set the fire, and then set a bigger fire on them.”
“I would,” Crew said, then cleared his throat, “get everyone out and then ask one of you to take care of the person who caused the problem. While you took care of that, I’d take care of their boss.”
I was seeing a real pattern developing in what they were all willing to do, a trend. Lots of kill the fire starter.
Gunnar made circles on my back with his long fingers. “I’d…I would make sure everyone was okay. I’d try to put the fire out, then make sure my people were safe. If that meant killing, fine. If that meant getting the fuck out of the area where people were starting fires, that’s what I’d do. I don’t care about revenge anymore. Or killing people, if it comes to that. I just want my people safe and sound, so that’s what I’d do. I would make sure you were all out.”
“Brother. ” Ransom laughed. “You make sure we’re all fine. I’ll kill the ass that put our girl in danger.”
I shook my head. “Why am I the one in danger? Maybe you’re all the ones in danger.”
Ransom stretched out his legs. “Because you are so spectacular, it is a for- sure thing that someone would try to take you from us by setting that fire.”
I sighed. “I’m not so spectacular. I’m just a girl, like any other girl. There are hundreds like me where I’m from.” I ran my hand over my marking just to illustrate the point, lest they forget. “I’m lucky I got here. Lucky I get to have this night with you.”
Ransom shook his head. “No, sweetheart. We’re the lucky ones. Much more so than any of us deserve, too, I’ll promise you that.”
“Well, none of us would have won Amias’ game. The winner should have said that little green monsters would come and eat the fire or something.”
“Guess we all live too much in reality.” Gunnar laughed and then they all joined him.
I yawned again. He was just as warm as the fire that lit up the night in front of us. I knew for a fact they’d all protect me from the flames, if everything suddenly went to hell. Maybe that was why I closed my eyes right that second.
Waking up in the middle of the night, I realized I’d fallen asleep. I rubbed my eyes. The fire was low, a blanket covered my body, and I was pressed up against Gunnar. He leaned against a log someone must have dragged over, and we were alone. I glanced around, not sure where everyone else went.
“Hey,” Gunnar’s voice was low, and my gaze snapped back to his handsome face. “What woke you up?”
I shook my head, blowing out a breath that only came out a little wobbly. “Didn’t mean to fall asleep at all. Sorry.”
“Why are you sorry?” He ran a hand through my hair.
I sighed, sitting up. “Because I basically pinned you to the ground while I lay on you like a mattress.”
“That’s not how it felt. Don’t make light of it. What it said to me was that you trusted me to sleep on me, to know I’d keep you safe. For my part, I got to hold you, which it turns out is really all I want in the world. I love the idea of holding you. It’s…apparently what I want most of all. So don’t say sorry, I’d like to be your mattress. I’d do it every night, all night, always.”
I turned to face him. Wrapped in a blanket on his lap almost felt like we were alone in the world, even though the sensible part of my brain knew that wasn’t the case. Still, I liked the thought of it.
“If I started…to kiss you right now, and maybe do other things, would it embarrass you? I mean…I know that we’re not really alone.”
He put his hands on my cheeks. “We’ve made each other a deal to try to be better about privacy. I don’t know how it’ll work, but no, it doesn’t embarrass me. Does it bother you?”
As a response, I kissed him. It really didn’t bother me. Not in the least, in fact. As long as it was the right people listening, I was pretty sure I might even like it. I’d deal with what that meant another time. I discovered there were physical things I wanted out of life and, right then, I wanted them with Gunnar.
