“Is that all?” she asked.
“Was there more?”
For once, Audrey couldn’t tell if he was prying, or if he already knew. She shook her head.
Simon was silent for a moment. Then, as though his internal debate was over, he smiled and said, “Well, whatever you said to him, it did a number. He said he’d been a dick to you and that you mostly didn’t deserve it.” He went back to eating.
They’d started a movie, but halfway through it, Audrey was yawning almost continuously. Simon shut off the TV, got up and pulled her with him. “Let’s go to sleep. We both need it,” he said, pulling her toward the bedroom. She brushed her teeth, and he did the same, joining her in bed. She turned to him automatically, tucking herself into him, and he wrapped his arms around her.
In the dark, she felt brave. Safe. Simon’s breathing slowed and deepened. When she thought he’d drifted off, she whispered, “He said that you loved me. I love you, too.”
Simon had to fight to keep his breathing even. Inside, he was choking up, and tears stung his eyelids. Antony really hadn’t told him much, only that he’d underestimated Audrey. Now, it was all going to be up to her. He would not make it easy, though. Get it together, he told himself. Tell her yourself.
There was enough ambient light coming in from the living area window that he could see her. Her breathing told him she was still awake. Her trembling told him she was terrified that he’d heard her. Too bad. He moved his hand up, smoothing over her arm, and tucked his fingers under her chin. He tilted her head up to him.
“Open your eyes, Audrey,” he said.
She clenched them tighter, and tears squeezed out from underneath her lids.
“Now,” he said, softly.
She did, and fear and hope battled for control in their depths.
“I love you, Audrey,” he said, kissing her gently. He held her as she hiccuped and wept into his chest. He held her through it all, never wavering, not letting go. He’d be her tether, keeping her steady as her world spun and changed around her.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
Audrey walked into the office to a stoic Simon. Strange. They’d just had a wonderful morning. She’d started at his knees and had worked her way upward, finding him, all of him, fully awake by the time she’d reached his lips. He’d taken control at that point, and she’d gleefully let him. To see the look on his face now, she’d have thought they’d had a screaming match.
Antony was carefully avoiding her eyes. Okay. Something was up. She approached her desk and saw the envelope on her desk. Official Department of the Army logo in the corner. She grabbed the envelope and opened it, sliding a few sheets into her hand. An assignment.
She skimmed the papers, then stuffed them back into the envelope. Simon still wouldn’t look at her. He was leaning on his right arm, rubbing the scar over his elbow. His jaw was tight. Stress. So, he knew already. That explained it.
This day had loomed on the horizon since the moment she’d arrived. That envelope held everything she’d hoped for and wanted. The two of them had avoided any conversations surrounding her leaving or going back undercover. Stupid really, since that was the one thing they should have been talking about all along. He’d left her alone to make her own decisions, and she loved him even more for it, but he was having his own personal meltdown at his desk, and she sorely regretted her silence.
He couldn’t do this. He couldn’t take it. As soon as he’d walked in, after that fantastic morning, Antony had hit him with the envelope. Top had confirmed it. It was over. She was going to leave. She was sitting at the desk and she wasn’t saying a damn thing. Simon stood and walked out without a word.
Audrey watched him leave. Let him leave. She sighed and stood, grabbing the envelope, and walked to Randall’s office. The Sergeant Major was sitting on the couch with a cup of coffee and the men were talking. She rapped on the door-jamb.
“Oh good, you got them,” Range said, smiling. She nodded politely at him.
Randall looked at her and remained silent.
“Top?”
“Yes?” he answered.
“Do you think you could have brought me in here privately for this?” she asked.
“I could have. But your teammates deserved to know as well,” he said.
“That should have been up to me to tell them.”
“Mmmhmm. Is that all you wanted to say?” he asked. She realized he was baiting her.
“Nope.” She handed him a form. “I need you to sign that,” she said.
The Sergeant Major had been silent. “What is that?” he asked.
“Denial of orders, Sergeant Major,” she replied. “I think I’m done with undercover. Field? Sure. But I think I want to stay put for a while.”
Randall smiled and pulled out his pen. “About time you figured it out, Linser. You’re stuck now.” He reached for the envelope in her hand. “I’ll shred those,” he said.
“Actually, if you don’t mind, I’d like to take care of that,” she said.
He raised an eyebrow at her questioningly.
“Someone needs to see this happen,” she said, turning to leave. “Oh, Top?” He nodded at her. “Office is going to be a couple down for the rest of the day,” she said.
He chuckled. “Carry on, Linser.”
***
She found Simon at the complex. He’d changed into workout clothes and was beating the shit out of a punching bag. Charlie frowned at her as she walked by, and Audrey waved the envelope at her in answer. The redhead shook her head and closed her office door. The place was otherwise empty.
“Hey,” she said.
The steady bap-pah-bah bap-pah-bah bap-pah-bah of his fists against the bag sped up. She tried again. “Simon.”
He punched faster.
Audrey sighed. Fine. He wanted to play it like this, she’d play. Good thing she’d gone in in jeans and sneakers, because he was asking for it.
She let the envelope flutter to the floor. It caught a current and swept downward, past Simon’s knees to the floor in front of him. He stopped punching and bent to grab it. As he turned toward her, she stepped behind him, grabbed his arm and swept his legs out from underneath him. He landed on the mat with a loud OOF!
She straddled his chest and dropped on him.
“Now that I have your attention,” she began.
He scowled at her. “Is it a good one, at least?”
“What?”
“The assignment,” he said. “Is it a good one?”
“Doesn’t fucking matter.”
“I bet. As long as you get out of here.” He grunted as she let her muscles go slack against him.
“You jackass,” she said. “I’m not going.”
“What?” he said.
She scooted downward until she was nose to nose with him. “I said, you jackass, that I am not going.”
Simon blinked. Audrey shook her head and rolled her eyes. “Seriously. You can be super thick sometimes. I love you, Simon. I’m not leaving. We really should have talked about this.”
She squealed as she went flying. He flipped her over and kissed her hard. When they parted, they were both out of breath.
He smiled down at her. “I think we’ve got some time until we have to go back after lunch.”
Audrey smiled back at him. “Funny you bring that up. I signed us out for the rest of the day.”
“Smart and beautiful. I love you, Audrey.” He stood and held out his hand. “Shall we?”
“Oh, yes.”
About The Author
Kimber Delaney
Kimber currently lives in Alabama with her husband and three feline overlords.
When she’s not writing romance, she works as a nonfiction editor. She also dabbles in historical reenactment, finds weird places to visit, and collects crafting materials (some of which she actually uses).
She’s also an Army veteran.
Find her at allsfairinloveandwar.com
or on Twitter @KimberWrites
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