Page 105 of What I Should Have Done

“Hi, Scotch, baby,” he whispered, so quietly even I barely caught it.

My jaw trembled. I wanted to reach out and touch him, wanted him to wrap me up in his arms and hold me.

I needed to know he was real.

But I refrained from touching him, knowing that there were still so many boundaries in place.

“Will you fucking kiss her already? Damn,” Bernie grumbled out loud.

My eyes shot open, widening with shock, and connected with Mikey’s gaze.

He blinked a couple times, startled, and then bit down on his lip, attempting to stop the obvious smile. “How long?” he shouted over his shoulder.

“Since you said ‘fuck this,’” Ford answered.

I chanced a glance over Mikey’s shoulder. Ford crossed his arms, a smug grin on his face as Bernie pulled his lips in between his teeth like it was obvious. Duncan grinned, baring both his top and bottom teeth, and then wiggled his brows.

Calloused palms suddenly clamped down on my cheeks and Mikey rammed his lips against mine.

My soul quieted. Every stormy thought in my head silenced. Nothing but the aggressive velvet pressed to my mouth and our team’s cheering made its way through my head. Whoops and hollers bounced around the gym. Mikey chuckled, his chest vibrating against my body, and he smiled, briefly breaking the kiss.

“Mmmmm,” I whined, pouting that he ended it so quickly.

A hand slipped to the nape of my neck and he dove right back in. Ignoring everyone and everything else, I succumbed to his kiss. To the electricity rippling hot between us. His tongue trickled across my lips, asking for entry, and I parted them just enough. He shoved his tongue between my teeth. Roaming my mouth, he tasted everything he could. I reveled in him. In everything he offered me.

Stepping tighter into my body, he deepened the kiss. I tipped onto my toes, swirling warm and hot with the very obvious display of affection. What would have normally embarrassed me, didn’t. I wasn’t about to lose this.

I wasn’t about to lose him again.

My fingers twisted into the sides of his combat shirt, tugging him closer. I needed him. All that pain in the past seven days was all worth it because here he was. There was no more grief. There was only him.

Velvet swept across my lips, wet and hot. His kiss. Calloused thumb brushed up and down on my cheek. His touch.

Him.

Mikey.

Breathless, swimming in the absolute peace he afforded me, I danced my own tongue against his. He tasted better than I could’ve remembered. And I would never miss the opportunity to kiss him again.

“Alright, you two, go get a room,” Duncan called out over Mikey’s shoulder.

Slowly, Mikey pulled away, breaking the kiss only wide enough to speak. “How ’bout a vehicle in the motor pool?” he whispered to me, and I looked up at him through slitted lids. He winked, his arrogant grin back on his face.

I stared at him, my heart racing. Normally, I would’ve said no. That was probably what I should have said, but right now, the idea of alone time with him, of just being with him sounded like exactly what I wanted.

“Okay,” I said, running my tongue over my swollen lips.

His grin morphed to shock as his jaw fell to the ground. “That’s it? No protesting? Aren’t you even a tiny bit mad at me?”

I nodded. “Yes, to all of that.”

“Well, damn, alright,” he said. Releasing my face, he spun around.

Dom waved, silencing whatever Mikey opened his mouth to say. “I’m gonna go take this to the colonel so we can get started on decrypting it. So we can take down the motherfucker Karim al-Jabari once and for all.” He hoisted the Black Box and then walked away.

Mikey’s fingers slipped into mine, and he pulled me into his back but said nothing.

“I’m gonna, uh, go get food,” Ford tossed a thumb over his shoulder.

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