“It’s crazy how much he looks like you.” Her voice is soft and alluring. As angelic as I’ve ever heard her.
The glow from the television casts her face in gentle lines and my fingers extend as images of brushing a loose curl back from her cheek fill my mind. I swallow hard and glance away. Shit. I’ve missed most of the conversation.
Craiger shakes his head. “Looks more like Lisa. Acts more like her too. Took my time dating her, figuring we’d last. Probably should’ve followed Martinez’s lead.”
I straighten, and Inara’s head cocks to one side.
“What do you mean?” Her eyes narrow and she’s staring at him hard. Suspicious.
Which is the same way I’m looking at him right now. Alarm bells sound off in my brain and my muscles clench. I never told any of the guys what led me to join the program in the first place, mostly because I’m not proud that I let what was essentially a woe-is-me, sleep-deprived panic attack propel me into the impulsive choice to sign up for a wife. But of course, the guys being the guys, well, they’ve come up with their own theories. None of which are going to please said wife. I flick my gaze to Inara’s tense expression and swallow. Mason groans in his sleep and lists more completely into my lap. With no avenue of escape, all I can do is shoot Craiger a look, my face violently contorting in a silent order to shut his fucking mouth.
But it’s too late.
“Oh, crap, no one told you.” Craiger laughs, shifting on the couch so he’s facing us. Poor, dumb bastard doesn’t even understand the danger he’s putting himself in. “Tony’s been uncharacteristically tight-lipped about why he joined the program, but I’m pretty sure I know why.”
And I’m pretty sure he doesn’t, which means I’m gonna kill him, because the last thing I need is more tension with Inara. It’s only fair that he knows what’s coming, so I growl low in my throat that’s only part desperation, but to Craiger it must have sounded like encouragement because he keeps going. He’s like Chatty-fucking-Cathy as soon as he gets a few beers in him.
“The way I see it is, this moron must’ve lost a bet playing cards with the paratroopers—like he always does—and ended up signing up for the program. Always gotta prove how tough he is. Probably didn’t think he’d get accepted.” He chuckles uncomfortably, his gaze flittering from Inara to me and back again.
Her lips part slowly and a soft scoff escapes from her mouth. Her hand comes to rest on the back of mine, and horror-movie, doomed-teenager slow, I turn my head to meet her eyes in the flickering glow of the television. My balls clench, determined to crawl up into my body.
“Bedroom. Now.” She grits out the words, and I wince at the venom in her tone.
I take my time carefully extracting myself from beneath Mason’s limp body before pushing to my feet. “Thanks so much for that great story. You really know how to help a newlywed out. I owe you one.” I glare at my former best friend before following my wife out of the room, my stomach plummeting with each step.