Page 49 of The Story of Danny Rose

He closed his eyes as I started washing his hair. “I hated being away from you.”

I dipped down and kissed him. “Me too. Especially since I couldn’t call.”

He hummed. “I hope we getsomeassignments together in the future.”

He did?

Hell, I was starting to hope we’d get several, if not all. That was the worrywart in me, I was sure. Maybe. Fuck. No, I wasn’t sure one bit. I knew he was going to make an excellent operator, and he was taking his training seriously, despite the complaints. This ran deeper. I simply didn’t want to be without him.

The question was if I could be a good partner to him in the field—or if I was going to be overprotective every step of the way. In which case, we wouldn’t make a good team. I could cost us precious time and make the wrong decisions if I treated him like my Little.

“I’m afraid I’d treat you unfairly in the field,” I admitted.

He cracked one eye open. “How so?”

I shrugged slightly and nudged him under the hot spray again. “When it’s a matter of life and death, I’m not sure I can separate the soldier from the man who’s become so…” Important was an understatement.Everythingrang truer, but that felt intimidating to say out loud. So I sighed at my uselessness in finding the right word, and I cupped his face in my hands and kissed him. “I’ve never been in the field with someone I adore, baby. I don’t know how I’d react.”

He scraped his teeth over his bottom lip, and a slow smile appeared as he slid his hands up my chest and around my neck. “I have an idea,” he murmured. He pressed himself impossibly close to me and pulled me down enough to ghost his lips over mine. “See, I’ve never been in the field with someone I adore either…”

Fuck.

I kissed him, and through no fault of my own, my hands covered his ass.

“So I suggest we spar together,” he whispered. “Face me on the mats in the martial arts studio, and I will show you, Daddy.”

Jesus Christ. My brain flooded with images of the two of us, fighting, sweating, turning into animals…

The darkest desire slithered through me, and I kneaded his ass cheeks and let my fingers slide between.

His breathing hitched as he flicked the tip of his tongue against my own. “We’ll get there with baby steps,” he said quietly. “You’ll see my results from training and test scores.”

I made a rumbling, humming sound into a deep kiss, and I’d heard enough. He’d seduced me properly, and now I needed all of him.

After one more hard kiss, I spun him around to face the wall, and I reached for the baby oil.

“Push out that tight little bottom for Daddy,” I said.

The first round was going to be quick.

CHAPTER 9

One month later

“I’ve been saying that to Terrance for months,” I said. “Did you go to him directly?” I set a side salad next to my plate, then slid my tray right up to the register.

Darius nodded and grabbed a bottle of water. “He keeps saying maybe next year. Between you and me, I think he’s waiting for TJ to take over that bit.”

Wouldn’t surprise me. In Terrance’s defense, he’d run this agency on his own for too long. He needed the help. Thankfully, his and Arthur’s sons were getting ready, especially TJ. Quinlan was still technically with the Army and only came in when he was on leave.

Darius and I paid for our lunches, then went to find an empty table by the windows.

The cafeteria seated at least sixty or seventy people, but I’d never seen more than a couple dozen here at the same time. Kind of like now. Which suited me fine. Darius was a rare sight, and I wanted to catch up with him. He was off to Israel tomorrow.

I glanced toward the exit before I sat down and unwrapped my utensils.

“Is Danny joining us?”

“I’m not sure,” I replied. “He wanted to catch Sid before he flies out.”

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