Page 19 of Tides of Time

Orion winced, fully aware of his error in speaking such crazy thoughts out loud. “I’m sorry if that was too fast.”

“No! I love you, too.” She grinned at him and bent forward to kiss him quickly. “I just wasn’t expecting you to say that.”

“Trust me,” he kissed her again, longer this time, “I hadn’t expected to say it so soon, but I cannot deny the truth. I have fallen in love with the pretty Spaniard who’s invaded my thoughts.”

“Then do not go to war. If the Army calls, stay home.” Terror laced her words, and he understood why. War was not for marriages.

“It is my job. They will arrest me if I ignore a summons.” he let his hand cup the right side of her face, and she leaned into his touch. “I promise that if I know I have you to come home to, I will never find harm in battle.”

Her face paled so much he worried she may pass out. She didn’t, though, but when she closed her eyes, he could not ignore the dusting of tears clinging to her lashes so quickly. “I love that about you, you know that? Your unwavering loyalty once you commit yourself to anything.”

She spoke as if it were something she’d told him a dozen times. He couldn’t recall ever showing her this side of him in the last two weeks, except for his promises to make her scream his name every time he saw her.

A smile spread over his lips just thinking about all the ways he’d fucked Ariana in the last two weeks. They’d been unstoppable, barely able to come up for air once they began their heated explorations of each other’s bodies.

A knock interrupted any further thoughts. The sound banged through the house as if the person knocking had life or death consequences should they not get him to come to the door.

“Ignore it,” she whispered, letting her hand trail down his stomach, teasing the skin and sending blood surging to his cock so quickly after his last release.

He didn’t need to be told twice.

Until the knock came again.

“Orion Levi, this is the Israeli Army. Open up.”

“Fuck,” he snarled just as Ariana had slunk down his body and pressed her lips against the head of his dick. He knew she didn’t speak his language and wouldn’t understand what was said.

“Leave them be,” she whispered.

His stomach tightened as he did the unthinkable. Despite his desire to stay between the wetness of her lips, he gently pulled her head back. “Save that thought.” Rolling away with painful quickness, Orion grabbed his pants off the floor where they’d been thrown last night and damn near jumped into them. The fabric was rough against his straining erection, and he knew if this wasn’t a fast conversation, he may finish from the way his pants caressed him.

Jerking open the door, he was unsurprised to see two men standing in full attire.

“Gentlemen,” he stepped out and closed the door behind him. He would not allow these men to see Ariana.

“It is no secret that our enemies grow braver by the day. You have served your time well, but the call to action comes again. You’ll receive your orders and stationing within the day.”

The world seemed to flip upside down on him as the officer spoke. There was no possible way this came to be the second he and Ariana confessed their love and spoke of it.

“Dismissed.” The second officer spoke with a nod of his head, and they left.

Every inch of Orion's body was numb as he turned to the door, his hand trembling as it grasped the cool metal doorknob. His mind was a fog of agony and disorientation, erasing any trace of the carnal desire that had consumed him just moments ago. His muscles strained as he fought to twist the knob, every movement sending jolts of pain through his body. It was as if a dark cloud had descended upon him, suffocating and debilitating all at once.

“Orion?” Ariana stood in the hallway, dressed, with a frown on her lips.

“How could you have known?”

She winced, and the tears began rolling down her cheeks. “I didn’t, but I’ve feared it since you told me what you did.”

He gracefully closed the distance between them, enveloping her in his strong arms. She fit perfectly against his chest as he nestled her head under his chin, his hand rhythmically stroking her back. The warmth of their bodies mingled and created a cocoon of comfort.

“I swear to you, I will return. When I do, I’ll speak to them about my discharge. I’ve surpassed my service expectations.”

She nodded, the action oddly slow under his chin.

“I’ll come back to you. What we have may be new, but it’s wonderful, and I’ll not let anything get in the way of that.”

Her sniffle was her only response.

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