Page 38 of Testing the Kot'oll Officer

I capture her hand in mine, bringing it to my lips to kiss her fingertips. "As am I."

She grins, a playful spark in her eyes. "Right, just as a reminder. While I said you should never leave me, I don't mean physically every single second, so much so you can't even work your own job."

A stream of heat reaches my cheek. "I get it now. You don't have to repeat that. And I know that you can hold your own in the bar."

She nods as her grin grows even wider. I love that. If letting her tease me means that I can see that smile, I don't mind her poking at me a bit more.

She says, "So, what now, Officer?"

I can't help but smile back at her, my body still throbbing with the remnants of our shared pleasure. "Now, we enjoy this moment, and then... We see where we end up."

Julie's eyes sparkle with mischief. "Oh, you mean like more mind-blowing sex?"

I chuckle, capturing her hand and bringing it to my lips again. "That's certainly part of it. But I also mean exploring who we are together, beyond just the chaos of our lives. It's not just about the wild nights. It's about building something real."

Julie's lips curl into a smile, and she leans in to press a soft kiss to my mouth. "I want that too. I want to know the real you, not just the tough, stoic officer who walks into my bar."

I cup her face in my hands, feeling a surge of emotion that I can't quite name. "We'll build our relationship together, one step at a time. No rules, no expectations—just us."

She laughs, a sound that warms my heart. "No rules? That's going to be a challenge for you."

I feign offense, raising an eyebrow. "Are you doubting my ability to adapt, Ms. Bartender?"

Her laughter grows, and she rolls on top of me, straddling my hips. "Oh, I have no doubt about your adaptability, Mr. Four-Arms."

I can't help but chuckle at her playful jab. "Well, Ms. Bartender, I guess you'll just have to wait and see how adaptable I can be."

"I look forward to it, Vatok. I really do."

Her lips find mine again, this time in a deeper, more passionate kiss. I let my hands explore her back, her sides, her thighs, appreciating every curve, every line of her body.

As we pull away, breathless and grinning, a sense of contentment wash over me. This is what I've been missing—not just the physical intimacy, but the emotional connection, the playful banter, the shared laughter.

Epilogue

Julie

I fold my arms as I watch Vatok staring at the bottles of wine, with a piece of paper in his hand that has information about what to add to make different cocktails. His brows are furrowed as he tries to identify the words on the bottles. Some are printed in artistic fonts that aren't very legible in the dimmer light of the bar.

I clear my throat after he spends another minute, not starting a thing. "Mr. Officer, the patrons are waiting and the orders are piling up. Are we starting already?"

Vatok turns to me. "Look, I'm watching for the big picture. It's about all the drinks I'll be mixing for the night, not just the order right in front of me."

The few patrons who are my friends at the bar counter chuckle. Vatok shoots them a glance, but they burst out laughing.

Vatok groans, but a smile lingers on his handsome face. He said that I should take a day off on my birthday, but since I didn't call for a day off, he said he'd be the substitute.

I try to stifle a laugh, but it bubbles up anyway. "You know, Vatok, bartending isn't quite like directing traffic. Sometimes you just have to dive in and handle one thing at a time."

He huffs, but there's a playful glint in his eyes. "After I figure out the system, it'll be faster for the whole evening."

I lean against the counter, a grin spreading across my face. I can't say he's wrong. All the bottles and tools that I'll need are arranged in a way that I know in my heart, which lets me mix and get drinks ready without even reading a label. But for Vatok, it probably looks like chaos. "I suppose it's okay. Take your time. I was hoping you'd be mixing drinks quicker with all those arms."

He huffs as the patrons laugh. "Hey! Don't insult my arms. Wait until I get things going! You should have arranged these in order. It's not fair to have to be checking like this."

"Life's not always fair, Vatok. Besides, they know it's your first time behind the counter. They're just here to have fun and watch you squirm a bit."

He raises an eyebrow, a smirk playing on his lips. "Squirm? I do not squirm, Julie. I am a kot'oll officer."

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