Page 7 of Annika's Aurora

“That’s not really a reason, Sunfire,”he said,calling her the nicknamehe’dgiven her years ago.She had asunnyoutlook onlife,and her smile could light up even the darkestheart.But she also had a stubbornfire in her as well, especially when it came to standing up forothers.

She sighed. “Because I’ll miss you.”

“I’ll miss you too. Butwe’lltalk all the time. Write, text, video call each other.Whatever.AndI’llspend any leave time I get with you guys. You may just get sick of me.”

“Never.”

“Don’t worry,Annika. We’ll never lose touch,”he promised.

She sat upunexpectedly,pulling her hair out of his fingers.Suddenly, shestraddled him, her hands on his shoulders as she leaned over him. “And what if I pinned you down and refused to let you get up to leave?”He’dbeen trying all day tocontrol hisraginghormonesaround her,andAnnika’sposition on top of him just ratchetedhisblood up to boiling.

The hardest thinghe’dever had to do was keep his eyes on hers and not look down at the temptingtits that were hanging exceedingly close to his face.Or let his hands slip up the tantalizing expanse of legexposed beneath hertoo-short shorts.He prayed shedidn’tfeel his sudden hard-on.

He grabbed her hips and flipped themover until she was on herbackand he was on top of her.Her eyes went wide as her pupils dilated.He could see the sudden heat flarein her eyes. He wanted to kiss her.Badly.

“I’d say you lose,” he teased.That must have been the wrong thing to say asAnnikaburst into tears.Big fat tears slipped from her eyes down her templesto disappear in her hair.

“Ahh,Annika.” Herolled to her side and gathered her into his arms, squeezing tight as she sobbed.

“I’m so afraid, Logan.I’mafraid something is gonna happen to you.Idon’twant to lose you. I don’t think I could live if I lost you,” she finished quietlyas more sobsoverwhelmedher.

“You won’t lose me,” he promised,kissingthe top of her head. “Nothing is going to happen to me.”

“Youp…promise?Promise me you won’ttake any undue risks.”

“I promise,”he vowed as he rubbed his hand up and down her back. She wore a bikini top with shorts.Logan closedhis eyesand gritted his teeth,willing himself not toenjoy the feel of her smooth skin under his fingertipstoo much.

“Logan?” she asked as her tears started to subside.

“Yeah?”

“Don’t die.”His heart squeezed painfully.It was a promise hecouldn’treally make. Who knew what the future would hold forthem?He could die tomorrow crossing the street, after all. But he was going to make sure he trained hard so that he could avoid dying at allcost. ForAnnika.

“I’ll never leave you, Sunfire,” he promisedas he lay in the summer sun withAnnikain his arms.

Jamie came outof the housejust then. “Shit, man. Did you break my sister?”

“She seems to bemalfunctioning,” Logan answered.

“Must be a type of malware.”

“Or a virus.”

“Did you try turning her off and back on again?” Jamie quipped.

“I would,but I can’t seem to find the off button.”

“All right. All right.”Annikarolledaway from him and satup. “You two done?”

The men looked at each other and shrugged.Then burst into laughter.Jamie sat on the other side ofAnnikaand took hiscameraout of his pocket.“Let’sget a picture.”

“Oh, Jamie, no. I must looklikeawreck,”Annikacomplained.

Logan scooted closer to her and wiped an errant tear from her cheek. “You look beautiful.”

“As always,” Jamie agreed.

The boys put their chins onAnnika’s shoulderswith bigcheesygrins.It took severaltriesto get the perfect shot,and their teasing and joking around was exactly whatAnnikaneeded to distract her from her worries.

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