Page 29 of Infatuation

“Yes. They’re leaving tomorrow. I don’t have that much time left with Kade.”

“What’s going on between you two?”

She knew what he wanted but instead she took the chicken’s way out. "I don’t think I have to explain sex to you, do I? I thought you understood all forms of it.”

He frowned and shut the door behind him before sitting down in the chair in front of her desk. "I want to know what the hell is going to happen when he leaves.”

“You and me both.”

“You haven’t discussed it?” he asked.

“We haven’t had time to do that. Really.”

Simon rolled his eyes. "Really? You’re having that much sex?”

She stared at him blankly.

“Oh, now I am jealous.” Then he frowned. “Stop trying to get me off the subject.

“You’re the one who brought up sex, not me. And just so you know, Kade doesn’t swing that way.”

“Shannon.”

She heard the reprimand in his voice. "What is it you’re getting at?”

“I know he needs some help, probably has PTSD from that last mission. He’s jumpy, more than usual. But, honey, you need to give yourself the right to ask for more.”

“What do you mean?”

“You have always gone for what you wanted. In work, in life, with every man other than this one. You are letting him call the shots.”

“Believe me, it’s worth it.”

“Again, stop trying to distract me with sex. You’re trying to help him over what he’s dealing with.”

She frowned. “I don’t know what he’s really dealing with.”

“You haven’t talked about it.”

She shook her head “I told you, it’s only been a couple of days.”

“And you think this is going to help you? Help him? I can tell by looking at him that he needs help.”

“Of course he does, but do you think one of those damned SEALs have spoken to me?” she asked, her voice rising. "The only thing I got out of Mal was that they lost someone, that Mal was knocked unconscious, and that’s it. None of them say anything except that it was a really bad mission.”

By the time she finished, she realized how loud she had gotten. The silence was almost deafening.

“Okay, so maybe they aren’t ready to talk. You don’t know what happened, might never. Remember, my dad was Special Forces. There are just some things they are never going to tell you. But what are you going to ask from Kade?”

Everything.

The word whispered through her mind, but she didn’t say it. If she did, it wouldn’t come true. She knew she was being a coward, but she had to be careful around him. Pushing him after such a traumatic situation was too much.

She opened her mouth, but Simon shook his head. "Don’t say a word. I know. Just make sure that at some point, you tell him what you want. He might be hurting now, but believe me, Kade’s a SEAL. He can handle a few demands from you. It might be good for both of you.”

When Simon finally left her alone, she realized that there was some truth to what he had been saying. She had been holding back, and she normally wouldn’t. Yes, he had only been back in her life for less than a week, and their relationship had come out of a friendship. Because she had known him for years, it seemed like a long time, but it wasn’t. Their sexual relationship had only been a few nights. Demanding an answer wasn’t smart. It wasn’t something she even wanted. Shannon knew men, she knew herself even better. She wouldn’t be happy to be pushed at a time like this if she were suffering. She would give him what he needed and wait. Someday, she’d make sure he understood he had to make a choice.

She just hoped she could hold out that long.

---