Page 117 of Commander in Briefs

I look at her like that is the most ridiculous statement I have ever heard come out of her mouth. Even when I was nauseated, which lasted a day, FYI, I still would rather have something substantial to puke up instead of looking like a leprechaun spewing the colors of the different Jellos I’ve been forced to eat for the past twenty-four hours.

She laughs off my scathing look. “I’ll fix you something. What do you want?”

I don’t even take a breath before I blurt out, “Pancakes.”

She chuckles, not surprised with my request. Every single time I can indulge on my diet, I go for pancakes, no matter what time of day.

“Pancakes it is. You gonna sit here while I make them?”

I roll over ideas about what I’m in the mood to do. TV seems like a bore after being cooped up in a hospital bed. I could read, but that sounds too much like work.

“Ugh, I don’t know. I guess so.”

I’m out of ideas. I can’t physically do anything fun, but sitting here much longer will have me crawling out of my skin.

The guys start piling into the kitchen with Anniston’s obvious mixing and frying pan clanking sounds. The cabinet doors slamming is their personal alarm for “food’s here.”

“Hey, sweet thing, is this seat taken?” I choke at Hayes’ joke. He snatches my legs off the sofa, making room for himself.

“You could have pulled my stitches.” I place my hand to the bandage on my side, faking pain.

He snorts. “I knew you were a little bitch. Is your hand messed up, too? Is that going to be the excuse you use when I whip your ass in Call of Duty?”

Oh, he’s got threats today. I’m game.

“Ha! When I wipe the smirk off that dick garage of yours, the only thing you’ll be excusing is your slow-ass response time when I massacre your entire team.”

Hayes grabs the controllers and boots up the game system. “Cocky. Let’s see what you got, pretty boy.”

He tosses me a controller and we waste the next twenty minutes until my pancakes are ready playing with the sole intent to kill and belittle each other.

Anniston and I are lounging on the back deck, the sun warming our faces. Cade and the guys jumped into action after we ate, saying something about target practice. Anniston convinced me that some vitamin D would be good since I’ve been cooped up in the house driving her crazy with requests for blow jobs to help speed up my recovery. She didn’t agree with my methods of healing, so here I am, sunbathing like a bitch.

We’re half watching the guys roll into the barn, doing who knows what before running out, falling into a crouch and firing off a rifle into bales of hay. It looks terribly hot and laborious.

Yeah, no thanks. With Georgia’s humidity, it probably feels like 104 in that barn. Not to mention all that running.

Anniston’s eyes have drifted shut. She looks beat. I didn’t hear if she got up with Cade last night, as I slept like the dead.

“You tired?” I know, I should let her sleep but she really isn’t sleeping per se. She will tell you she’s just resting her eyes.

“A little.” She lifts slightly from the cushioned deck chair, leaning toward me, and gives me a slow smile. “Why, is that your subtle way of telling me I look like shit?”

I snort. Literally snort. “No!” I’m no fool. I would never hint of such a thing. Every guy knows that rule. “No, I was just wondering if something was keeping you from resting? Is it me?”

She’s quick to put out my concerns. “No, no. Never. I’ve just got something on my mind.”

“Oh, yeah? Care to share? I can be like girly Cade and pretend to listen while we do nails.”

“Theo!” She lightly punches my arm. Her giggle after it tells me she doesn’t take my jabs at Cade seriously. “It’s nothing. Just something Mason told me.”

Now, that perks my interest. I don’t know much about him. Well, I don’t know much about the others either, but I at least have an idea.

“Mason? I thought he didn’t talk much?”

“He doesn’t but he confided in me a little last night. He couldn’t sleep.”

Does that tidbit make me slightly jealous? Yes, I think it does. Selfishly, I wanted her to focus only on me, but I know helping these guys overcome their demons and become functioning citizens again is her calling and all. But still… I can only behave for so long.

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