Page 119 of Silent Comrade
“You need medical attention.” Red’s visionblinked back to crimson. He would punish Lequire for hurting Britt.“You’re safe now.” He rested his hands on her shoulders. Couldn’tbear to lose contact. Needed to keep his body close enough toprotect her.
“That’s your job, right?”
“Sweets, this hasn’t been a job since I metyou.” Just because he couldn’t exist in her world didn’t mean hehad to lie.
“What?”
“You have no idea. This whole time, I’vewanted you and wanted to protect you for my own selfish needs.”
“Red,” she breathed.
Hunt interrupted them, barking, “Are you twodone playing pattycake?”
“Not now,sir,” Red gritted out,keeping his focus on Britt.
“Well.” She leaned in and rubbed her cheekagainst his bicep. “I have to go hide now. I promised.”
“Of course. We will get it set up.” Knowingit was the last time he’d ever touch her, he let his hands slowlyslide off her shoulders as he stepped back. The distance hurt waydown deep in his gut, like a part of him was getting ripped out. Itwas also the right thing to do. “Um, the guys will take care ofeverything. Hunt, she needs medical eval.”
Britt ignored the CO. “I’d like to hide withyou, actually.” Pink tinged her cheeks as she ducked her head. “Ifthat’s an option.”
His knees almost buckled. “What are yousaying?”
“You’re the one with supersonic hearing.”She twirled the ear loop and didn’t say anything for a minute.Finally, she started again. “Hear me out. First of all, I am stillpissed that you hid the secret of the virus from me.”
“Totally within your rights to be mad aboutthat.”
“But…” She paused and stared at him.
“But?”
“The thought of walking away from you hurtseven more.”
“What?” he said, like he’d learned to speakonly yesterday.
Twining her fingers together, she said, “Uh,unless. You don’t want me around. Which I totally understand. I waskind of mean a few times this last week.”
“You had good reasons, and you didn’t haveall of the information you needed.” He had to shake his head tomake sure he’d heard her correctly. “Britt,” he whispered. “Listen,I can’t imagine a world without you. I want you with me. But whatkind of life can we create together, with the weird universe I livein?”
She licked her lips. “Aren’t you gettingahead of yourself?”
“Huh?”
“We don’t even know if there is a future tobe created. But you know what? I’d be up for exploring thepossibility.”
What was he hearing? “No.”
She frowned. “No, as inno way and leaveme alone?”
“No, as in I don’t deserve you. Any of this.A chance at a future with you.”
“Likewise. I have my own demons, you know.I’m a lot of work.”
“You’re worth it. We’re worth it.”
“I’m not saying that our future is a lock,”she muttered.
He held up his hands. “Of course not.”
