Page 75 of Breathe
The Genesis soldier didn’t take that lying down like Real had, and food was flung back and forth with gusto.
Azrael ducked for cover.
They would all need a dousing in the lake after this.
“See what you started?” Real growled with a laugh.
Azrael squeaked, he hadn’t even seen the warrior’s sneak attack. The laughing rumble of words caressed the shell of his ear when Real’s strong arms caught him.
“No, I didn’t!” He pulled from Real’s grip and crawled beneath the table. Coming up on the other side, he grabbed a handful of food. Screw using a spoon. He flung it at Real, who was surprisingly fast and dodged.
Azrael was up and running for his life toward the mess hall double doors. He barreled out of the entrance and stumbled to a stop.
Ahead of him, Dave and Stone jogged down the steps. Dave brushed a hand down his shirt and Stone ruffled Dave’s hair.
Azrael thought it was a cute gesture until he saw the mashed potatoes in Stone’s hand. The mess ended up in Dave’s hair and slid down the man’s face.
Stone’s chuckle rang through the air, just as several men charged out of the doors behind them.
“Last one to the lake cleans up that mess!” Stone shouted.
The men started shouting it back over their shoulders so that those left inside would hear it—before they raced toward the far paddock.
Azrael dodged Real’s swiping hand.
“Did you hear that? Don’t be last!” Azrael laughed and ran.
The huge lake was on the far side of the property just beyond the last paddock. The lake was man-made, but it served its purpose. Will had ordered it built to allow his team to relax. The water gleamed in the distance; the surface spattered with a few leaves. Pinyon pine, Utah juniper, and Ponderosa pine trees crowded around.
Azrael tore off his t-shirt vest, toed off his shoes and socks, and shucked his pants because he was wearing swim trunks underneath.
“Look out below!” Freedom bellowed, running down the long wooden dock, and the boy did a cannonball into the water, followed by Boston.
Azrael was almost to the water, and he tossed a glance over his shoulder. Real jogged across the distance and stopped at his clothes before shucking his own and adding them to the pile.
The look in the warrior’s eyes made him giggle and his heart pound.
Azrael jumped in the water, the cold sucked his breath, but he was too excited to pay the chilliness much mind.
When Real stalked toward the beach wearing the same style swim trunks as him, Azrael swam farther out into the chilly lake.
“You’re too slow,” he called across the distance.
“You think so?” Real asked and dove underneath the surface.
“Oh shit,” Azrael muttered and swam toward the shore.
He didn’t make it because Real was a very strong swimmer and he was not. But he didn’t mind when Real caught him around the waist and came up to the surface holding him.
“Kiss me.”
“In public?” Azrael jolted.
Their first public display of affection had been a disaster. Azrael had made the mistake of kissing Real’s cheek near thewater trough last week. Real had gripped his arms tightly and pushed him away before stalking off.
“You didn’t want that last time,” Azrael pointed out with a tipped chin.
“That’s because the SecDef was watching us,” Real muttered.
