Page 123 of Tribute
“Me? What the hell do I know?”
“You know about the threat facing our population. You know we might need to abandon this planet if we can’t find a way to neutralize theUngrich.”
“And the president would be okay with little old me sharing that information?”
“You and a selected team of diplomats and security personnel. But the first task is to get out there and record your impressions of who might make good friends and enemies forMitan in a more informal way.” He looked down at his feet. “I thought it would be a good way to keep off the planet’s surface while still keeping all the benefits of citizenship.”
Anna studied him closely. “And what about you?”
He shrugged. “I’ll be here.” He looked right into her eyes. “When you want to see me.Ifyou want to see me, I mean. Yeah.” He winced. “I’m still trying to think of ways to keep you safe, even though I have no right to.”
“Did the president tell you I’d already put in a request to leave Mitan?”
“I didn’t know that.” The faint hope in his gray eyes faded. “You want to go back to your family on Earth. I can totally understand why.”
“He refused my request.”
“That’s not right.” He frowned. “Do you want me to talk to him again? I could—” He stopped. “Hell, I’m doing it again, aren’t I? Seeing as he only made it yesterday, I suspect that his offer for you to leave the planet as a diplomat still stands, and you just haven’t been notified through official channels yet.”
“You’d be okay about me going, then?” She found herself wanting to smile at him, which was stupid.
“Yes, of course I would, I—oh fuck it.” He groaned and shot to his feet. “I can’t do it. I can’t let you fucking walk away from me again because I’m too stupid to swallow my pride. Sure, I can survive without you, but what’s the point? You mean everything to me. I might not fuckingneedyou, and you sure as hell don’t need me, but I want you more than my next breath.” He held out his hand. “Anna, if you leave Mitan, I’m coming with you.”
“Even if I don’t come back?”
He nodded and took another step toward her, pinning her against the pile of boxes she sat on. “Especially if you don’t come back. I’d rather you didn’t.”
She looked up into his anguished eyes. “You’re an idiot, Rehz Akran.”
“A fucking idiot.” He smoothed her hair away from her face with fingers that shook. “But you’ll never find a male who loves you more.”
“Even when I’m trying to save the world?”
“Especially when you’re trying to do that.” He sighed. “I’m overprotective, Anna Lee. You know that. I’ll try and keep it down to a reasonable level.”
She touched his cheek. “What made you change your mind?”
“A week hanging around in Palk’s new home, waiting for the transport to return, gave me plenty of time to work out what a fool I was being.” He framed her face in his hands. “If you want to save my ass, Anna Lee? You just go right ahead. I’m done being a trainer. If you decide to take up the president’s offer, I can come with you and head up your security team or something.”
Anna bit her lip. “Damn, I was thinking of asking Bron.”
Rehz stared at her for a long moment and then shook his head. “I suppose I deserved that.”
“Yes, you did.” She searched his face. “Just because I don’t need you to save me, Rehz, doesn’t mean that I don’t want you.”
“By your side?” He leaned in and kissed her nose.
She held him off for another few seconds, the palms of her hands pressed against his chest. “As my equal.”
“I can do that.”
She took a deep breath. “Then maybe we can make this work somehow.”
“Yeah?” His smile was slow in coming and then lit up his whole face.
She kissed his mouth. “I love you, Rehz Akran, even when you are an overbearing, possessive idiot.”
He kissed her back so gently and reverently that tears came into her eyes. “I love you too, Anna Lee, even when you are right.”
