Page 26 of Collateral Damage

She nods her head.

“Would you be mad if he did?” I wonder if this is something Skyla would rather keep to herself.

“Oh, no, not at all. I just… worry about him. About what happened to me did to him.”

I toe the grass next to the fire pit. “Does Jensen ever talk to you about his missions?”

“Yeah, he does. He didn’t always, but then we got engaged, and I think he finally realized that we need to be open with each other, you know? Full transparency and all that. Especially after knowing what keeping things bottled up inside can do to a relationship. Obviously, he only tells me what he can, the non-classified stuff.”

My stomach sinks. Somehow, I don’t think Chris will ever tell me what goes on in his missions, regardless of the security level. He’s always kept his work separate from our relationship. Even about the smallest details, and when I’ve pressed him on it, he says he doesn’t want me involved in that part of his life. But if I’m not involved in that part of his life, can I ever be fully in his life?

“Hey, how about a shot?” I say to take the edge off.

“Why the heck not?” Skyla laughs. “Jensen can just carry me to bed.”

“I’m down with more booze,” Tyler announces. “Hey, pussies, let’s see if your training includes holding your liquor.”

Chris smirks from the other side of the garden, and my tummy does that little flip it always does when he gets that lopsided smile. I take the shot Skyla hands to me and clink the glass against hers, then pour it down the hatch. I don’t know if it’s the booze, the need to drown out the voice telling me I’m missing a huge chunk of Chris’s life, or if I want to see more of that sexy as fuck smile of Chris’s, but the words are out my mouth before I can retract them.

“Marines, how long has it been since you were in basic training?”

Jensen and Chris turn to each other and smirk.

There it is.

“This motherfucker does it every day.” Jensen points at Chris.

I look at my friends sitting around the fire. “In that case, there’s a great Spartan course near here. Who’s up for a little friendly competition?”

“Fuck yes,” Tyler announces, happy to be fueling the fire.

“Uh. Not all of us are personal trainers, you know,” Courtney says, looking at me. “I choose life.”

“Don’t be a baby, Court. If you survived residency, then you can survive anything,” Tyler taunts.

Chris walks over, his hands in his pocket. He takes out his own beanie and puts it on his head. “Ty, we don’t need you crying like a pussy five minutes into the course.”

“I’m not gonna fucking cry. It can’t be that hard.”

“Yeah, it can’t be that hard,” I hear myself saying. Damn, that last shot of tequila really made my words slur.

Chris smirks. “Wanna put your money where your mouth is, angel?”

“What are we talking about?”

Chris scrapes his teeth over his bottom lip. “Anything you need.” His eyes rake slowly over my body, and I think it’s time to go. I want all those eyes promise.

“We’ll decide tomorrow at the course?”

“Tomorrow it is.”

I lean in. “How about we get out of here?”

“Angel, I love the way you think.”

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