Page 58 of Eight Years (The Trident Trilogy 1)

“It could. We could figure it out,” I say, not really even believing it myself. I roll back over to face her. “Millie, I didn’t want to talk to you about this tonight. You just need to get some rest. Forget I said anything. We can talk about it later if you want to.”

She scoots toward me, and turns until she’s spooned into me. I wrap both of my arms around her. We don’t say anything else. We just fall asleep like that. I wake up, and it’s light out. I look at my phone again. Another five hours. I haven’t slept five hours straight since I was a kid. I don’t want to let go of her, but I know I need to get back to the base. I’m already late.

I’m hungry again, and I know she hasn’t eaten in at least a day, so I text JJ and tell him I’m going to be late. He won’t question it. She’s still sleeping soundly when I finish making the eggs, so I sit at the kitchen counter to eat my breakfast first before I wake her. As I’m finishing, I hear her coming up behind me quietly. I’m guessing she knows it’s impossible to sneak up on me. I turn the stool around. She’s standing there in my shirt. Only my shirt. Oh fuck. I think I’m really going to be late.

She walks up between my legs, and puts her hands on my thighs. I pull her into me, one hand on her back, and the other one buried in her hair. Her lips part just as mine touch down and her arms climb up my body until they circle around my neck. She’s pressed hard against my body, but I keep trying to pull her closer. I want her to be part of me. I want to be inside her. I’m just about to pick her up, and carry her back to bed, when my phone beeps. Fuck you. I ignore it. It beeps again.

She pulls back first. Her cheeks are flush. “You have to see what it is,” she says.

She’s right. I check. Emergency call from the base. I’m needed there immediately. For the first time since I enlisted, I want to quit. Right here. Right now.

“Go,” she says.

“Millie.”

“Mason, I know better than anyone what your job is. Go. You’re needed. We’ll talk later. I’m good. Really, I am.”

I leave with her still standing there in my shirt. All I can think about is getting back there. Getting back to her. Getting back to the place we left off.

“Be careful,” I hear her say as I close the door.

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