I heard a muffled noise of confusion from the other side, but didn’t even have time to laugh before Kieran had me up against the wall in the foyer, his mouth on mine and hands cradling my face.
“Later,” he swore as he pulled away from the kiss. “We’ll pick right back up where we started, I promise.”
My heart skipped a beat or two as he pressed his thumb against my lower lip. I could see the conflict in his eyes, how he didn’t want to leave, but his sense of duty was the one thing that could claw him away from sex.
“Don’t miss me too much,” I murmured, attempting to be demure.
“Ah, I don’t make promises I can’t keep,” he replied. “I’ll see you later, beautiful.”
Chapter Fifty-Eight
Kieran
To no surprise, Hans and Jeremiah were waiting for me outside.
“I appreciate the two of you stepping in to cover for me this morning,” I sighed, running my hand over my face. In all my years serving the Elder Guard, I had never missed a meeting. I had never even beenlate.
“Of course,” Jeremiah said casually, though he kept his face fixed on the road ahead, the corner of his mouth slightly upturned.
“I really don’t know how it slipped my mind that there was a briefing.”
“You sure about that one, Cap?” Hans snickered, and Jeremiah promptly smacked his fellow lieutenant upside the head.
“I told you to drop it,” Jer hissed under his breath.
I rolled my eyes.
“Nah, it’s fair of him to give me shit for once. It’s not like me to getthatdistracted by sex. I’ve admittedly been out of focus lately.”
“Can’t imagine why,” Hans said airily, still smirking to himself.
“You got something more specific to say, Deering?” I challenged.
Hans shrugged.
“Just never thought I’d see the day.”
Jeremiah groaned, as if this was precisely what he’d been instructing his fellow officer to avoid talking about. Why, though?
“And what day is that, dare I ask?” I challenged again with a raised brow. They were acting strange, and I was exhausted.
“Oh, come on now, K. Don’t play dumb when it’s this obvious. We’re not the ones with a blind eye.”
“Will you just spit it out, asshole?” I grumbled, growing irritated as the pair of them glanced back at me like I was missing something.
“Just never thought I’d see the day you caught feelings, sir,” Hans laughed. “But hey, I’m happy for you. So is Jer, even if the bastard won’t admit it.”
“I never said I wasn’t happy for him,” Jeremiah countered. “Just that you should keep your damn mouth shut about it.”
“It should hardly be news to either of you that I care about Arken,” I reasoned.
“I think it’s a little more than—” Hans found himself interrupted as Jeremiah shoved him harshly off the road, causing him to stumble.
“No, we knew,” Jeremiah said. “But… If I may, sir. Are you sure this is a good idea? You and Ark? Thought you two were keeping things, uhh, platonic.”
I bristled under the implication. The unspoken concern that I would toss Arken aside eventually. I exhaled slowly through my nose, not wanting to get overly defensive when I knew Jeremiah meant well.
“I don’t mean—I just. We like the girl, Captain. We like having her around, too, you know.”