Page 65 of Keeping Laryn
His damn exhaustion had claimed him before he could put his plans into action. But he had to admit there was something so calming about holding Laryn as she slept. Even in sleep, she clung to him. It made him feel ten feet tall.
He dozed for the thirteen minutes until his alarm went off.
Laryn stirred in his arms and groaned when she realized it was time to get up.
“Hi,” he said quietly after he’d shut off the annoying buzzer from his phone.
“Hi,” she returned.
There was so much Casper wanted to say. To do. But they didn’t have time. And things were still very new between them. So he simply kissed her forehead and said, “I’ll be done in the bathroom in a few minutes. I’ll make coffee to go while you shower, if that’s okay.”
“That’s perfect. Thank you.”
Reluctantly, Casper scooted out from under her and the covers and stood. Then he turned and placed his palms on the mattress and leaned down. “Best night’s sleep ever,” he whispered, before kissing her lightly on the lips.
He left before he did more than that, before he gave in to the urgent feeling deep inside him to claim this woman. There wasn’t time, and he didn’t want to rush their first time in his bed. It was a stupid thing to think because they’d already made love, but this was his space. His domain. And it felt different to be with her here. More real for him, somehow.
Which didn’t make sense, considering things between them already felt as real as they could get.
Mentally shrugging, assuming it was a guy thing, he hurried to shower and do what he needed to do in the bathroom so he could turn it over to Laryn and get some much-needed coffee made for them both.
One thing was for sure, he felt different waking up with her by his side. The day didn’t seem so mundane. So routine. Everything felt special with her there. The possibilities for the day seemed endless. It was a euphoric feeling. One he liked a hell of a lot.
That euphoria didn’t last very long. Only until he and Laryn parted ways when they arrived at the base. She had to go make sure last-minute preparations for departure were done on her end. To check on the mechanics who were making the trip with her. And he had to meet his team and attend one last briefing about the situation they’d be flying into.
The plane ride across the world was frustrating. He and his friends were seated in one area of the plane, and Laryn and the men and women who worked for her in a different area. That was how it had always been in the past, but now the seating arrangements irritated Casper.
They landed and had to be shuttled to the destroyer, and Casper was able to finagle a seat next to her in the chopper. He pressed his thigh against hers but didn’t dare do anything more that might make her uncomfortable around their teams.
It was the smile she aimed his way that warmed his heart though. While she was definitely in professional mode, as was he, it felt good anytime they shared an intimate look.
As soon as they landed on the deck of the destroyer, they went their separate ways once more. Him to check in with the other pilots onboard and to meet with the special forces teams about the situation on the ground, and her to check on the choppers, which had arrived before them.
Hours later, Casper was feeling jet lag and the little sleep he’d managed to get before leaving the States. He was also hangry, and he wanted to check in with Laryn and see how she was getting on.
“Where’s the fire?” Pyro asked, as he and Casper strode down the corridor toward the mess hall.
“You aren’t hungry?” Casper asked, instead of answering his question.
“Starving. But since I’m not holding my breath that what they’ve got cooking in the galley is anything worth busting myass to get to, I can wait the extra thirty seconds it’ll take to get to the mess hall and have it served up. Let me guess…Laryn?”
Casper shrugged, unwilling to pretend she wasn’t important to him. That things hadn’t changed between them. “Yeah. Just want to know how her day went and how the birds look.”
“I’m sure they’re fine. With Laryn in charge, how could they be anything but?”
His friend had a good point.
“This is serious, right? You aren’t just fucking with her, literally or figuratively?” Pyro asked nonchalantly. “I mean, it would suck to lose her because you can’t keep your dick in your pants.”
Pyro wasn’t denigrating Laryn, but it was still difficult to stay calm. “It’s serious,” he told him.
“Cool. I like her.”
Casper gave him a sideways glance.
“Not like that,” Pyro was quick to reassure him with a chuckle. “Jeez. Things got serious between you two pretty fast, huh?”
He nodded. “Let’s just say I got my head out of my ass and opened my eyes to what was right in front of my face. I’m grateful no one else caught her eye while I was being a dumbass.”
