Page 15 of Sleeping with the Dark (The Righteous 3)
“I’m proud of my hard work, but it’s not the same for me as it is for you, Trev. No one questions how many people you’ve slept with or if screwing them had anything to do with you making Master Chief. I bet you could fuck this entire encampment, and all the guys would do is cheer your dick on—ra, ra, get some more,” she mocked.
Trev got up and rounded the desk. He leaned against it and held out his hand for Mel to place hers into his. She hesitated but accepted his offering. “You don’t need to prove or explain yourself to anyone.”
“But I do. I need to retain their respect. If they don’t respect me, they won’t listen to me, Trev. I’m already at a disadvantage because I have tits instead of a dick. This thing we have going on between us is only making it harder.”
Trev stared out the slim tent opening and watched a jeep as it rumbled by. “Do you really want to end us?” His heart pounded hard as he waited to hear the verdict.
“No,” she finally said. Mel looked down at her boots. “You know how I feel about you, how I’ve always felt.”
“I don’t want us to end either, but I will respect what you choose to do.” Trev gave Mel a gentle tug to her feet and pulled her until she stood between his legs. He stared into her soft green eyes and tried to figure out when his feelings had shifted from best friend to lover and now in love. There was no wild rip your clothes off passion like the romance movies depict, but he could picture a quiet life with her once they both finished touring. He wanted to wake up beside her every morning. She made him laugh. They had everything in common, right down to how they liked their coffee.
He’d fantasized about purchasing a small farm near his parents and having a large family. “You let me know what you decide, but know that I love you. I don’t see what we have as simply friends with benefits.” He caught her eye as she looked away. “You know that, right?”
“I have never wanted two things so badly in my life, and I’m scared that I’m going to have to give up one to have the other,” she whispered, her voice hoarse with emotion. “I love you, Trev. So much it hurts.” She captured his lips, and he savored the taste of her sweet mouth and strawberry lip balm.
Moaning, Mel gripped the front of his fatigues in her fists, and the kiss quickly deepened. Trev slid his hands down the sides of her body until he could grip her ass and pull her firmly between his legs.
“This is a mistake,” Mel mumbled against his lips.
“We could never be a mistake.” He softly ran his lips down the side of her neck and hated the collar blocking his access. “I can’t wait to get you out of this uniform.”
“You’re my addiction, Trev. I told myself I would march in here and end things, no matter what you said. How do you always convince me to do what you want?”
He lifted his head from sucking on the small patch of skin on Mel’s neck. “Me, convince you?” He laughed. “I think that’s the other way around. But, maybe it’s because it’s what we both want.” Trev cupped her face, kissing her forehead and then her nose. She closed her eyes and smiled. “Sometimes you are simply more stubborn coming around to the same conclusion.” He laughed as her eyes snapped open to glare at him—her finger poking him in the side.
“Maybe, but I’ll never admit it.”
“Oh, I know you won’t. It’s part of your charm.”
“Do we have time for me to push you on this desk and ride you?” Her soft green eyes glittered and his cock instantly stood at attention with the image.
Trev sighed and adjusted himself, only making her smile wider, the minx. “Unfortunately, I have a meeting to get to—we can pick this up later. But, I may drag you back here to follow through on that fantasy cause that’s fucking hot.” Mel laughed and gave his cock a rub through his pants. He groaned and pressed his lips to hers briefly. “Devilish woman.”
Trev stood, forcing Mel to step back before he bailed on the meeting. He ran his thumb across her bottom lip. “You can have the world if you want it. There is no need to compromise on your dreams because you’re a woman. Don’t let them push you around Mel, you are a fucking good soldier, and I will fight beside you, always.”
Grabbing the papers on his desk, he made his way toward the tent door when Mel called his name. Looking over his shoulder, he stared at the woman he planned on marrying. She didn’t say anything but smiled wide. What she didn’t say told him more than words could’ve.
“I love you too.”
Trev took a swig of the tequila, the burn filling his belly and warming his limbs. He’d never regretted anything more in his life than what he said to Mel that afternoon. He squeezed his eyes closed and pushed down hard on the memories trying to surface. He should’ve listened to her and walked away. Arek was right. He was scared for Cody. When he recognized the man with a gun to his forehead, he had the same flash of fear as years ago—the same sinking in his gut that pulled on his soul and made his heart stop.
If what happened to Mel taught him anything, it was that emotions had no place in war. This new life with The Righteous was nothing but one big war. He looked at his reflection in the mirror over the fireplace. With a mighty heave and yell, he threw the bottle that smashed into the fireplace, sending little glass shards skittering in every direction.
His chest heaved as the emotion clogged his throat. He stumbled to the bed and flopped on the mattress.
“Never again.”
Cody groaned as he pushed the heavy bar over his head, the shiny silver bending slightly with the stress. His muscles strained under the intense weight. With a roar and a mighty heave, he stepped out from under the bar and let it drop to the floor with a bang. He had to give it to Trev—this workout room was stacked. He grabbed the towel off the floor, and when he stood, the man himself was in the room behind him.
This man was like a fucking cat. He never heard him coming, and suddenly, he wanted to strap a bell around Trev’s neck. Maybe even attach a leash. The image had the corner of his mouth pulling up in amusement until he remembered what Trev had said to him last night and how much it cut to the core.
“Would you like me to leave so you can have the room?” he asked Trev’s reflection in the wall of mirrors. He stared into those intense blue eyes, his stupid heart thumping hard in his chest as his body instantly responded to his presence.
“No, stay as long as you like.” Trev broke the staring match first and made his way to the treadmill. Cody watched his every movement. He was fascinated and drawn to this cold man, and he was infuriated with himself and yet couldn’t stop yearning for more. What gnawed at him was how different Trev was now than a few days ago. He’d gone from feeling like they were friends that wanted more, to feeling the cold air of a door being slammed in his face. How had he read the situation so wrong?
Apparently, he was more screwed up than he thought.
Trev paused with his hand on the machine, his back to Cody. “I’m sorry. I don’t say that word often, so it doesn’t come lightly, but I owe you an apology for the way I spoke to you last night.”
