I groaned, pressing closer. Vince continued his ministrations, not saying anything, but his question hung in the air. Kissing his chest before I rested my chin on him to meet his gaze. Vince’s fingers skittered over my face, making my eyes close.
“What?” Vince asked again.
Unable to help myself, I kissed him. “We’re going to be home soon.”
“I know,” he said, fingers never stopping as they traced my features. “But it will be a while before the first ship heads to Earth. Months, at least, I imagine.”
“Yes, but I won’t be able to stay planetside with you.”
He stilled. “What?”
“I’ll have to leave after a week, maybe two if I’m lucky.”
“Why?” Vince gripped my hair more tightly than usual—or than was comfortable—but I didn’t mind, because I sensed his panic. I nuzzled him, and he relaxed his hold with an unspoken apology. I kissed his chest, so he knew I wasn’t upset.
“I have already been away from my duties for longer than usual. I have to return to them.”
Fear. Panic. Anger. Possessive need. They all flashed through Vince, followed by his utter unwillingness to let me go. I smiled, pressing my forehead against his sternum. Vince didn’t want me as I did him, but he did care about me.
“No. I don’t want you to.”
I kissed his chest again, not able to get enough of him. “I don’t have a choice, my Vince. If I could pick, I would choose to remain by your side, but I cannot. Nor do I wish to give up my commission.”
“I would never ask you to.”
“I know.”
“I just—” He broke off with a loud breath.
I didn’t press, just observed his emotions swirl and change as his thoughts raced, making it difficult for me to comprehend what was going on within his mind.
Vince closed his eyes. “I want more time.”
Part of me selfishly wanted to insist he stay, but I understood why Vince didn’t want to. Though, at the same time, I wanted him to remain with me. I needed him to choose me.
Not saying anything, I rested my cheek on his chest, listening to his heart pound. The thump was so different from the thrumof a drakcol’s soul, but I loved it. Vince ran his fingers through my hair as we lay next to the crackling fire, simply existing with each other.
Chapter 33
Hot springs.
I leaned against the pure white side of the hot spring, swallowing my moans. The hot springs were as glorious as I’d been led to believe. There were private ones, public ones, inside ones, outside ones, and all were fucking lovely. I was in an outside public spring. The snow covered the ground, though the resort had cleared a path leading to the pools, flat gray stepping stones leading the way to the edge. The water was robin’s egg blue and perfectly warm, though it did have a sulfur odor that you couldn’t get away from.
From the flush on Teddy’s cheeks last night, it was safe to say Mindy had gotten the fuck he’d wanted. I’d decided to rent a private hot spring for me and Don.
But it was only humans this morning. Seth had been hard to convince to come and bathe with us, but he’d finally agreed. Caleb leaned back against the edge, arms spread. Camden, Pierce, Shannon, and Roman were chatting. Brad and Teddy grunted in their usual conversational tone. The other humans moved around the pool in groups, chatting and laughing.
All the hot springs were mixed gender and everyone was sans clothes. At first, I’d thought it might be odd, but Pierce had just raced in, boobs bouncing in a way that had to be uncomfortable. After that, everyone else hadn’t cared. Even shy Seth had walked in without covering himself, though he’d been bright red.
I moved around the pool until I was next to Seth, who was in the water up to his neck, trying to hide most likely. I asked, “Glad you came?”
“Yes, though Kal threatened to challenge you or anyone who stared at me too long.”
I burst into laughter, and Seth followed suit. Seth could protect himself, something I was supremely glad for, but Kal was overprotective to the extreme.
My head went back, resting on the lip of the spring. “Don’s leaving.”
“What?” Seth asked, water splashing as he sat up straight. “You two are breaking up? I don’t believe it.”
