Authors: Aliyah Burke
He leaned close and brushed their lips
together. “Will you help me do that?”
“
Of course. Now, if you
don’t mind, I need some rest. Long day tomorrow.”
“
What happens
tomorrow?”
“
I have more branding to
do with Kees.”
He stiffened. “I can help.”
“
You’re supposed to be
resting. And besides, I don’t need you getting in the way because
you think I may be in danger.”
“
You should not be
in
any
danger.”
“
Exactly why you’re not
going.” She patted his arm like he was a child and walked to the
door.
What?
“Aida,” he grumbled, following her, grabbing his plate along
the way. “I can’t let you put yourself in danger.”
“
I’m not having this
discussion with you. I’m going tomorrow, you are not.” Aida faced
him. “I’ve been doing this for a long time. This is part of my life
here, and I refuse to let you put me in a plastic
bubble.”
He almost flinched from the raw emotion in
her voice. “Then let me come with.”
“
What happens if one of
those cattle kicks me or slices me with a horn?”
“
I bring you home, but I
wouldn’t let that happen.”
“
And
that
is why you can’t go. I know
it’s dangerous, Dane, but I don’t need nor want you to coddle me.
And you wouldn’t let me do my share of the work.”
He didn’t like this. “So because I want to
protect you, you’re telling me you don’t want me there?”
“
Pretty much. You can’t
lock me away from the world, Dane. I don’t need you to protect me
out there. Not from this kind of thing. I can do this, and I’m good
at it.”
He narrowed his eyes. “You and Kees
alone?”
“
Oh God, no. They’re a lot
of guys.” She turned away and got some water.
His tiger rumbled his disapproval. “No,” he
uttered.
“
I wasn’t asking,
Dane.”
“
I don’t like
it.”
“
Too bad.” She put the
glass down and leaned against the sink, watching him with her arms
crossed. “Don’t make an issue of this Dane. Trust me.” Aida walked
toward him, hips swaying gently and his cock hardened in the space
of a heartbeat. “You are supposed to be resting. And maybe your
family would like to hear from you.”
He licked his lips, and her mouth curved up
into a siren’s smile. Her gaze hooded and seductive.
“
Are you even listening to
me?” she asked.
Dane nodded and reached for her.
“
Wonderful.” Her shirt
lifted, exposing her flawless skin to his lecherous gaze. “So it’s
a deal then?”
His shaft pressed so hard against his jeans
he figured the fabric pattern would be imprinted on it. Nothing
mattered but sinking balls deep within her. He’d agree to
anything.
“
Deal,” he muttered on a
guttural moan.
“
Good.” She threw her
shirt to the side and grabbed him by the waistband. “Take me to
bed.”
Dane lifted her in his arms and did just
that.
The next morning, he could barely swallow
the roar of anger which moved through him. Aida dressed before him,
a pair of tight jeans sliding up over her muscled legs. Legs he’d
spent all night and most of the morning between, one way or
another. His need grew right along with the disapproval he had of
her plan. If she knew about either war raging within him, she never
let him in on the fact.
A tank top covered by a button down, her
firm ass right there when she bent over to pull her pant legs down
over her boots made his dick harder than anything in the
surrounding area. His fingers itched to sink into those globes and
hold her to him while he… Dane shifted, frowning when she gathered
up her hair and pinned it up.
She smiled at him as she left the bedroom.
“Let’s go, boys.” Her happy words reached him.
Dane ground his teeth and forced his demand
to remain behind his clenched. He entered the living room in time
to see her grab her hat and open the door. It closed on her, “Good
morning, Kees.”
For a second, he saw the
scene of her taking off her shirt for Kees and jealousy flared to
life.
Aida!
He
headed for the door.
I’ll see you this evening, Dane. There’s
food in the oven for you to heat and eat.
He yanked open the door and found himself
face to face with Aida. She waited with arms crossed and brows
lifted.
“
See, n’ here I was
thinking you weren’t going to tell me goodbye,” she
murmured.
“
I don’t like this,” he
ground out.
“
Give me a kiss,
tiger-mine. I have to get going.”
Looking past her, Dane saw Kees sitting
easily on a horse with another beside him. The man tipped his hat.
Dropping his gaze to the woman before him, Dane inhaled
sharply.
“
Dane, I have to get
going.”
Bringing her flush to him,
Dane sighed heavily. “I really don’t like this,
mate.
”
“
I know.” Sadness leeched
into her eyes before she could mask it.
The kiss was light and quick before his eyes
were on the sway of her ass in those damn jeans. Aida swung up
effortlessly onto the brown equine, plunked her hat on her head,
and lifted the reins. They turned the horses and headed off at a
trot. She never looked back. Dane could hear her happy tone as she
spoke to Kees and he remained against the doorframe until he could
no longer see her or her dogs.
Alone, Dane listened to the silence.
Normally what he loved, but he found he craved the sound of Aida’s
voice. The gentle alto which brought him such peace just by hearing
it. If she spoke to her dogs or sung off-key when lost in her
thoughts.
Dane went to the shop and began to finish
the table. He worked all morning, and it was sitting in her house
by the afternoon. He smiled as he trailed his fingers over the
pyrography he’d done which now lay under the polyurethane
topcoat.
Aida?
A little busy here, tiger-mine.
I know. I wanted to know if I could use your
phone.
Help yourself. Don’t forget to eat.
Are you okay?
He couldn’t help the question.
I’m fine, thank you for asking. I have to
go. See you in a while.
Her voice faded away, and Dane raked a hand
through his hair before moving to the phone. He could still feel
her and it helped to calm his unease. With a sigh, he lifted the
receiver and dialed the number he wanted.
“
Delta Mike Romeo,
one-five-niner Quebec,” he said in a crisp tone when it was
answered. It was instinctive for him to give his code for a secure
line.
“
Crypt. Good to hear from
you. Are you okay?” General Herbert asked.
“
I’m fine.”
“
We got the tape of Slim’s
confession. You’ve been cleared. People are looking for him
now.”
“
Good luck to them,” he
muttered, knowing full well no one would find Slim.
“
You got a promotion from
all this, son. Congrats on now being full Colonel
Sidorov.”
“
Thank you,
sir.”
“
We have a new unit, and
we want you to head it.”
Dane furrowed his brows, never before had he
felt so unsure of what to do. He loved to serve but that meant time
away from Aida. Since he’d found his mate, being with her and
protecting her took precedence over everything else. “I…I’ll have
to think about it.”
“
Can I bring you the files
on those selected?”
“
Yes. But, General, I’m
not going back with you.”
“
I’ll see you in a few
days, Dane.” The man ended the call without acknowledging Dane’s
comment.
After he finished a lonely meal, Dane went
back out to Aida’s shop to get some more of the small projects he’d
noticed needed some extra attention. Standing in her second
bedroom/office resealing the window, Dane spotted a box on the desk
with a small piece of paper sticking out. After smoothing out the
caulking, he cleaned his hands and went to it, lifting the hand
painted lid of Table Mountain at sunset, or sunrise, he wasn’t
sure. It was beautiful.
There were four items lying on the dark blue
velvet lining. Dane grabbed the one which had first snared his
attention. A piece of paper which he unfolded and read.
One of Yale’s students, Aida Roberts, who
has an unwavering love of her fellow human, lost her cousin in a
senseless act of violence. I spoke with Ms. Roberts, personally,
and asked her if she hoped her cousin’s murderer would get the
death penalty. She first quoted, “Why do we kill people who kill
people, to show that killing is wrong?” And followed it by saying,
“No. His death won’t bring my cousin back and wishing another death
would dishonor Len’s memory.” Ms. Roberts says she will finish up
her final year at Yale and then is going back home to South
Africa.
The article continued but Dane read no
further. “She despises violence, and that is exactly what I brought
into her world.”
Pinching the bridge of his nose, Dane picked
up the folded heavier piece of paper and opened it. It was her
degree from Yale. She held a B.S. in Mathematics and Physics.
“Damn, Aida.” She’d apparently turned her back on everything from
that period in her life. He put that back as well.
A small ring made of a
shiny gum wrapper and a photo were left. Dane lifted out the
picture. Aida and a man, her cousin Len according to the back of
the photo, stood side by side, arms around one another. Len’s shirt
had a big arrow on it pointing towards Aida with the phrase, “I’m
with Stoopid.” Aida’s had an arrow toward Len and “Me, too,
but
this
stupid
can spell. God love Yale.” Each of them had a beer in one hand, and
Dane noticed on one index finger, Aida wore the gum wrapper
ring.
He placed the items back and closed the box.
With a frown, he went back to the photo. “Fuck!” he swore. In the
memory she’d shared with him, this was what they wore. That photo
had been taken the night Len had died.
Died, hell. Murdered.
Dane went back to the window and got back to
work. He stood on the outside when his ears picked up on the sound
of hoof beats coming. The dogs were panting, tongues lolling while
Kees and Aida talked to one another. Dane grinned and went to
return his tools. When they rode into view, he was by the pump
getting water for both dogs and horses.
Ruger and Kamau gratefully stuck their heads
in and began to drink. Loudly. Dane focused on Aida. He watched her
body move with the horse. She rode easily and with a natural flow.
However, she was covered in dirt and there existed a smile of
satisfaction on her face.
“
Hey, Dane,” she said,
reining her horse to a halt by him.
“
Solnyshko moyo,
how are you? Evening, Kees.”
“
Dane. Glad you’re feeling
better.” Kees tipped his hat but stayed on the horse.
“
See you tomorrow, Kees,”
Aida said, dismounting and giving the horse some water.
“
Bright and early.” He
took her reins while his equine drank. “Good night,” Kees said with
another tip of his hat. Then, he rode off.
Dane ran his gaze over the dogs then to
Aida. She removed her hat and smacked it against her leg, sending a
plume of dust up into the air. Her beautiful face was streaked with
dirt and sweat.
“
Tomorrow?” he
asked.
Aida rolled her shoulders. “Yep. I’m going
to get this layer of grime off.” She headed for the house, dogs on
her heels.
Dane kept himself rooted to the spot. He
knew full well if he followed his cock would be inside her.
And that’s a bad thing?
It wasn’t but he knew she was exhausted.
Even so, his shaft swelled at the thought. He went inside and
waited in the living room for her. She came out about ten minutes
later. Scrubbed clean and smelling like the tantalizing trio of
scents she wore so sinfully, a tired smile on her face.
“
Ohh, you finished the
table.” She hurried to take a look. “I didn’t even notice when I
first came in.”
He rose to his feet. “I hope you like
it.”
Her gasp split the air. “Dane,” she sighed.
“It’s absolutely beautiful.”
He moved up behind her and slipped his arms
around her waist. Dane watched her trail the fingers from her left
hand over the teardrop he’d scorched into the center.
“
Thank you.” Her words
were drenched with heartfelt gratitude.
“
I’m glad you like
it.”
“
I love it. It’s amazing.
You did all of this in like a day?” Her fingers moved along the
edge, following the soft scrolling he’d burned there.
Dane leaned forward and nipped her ear
before saying, “I made sure it would be very sturdy, too.”
“
Forget it,” she said with
a laugh.
“
Forget it? You want me to
forget the experience?”
“
No. Feel free to keep the
memory.” Aida faced him. “You can forget it happening
again.”
He stared at her and lifted a brow. “Really?
Because I was thinking it should happen again along with the
counters.” Her eyes darkened with lust and longing. He watched her
pupils dilate. “Sounds like a good idea, doesn’t it?” he
cajoled.