The night when Joy had brought along Daniela and Tammy hadn’t been a good night for me. I knew seeing the three of them would remind Sam of just why she had refused me, would make her conclude that she had made the right decision. I’d been hoping that in time she would come to change her mind, open her eyes more to the idea of what I’d offered. If she had, the three of them turning up together like sisters would have cancelled that right out, because Sam was right; she could never be a part of anything like that. She was more than that. I respected her for it. I wanted her for it. I almost hated her for it.
It was always that I almost hated her. I could never get past the wanting her. Could never shake her off. Could never find anything about her that made me want her less. The wanting was quickly becoming aching. I didn’t want to be like this anymore; constantly thinking about and wanting someone that I couldn’t have but who my soul seemed to think was mine.
Christ, now she’s just making it worse...She had left her chair and was stretching up to reach the top shelf of one of the filing cabinets, returning some documents. Her top had risen up and the small of her back was showing, flashing me some kind of swirly tattoo. To make it even worse, but at the same time better, was that I could see the top of her panties...red silk with a band of lace at the top. I was seriously at risk of becoming painfully hard.
“Hey bro.” Oh great, Evan’s here.
I nodded a little. It was all I could manage because I knew what was coming next...
“Hey Coach,” he greeted Sam, grinning. Most of the Commanders were calling her that now, though they said it as a pet name whereas the recruits’ said it with an air of respect. She had come a long way with them, completely turned things around.
Her head swerved, revealing that smile that she always had for him. I wish I could say that I thought she did it to get a rise out of me. But it was so obvious that the smile was authentic. “Alright Ev.”
I stiffened. I don’t know why it got to me so much when she abbreviated his name like that. Joy seemed much more relaxed now that he was here. No prizes for guessing why. She loosened her hold on my neck but I still felt like I had a chimp hanging off my body.
Evan stood by Sam’s desk, tapping it with his fingers. “I was hoping you’d still be here.”
She seemed just as surprised as me by that. He had never come specifically to see her before. I won’t lie, I wanted to punch him.
“I’m just leaving for the arena,” she said apologetically as she returned to the desk and tidied the pile of papers on top of it.
“Actually, that’s why I’m here. I was thinking I could come along and watch. I’ll sit in the spectators’ box out the way and I won’t say a word, I swear.”
“Aren’t you working with your own squad?”
“I decided to give them half the evening off because it’s one of the guy’s birthdays.”
“You’re too sweet” – Did she want me to punch her too? – “I said I’d let mine leave early if, and only if, they did good. Why the sudden interest in my squad?”#p#分页标题#e#
“Well it turns out that, um, some pranks have been getting played on the other squads, particularly mine. The guys swear it’s payback from your squad, that a certain telekinetic individual called Harvey was responsible. But I thought they can’t possibly be right about that because you’ve only been training Harvey for like a week.”
“Huh, weird.” There was just as much humour in her voice as in his.
“And now I’m all curious. So, can I?” His grin was charming, he’d get his way.
“Alright, but I need a favour from you.”
He shrugged. “Whatever you want.”
“I’d like to borrow your squad some time to spar with mine. It won’t be for another week.”
“Do you think they’ll really be ready for that?”
“Well you can decide that for yourself, can’t you?”
I couldn’t bring myself to say anything to his “Later, bro” or her “See you later”. At least, not anything that wouldn’t be a threat, curse, or insult.
Sam? Hell, I hadn’t even meant to call her. The last time I had spoken telepathically to her was when I had saw Max flirting with her at the pool. I wasn’t expecting a response now just like I hadn’t then, especially since she had continued to leave the office.
Yep? Forced friendliness.
Now I was going to have to come up with a reason why I had called her. I’ll be coming to watch too.
I’m surprised you haven’t sooner, they’re your recruits as well.