Writing Lanie - Forbidden Heart Series Book 2

65| Perfect For Me

"What do you mean you're leaving for Afghanistan?" I got off Ayden's lap and put a little space between us. "I thought you were done. As far as I knew, you and Nate were officially out of the service."

"We are. This isn't for that."

When he got to his feet, he took a step towards me and I lifted my hand up. I needed to think clearly and rationally right now. If he touched me, I wouldn't be able to. I was always lost whenever he touched me.

"Just explain this to me," I said with a heavy sigh.

"When Nate and I were at Down the Rabbit Hole tonight, I got a call from my superior. He demanded that I fly out there to get some stuff taken care of."

"What stuff?"

He licked his lips and cleared his throat before he started to explain. "I'm not sure. Its probably because of what happened with Nate and me. We were rushed out of there and didn't file reports or anything."

I gasped softly and my heart dropped. "Does Nate have to go with you? Because I can't do that again, Ayden. I cannot have both of you going over there after--"

"Its just me. Nate is staying here with you."

"That doesn't make me feel better," I said with a shaky voice.

It didn't make me feel better at all. After what happened the last time they were over there, I don't think I could take the worrying again. They both nearly died. There was a brief time where I thought I would never see either one of them again.

I understood that he wasn't going to be an active soldier. I knew that meant he wouldn't be fighting. But it was still wartime over there. Stuff still happened. It wasn't completely risk-free, and I knew that Ayden knew that too.

But I also knew that there was nothing he or I could do about it. There was no amount of begging on my part. Just by looking at the pain in his eyes, I knew that he didn't want to go as much as I wanted him to stay. But that's how it worked in the Army. If your superior gave you an order, you followed it.

I crossed my arms over my chest as my eyes flicked to his. "When do you leave?"

"Tomorrow night."

So soon...I felt my eyes start to water and I tried to hide it by covering my face. I wanted to blame it on the hormones, but I was just...hurt. And scared. But we still had tonight.

I could feel his eyes on me as he curiously watched me walk to the bathroom. I grabbed a few tissues to clean up my face before I walked back to stand in front of him. I saw the confusion on his face when I wrapped my arms around his neck.

I felt his arms circle my waist before he said, "I'm so sorry, baby."

"You have nothing to apologize for. This wasn't your fault. I know if it was up to you, that you would stay here with me."

"In a heartbeat," he replied.

I looked into his eyes for a moment before I stood on my tiptoes and kissed him softly. If we only had tonight together, we wasn't going to spend it arguing.

I pulled back a little from the kiss; just enough so I could grab the bottom of his T-shirt and lift it over his head. When I went to reach for the waistband of his pants, he gently grabbed my wrists to stop me.

He chuckled when I raised a questioning brow. "Don't worry, Goddess. This is definitely happening. We will have our night together."

He inhaled a shaky breath. "Sit on the bed real quick."