Page 32

Nadia

“Nadia.”

A creaking little squeak rises in my throat as I turn my head toward the noise, a determined frown curving my lips.

Something pats my mattress.

“Seriously, Nadia.”

My eyes fly open to take in the horrible sight of Cole Kincaid’s perfect fucking face eight inches from mine.

I bolt up, starting to shriek, but - quick as a panther - he slips a hand over my mouth and muffles the sound.

“Can you not?” He hisses, glancing rapidly around at all of the other sleeping forms. “Everyone is asleep!”

I start to say that I was likewise asleep and pleased to be so – but the words are all stifled against his palm, so I just seethe, already glaring – which is not an activity I enjoy before dawn when I haven’t had any coffee –

“I come in peace, all right?” Cole whisper-growls.

“Hmm?” Shayne murmurs, lifting her head next to us. “Pizza?”

Cole drops his hand, turning to her bed behind him. “Go back to sleep, Shay.”

She blinks and then focuses on him, her lovely little cherub face breaking into a smile. “My dreammm! Though…” she leans closer to him, “usually in this dream we are in a tropical location, Cole, and when you’re kneeling by my bedside, you’re wearing a lot less clothes -”

I groan and fall back on my pillow, covering my own mouth as Cole attempts to hold back his laugh. Shay just grins at both of us.

“So, what’s with the early morning visit?” Shayne whispers, completely unashamed as usual.

“Nadia’s needed,” Cole murmurs, gesturing to me with his thumb. “For a meeting.”

I roll over and smack his shoulder. “I’m right here . Talk to me about what I’m needed for, not Shay!”

He narrows his eyes. “Shayne is being nicer .”

“In my dream, I am not always nice, Cole – but you tend to like that –“

“I’m up! I’m up!” I hiss, sitting up in a hurry and scooting down the bed, glaring at the Prince and the harlot both. “This had better be worth it.”

He smirks at me. “Five minutes, meet me outside the tent. Clean up, you’ll be on video chat with the King.”

“I have that dream too –“

“Shay!” I hiss, hurling my pillow at her.

Cole can’t help it anymore, laughing freely and attempting to smother the noise as he stands and moves for the entrance. He holds up five fingers to me, a silent reiteration of my time limit.

I scowl, even as excitement rises in me. Because whatever’s happening…yeah. I want to be part of it.

Precisely four and a half minutes later, I duck through the tent flap, zipping up the front of my fleece pullover. I’m still in scrubs and sneakers, but I’m clean and my teeth are brushed, my long dark hair up in a messy pony.

“Will I do?” I ask, sarcastic, crossing to the Prince who stands a few feet outside the tent.

He turns and I instantly regret the question when he holds a cup of coffee out to me, his eyes freely moving up and down my body. I invited that, didn’t I?

“Sure,” he says, shrugging. “Here. Cream and sugar.”

Part of me resents taking anything from him but…damn it. I want that.

“What is all this?” I murmur, as suspicious as I am pleased. I sip the coffee, pissed again when it’s…perfect. God damn it, when did he learn how I like my coffee?

“Come on,” Cole says, striding off to the big fire pit, where I see a little fire burning even though no one is sitting there. Did he set that up? “We need to have a little chat.”

“I was told there would be a video call?” I snap, scurrying after his long strides.

“There will be,” he says, glancing down at me as I come to his side. “But first, you have to agree to a few conditions.”

I grumble wordlessly as I walk with him to the fire. I hate conditions.

Cole ignores my noise, sitting down calmly on one of the logs. I settle across from him, quite curious and trying not to let him see it. I’m well aware that we’re just ignoring everything that went on last night, which is weird - but I’m not going to bring up my bad behavior if he’s not.

“Are you warm enough?” Cole asks, frowning at me, looking me over again.

I scoff and roll my eyes. “Will you just tell me ?”

Cole laughs, looking down at the fire. “Listen, Nadia. I heard everything you said to me last night. Or at least, I tried to. And I’m very sorry. I’m going to try to be better.”

My mouth falls open.

He raises his gaze to my face.

I snap my mouth shut, determined to let him eat his fill of crow.

“I wasn’t fair to you, and I wasn’t kind. I’m sorry that I didn’t trust you. I should have. I’ve arranged for –“

“I’m sorry too.” I bite my lip, looking down, pissed off at myself for giving in so quick. I mean, three seconds ago I was ready to indulge in a pleasant morning of sipping coffee and listening to the Prince grovel.

Stupid conscience.

Cole pauses.

“I am,” I say, nodding solidly, not looking at him, my stupid pride not able to bear it.

“I let my temper get the better of me, and I didn’t let you talk.

And I was mean to you. And –“ I huff a sigh, lifting my eyes, meeting his stupid gorgeous green ones.

“Do I have to list all my flaws or will you just take a blanket apology?”

He hums like he’s thinking about it.

“ Please? I’ll…be better. I’ll work harder at keeping my cool. I’m sorry.”

Cole smiles at me, and I scowl. Stupid…beautiful perfect smile with all those ridiculously white teeth. “We’re good, Nadia,” he says, his voice low and humming.

I nod, kind of staring at him. Kind of unable to help it.

He clears his throat and drops his gaze. “I’m giving you clearance.”

“What?” My word is a shocked huff of breath.

“I’m including you,” he says, nodding as he picks up a stick and pokes at the fire, studiously avoiding looking at me.

“On all of the briefings that I have with your father from here on out – and the video calls with the Capital. You were right last night – it’s not fair for me to have information that you don’t.

I’m not going to hold back anything anymore. ”

I just stare at him, totally shocked.

Cole puts the stick down and turns his gaze back to me. I lean back a bit, overwhelmed.

“But you have to agree to the terms, okay?”

I just stare, my coffee clutched in my hands.

He frowns at me. “Nadia?”

I jump a little, blinking fast. “Um, yeah. Okay. I mean, what are they?”

Cole smirks. “To begin, you are an observer in these meetings. You don’t get to speak unless someone asks you something. You don’t get a vote or a say. Any interjections – however passionate – will result in you getting tossed out. Unceremoniously, if necessary. All right?”

“An observer,” I murmur, considering it.

“No negotiation,” Cole says. “This is about you and me having the same information. Nothing else – at least, not until you get the knowledge and the status that would earn you that kind of input. I’m not trying to be cruel, Nadia, but you don’t have the military knowledge or experience, and your education –“

“Is incomplete,” I murmur, nodding, getting it. I turn inward for a minute, considering all this, wondering…what the hell happened.

Cole sits quietly, watching me, letting me process.

I refocus my gaze on his face. “Why?”

He looks at me steadily. “Because I want us to be on the same page.”

I narrow my eyes. “So, this is not because I’m a good nurse. Or a passionate civil rights advocate.”

“No.”

I turn my head slightly. “It’s because you think I’m your…”

I swallow hard.

He waits.

“…mate.” The word is just a whisper.

He nods. “Yes.”

My stomach curls with anxiety. But I breathe through it, pleased that he…finally fucking admitted it. “Are things still on my terms?”

He smirks a little. “Yes. Obviously.”

My anxiety disappears at the first sign of a saucy attitude in the Prince.

“And you’ll answer all my questions?”

“Yes.”

“All of them? About anything? Not just the operation stuff – anything I want?”

His smirk deepens. “Yes.”

“Truthfully?”

Cole laughs now and lifts a hand, tucking a loose strand of my hair back behind my ear.

“Yes, Nadia,” he murmurs, his voice so deep I can practically feel it thrumming through me.

A shiver runs down my neck and spine. “I’ll tell you the truth about anything you want.

No more secrets, unless it’s some kind of military secret, and then I’ll tell you why you can’t know. ”

I grit my teeth against the quickening pulse of my heart, raising my chin. “How long did you date Rose?”

“Five years.”

I flinch a little at the suddenness of his reply. And also…wow. Then it was more serious than I thought.

“Well,” he shrugs, dropping his hand away from where his fingers curled, just barely, along the edge of my jaw. “On and off for five years. Most completely for a year and a half when I was twenty. All in secret. Rose didn’t want it to be in the press.”

I quickly do the math in my head, realizing they must have met when he was eighteen. I narrow my eyes very deeply, leaning forward again. “Did you lose your virginity to her?”

He laughs and nods.

I gasp, scandalized. Then, completely on impulse, I lean forward and smack him on the chest. “I can’t believe you brought the girl you lost your virginity to on this mission!”

“I didn’t !” he says, laughing and leaning away from me, his face just…

lit with happiness. I pull my hand quickly back, clutching it to my chest, kind of…

undone by how happiness transforms his face.

I mean, it’s all against my will, but I’m undone by it nonetheless.

“My dad sent her – and he didn’t ask me. ”

“Mean daddy,” I murmur.

“Oh, he doesn’t know,” Cole murmurs, glancing over his shoulder at the tent. “Or at least, I don’t think he does. Come on, do you want to go to this briefing? Or do you want to drink coffee and ask me more questions about my sexual history?”

I hesitate for a second too long, and Cole turns back to me, a wide grin on his face.

“Fine, let’s go!” I snap, standing up, very nearly sloshing my coffee everywhere. Only Cole’s steady hand stops my mug from tilting over.

I glare at him for that, storming off toward my dad’s tent. Cole easily keeps up with me, fighting a smile.

I glance up at him. “Thanks,” I whisper. “It…means a lot to me. To be included. I…want to help.”

“I know, Nadia. You’re welcome.” Cole looks seriously down at me as he lifts the tent flap, bowing me inside.

I grin at him as I step into the tent. “Hey, dad!”