Page 22 of Harris
She was capable of doing this, I realized.
I didn’t like it, though. But the thought of Layla in BDUs, an HK in her gloved hands, hair braided back, clearing a room, pivoting, swiveling, running with the guys? Layla at my side, everywhere I went. Never having to leave her behind, because she was part of the team in every way.
A woman in my life who didn’t just let me go on missions, but who went with me? Did it get any better than that? Except for the whole part where we both risked death, risked watching the other die. That scared me a little. Or, actually, a lot.
But after the way we fell in love, was it fair of me to deny her this? Deny her the opportunity to at least try?
No.
I turned to her. “There’d be a lot more to it than just weapons training, Layla. I wouldn’t let you on the team unless you passed an evaluation by someone other than me. There’d be physical conditioning. Close-quarters combat training. Hand-to-hand. Room clearing. Someone that’s not me has to do the training, or nothing will ever get done, and I can’t always be objective. And above all, when I give an order, you listen. No questions asked.”
“If we’re working, I can agree to that. In our private life, I reserve the right to tell you to go fuck yourself.”
I stifled a smirk. “You listening has to start with this mission, Layla. When I tell you to stay put, youstayfucking put.”
She faked a salute. “Yes sir, Mister Harris, sir.”
“I’m willing to try,” I said. Made sure she was looking into my eyes, saw how serious I was. “I don’t like it. It’s going to be hard. You’re going to hate the physical conditioning part. I’m probably the world’s biggest idiot and sucker for even considering this. And if you get hurt, it’ll ruin me. But I love you, and—”
“If you say I’ve left you no choice, I’ll never speak to you again.”
“Youarecapable of this. I believe that, Layla. I wouldn’t agree to this if I didn’t think you were.” I fixed her eyes with mine. “But I’m serious when I say you have to go through every phase of the requisite training and pass an evaluation before you join the team full-time. You don’t pass, you don’t go. Just like Thresh and all the others, you have to go through refresher courses, pass yearly check-ups and evals. This isn’t a static thing where you just suddenly have the skills and then you’re done. It takes a fuckload of work to stay sharp all the time, to be on your game every day, no matter what.”
She was wiggling in her seat. “I get it, Nick. I hear you. I can do this.”
“Prove me right, babe. Please. Don’t make me regret this.”
“You won’t—I won’t, I mean.” The grin on her face was ear-to-ear.
“I’ve got to be out of my mind,” I said with a groan.
“You are. But I love you anyway.” She got out of the chair, leaned close to me, careful to not bump any switches, buttons, or the controls. “Thank you, Nick.”
“I can’t lose you, Layla. You’re too important to me.”
She took my face in her soft, warm palms. “I know. And you won’t.” She kissed me, then. Slowly, deeply. But then she pulled away. “You owe me an apology, you know.”
“I do, don’t I?”
“You do.” She grinned at me, lips curling against mine. “I’ve got some ideas for how you can apologize.”
“Oh yeah? How’s that?”
She resumed her seat, switched off the autopilot, and took the controls. “Oh, you’ll see. But it involves a lot of you on your knees. Possibly a lot of me riding your face.”
“Apology cunnilingus?” I asked with a smirk. “I can do that.”
She quirked an eyebrow at me. “Oh, you’ll apologize with words too. Don’t think you’ll get off that easy, Mister. I haven’t forgotten the move with the zip-ties.”
Shit. Layla was crafty enough that I had a feeling I’d wake up hogtied at some point. If I knew Layla, she’d find a way to make me beg her for forgiveness. I intended to make her work for it, but I’d do it.
5
FIREFIGHT
I wondered, with not a little bit of fear, what I’d gotten myself into.
I was hot.