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A s I make my last lap around the camp before nightfall, Archer comes up to me wearing an anxious expression. He’s chewing his thumb again. For a man with four degrees, he’s sure nervous more than necessary. In the time that I’ve known him, he’s proven himself to be competent and smart—not to mention the fact that he’s smokin’ hot. I’m not sure who shot down his confidence, but it needs a serious boost.

“Everything alright?” I ask.

“Um… yeah.” He doesn’t meet my eye. “It’s just I’m planning to work late tonight, and you said we shouldn’t be walking through camp alone at night, so I thought…”

“You want some company?”

“I mean, you don’t have to hang out with me or anything if you don’t want to, but maybe just check in, so when I’m ready to go back to my tent…”

“I’d be happy to walk you to your tent, Archer.” I smile and take his wrist, pulling his thumb from between his teeth. I can’t stand to watch him hurt himself, even if it's unintentional.

The idea of walking the little beta to his tent has my chest swelling with alpha pride. If this wasn’t a job, I’d probably kiss him after walking him home, maybe even ask if I could come tuck him in. Would he let me?

He looks down at where I’m still holding his wrist, then looks back at me.

Keeping firm eye contact, I don’t let go. “I’d like to hang out with you. If it won’t disrupt your work too much. I’ve got other guys who can handle the night shift.”

His eyes grow even darker, like staring into the night sky.

“I’d like that,” he whispers.

Reluctantly I release his wrist. There's a pep in my step as I follow him back to the tent he works in.

“So, tell me about yourself.” Just because I won’t make a move while on a job doesn’t mean I can’t get to know the man. Who knows, maybe after it’s all over, we can share a steamy night in Ekdoti before we go our separate ways.

“Not much to tell.” Archer takes a broken piece of pottery off a shelf and places it carefully on the table in the middle of the tent. “I’m sure you’re the interesting one between us. How’d you get into security?”

It doesn’t skip my notice that he turned the question back around on me, but I won’t push him if he doesn’t want to open up to me. I lean my hip against the table and watch what he’s doing.

“Well, as you know, I was a medic in the military. But even field medics have intense training in order to stay alive. We used to prank each other during the slow times at the base, though, and I quickly realized I was unusually good at sensing an attack from one of my brothers.” I chuckle at the memories. “Fuck, it used to piss them off so badly that they could never get the jump on me. Meanwhile, I could sneak up on them like a predator in the woods—totally undetected. My buddy Romero joked once that I should’ve gone into the secret service instead, and it sparked an idea. I didn’t know what I wanted to do after my stint, but I knew I wasn’t signing up for another tour. Security seemed to fit my skillset and is always needed, job security and all that, ya know?“

He laughs. “Yeah, I picked forensics partly for the job security. Never thought I’d be using my degrees this way, though.” He holds up the pottery piece and shakes it a little.

“You like it?”

“Yeah, I guess. Most of the time.” He picks up the camera and takes a few pictures of the broken relic. “How about you? You like security?”

“Yeah. Like I said, it suits me. I’ve always been big and burly and intimidating.” With a playful smirk, I flex my arms like I’m a bodybuilder posing on stage.

Archer laughs, but his gaze zeros in on my biceps in a way that makes me want to preen.

“Is that…um…are those, ” he jerks his head toward my still taut muscles, “how you got the nickname Bear?”

“Nope.”

“When did you get it?”

“Around the time I designated.”

“Oh, that’s interesting.” He stops taking pictures of the artifact and leans his hip against the table. “Does your nickname have something to do with your scent?”

I smile, not giving anything away.

The look he’s giving me is so similar to how he studied that artifact that I almost want to laugh. It’s damn hot to see that focused, intense concentration directed at me.

“Are you gonna tell me your real name?” He inches closer, all casual like, but still the heat in his eyes is unmistakable.

I shake my head in answer to his question. At this point, I’ve gone by Bear for so long it feels like it is my real name. Besides, I like being something he’s interested in, and I really hate my given name. “You can try to guess, though.”

He’ll never figure it out, but the thought of him thinking about me that much makes my gut all fluttery and shit.

He’s gazing up at me with a look that’s so full of attraction, it’s almost like I can read his thoughts. He’d make a horrible poker player. But something about that makes me smile. It’s refreshing. Most the guys I work with in security are so stoic, so good at keeping their emotions underwraps. It’s nice to be with someone who can’t hide how he’s feeling or what he wants.

I don’t think Archer could deceive someone if his life depended on it. He’s open in a way that makes me want to move closer, and also makes me worry about protecting him.

“Is your name Barrett?” he asks, making his first guess as he edges closer.

“Nope, not Barrett. ”

“Damn.” He scrunches his nose in thought. “Barrett means bear so I thought I was onto something there.”

He tilts his chin up so that he can study my face. He’s about half a foot shorter than me, and something about that slight size difference makes my heart beat a little faster. Not that Archer is small by any means. I’ve noticed the muscular build he’s sporting under those tight t-shirts more than a few times. But he would fit perfectly tucked into my side, right under my arm. Something about the beta makes me want to protect him and ravish him in equal measure.

“Arthur?”

I shake my head.

“Will you at least tell me why you don’t like it?”

I chuckle at his attempt to get a clue. “It’s just not a good name.”

“What makes a name not good, in your opinion?”

Damn, he’s cute trying to puzzle this out. Impulsively, I grab his hips and position him so he’s standing right in front of me while I lean against the table. “A bad name is one that doesn’t fit.”

“And Bear fits?”

“What do you think?” I squeeze his hips with my large hands.

His throat bobs as he swallows. “It fits.” He wets his lips. “Does… my name fit?”

“Can’t tell.” I lean close to his ear. “I haven’t seen your arrow yet.”

The corny line makes him giggle—flat out giggle like a school kid! It’s a delicious sound that makes me laugh, too, but when it dies away, all that’s left is the heaviness of our breaths, the heat of his body close to mine.

With my hands still on his waist, I skim my thumbs under his t-shirt. His gaze drops to my lips. So easy to read.

“I don’t kiss people when I’m on the job,” I say. “It’s unprofessional. Can’t have everyone here thinking I’m easy, now can I?”

“Okay.” His brows drop, and he tries to take a step back. I keep my grip on him, not wanting him to move away, wanting him closer, wanting to throw my own stupid fucking rule out the window.

“But damn, I want to kiss you right now.” My palms move up his sides, making his shirt bunch up enough to show a hint of skin. “Can I kiss you?”

“Please,” he says, all breathy. His dark eyes drop to my lips.

I trail my fingers over his abs. They’re so defined, not at all what I’d expect from a scientist like him. But I’ve got a feeling there’s a lot about Archer that might surprise me, and I want to know all of it.

He leans in, and I can smell the subtle hint of mint on his breath, like he just brushed his teeth. Did he do that for me? I can picture the nervous beta brushing his teeth before he came to ask me to keep him company, quietly hoping I might give him what he wants.

“I can’t hook up with people while I’m working,” I whisper, barely holding myself back. I really shouldn’t be doing this. But I already know I’m going to kiss him. I don’t know where my initial resolve went, but it’s nowhere in sight right now .

“Oh, yeah, okay…. so…you’re not going to kiss me?” He tries to pull away again, but this time, I slide my hands around his back and lock him in place.

“Oh, no. I’m going to kiss you.” I rub my palm up between his shoulder blades, plastering his chest against mine, so close he has to arch back to look at me. “But I’m only going to kiss you. That’s it. Understand? Nothing more while we’re working together. And it stays our little secret.”

I know I need to keep that semblance of control or I’m a goner. It’s probably already too late, but I’ve got to try. I don’t want to get a reputation for fucking around on the job. But now that my hands are on him, I know this isn’t just fucking around. This is right where I’m meant to be, but I can be patient.

As long as I get a little taste to tide me over until the job is done.

With an eager nod, Archer’s lips part, giving me his full consent.