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“I’m at Betty’s.”
“What the fuck are you doing there?” I know I’m behaving like an asshole, but I don’t want her at Betty’s place. I want her in my bed, with her fingers rubbing at her clit while I listen to the sounds of her ragged breaths.
“Betty invited me to meet her family and have dinner with them.”
“Fuck,” I hiss under my breath. “You didn’t text me,” I protest weakly.
“I haven’t eaten yet,” she says, and I can almost hear the apology in her voice.
“You didn’t tell me your plans,” I say, trying and failing not to sound like a controlling dick.
“Did I need to?”
“Yes,” I snap, even though I’m more than aware I’m being an asshole.
She doesn’t reply, and I slap my hand against my head and sigh. “I thought you’d be home. I thought we could talk a little.”
“We are talking,” she says, her voice small.
“I was hoping for a slightly more naked chat,” I say, trying to lighten the sour mood I’ve created with my caveman attitude. “I don’t want to share you, you’re mine.”
“Oz, we need to talk?—”
Cutting her off, I growl. “There’s nothing to talk about. You’re mine, Etta. Mine to keep, mine to breed, mine forever.”
“That’s—”
I cut her off again. “Enough,” I snarl, immediately silencing her. “Go eat, tell the Barnetts I said hello, then call me when you get home.”
“Okay,” she says, her voice meek and sad. I fucking hate the sound of it and the knowledge that I’m being the monster she knows me to be, but I can’t help it. I can’t let her try to argue about us not being an us when I’m not there to remind her why we’re so good together.
“Behave,” I tell her.
“Bye, Oz.”
Ending the call, I stare down at my cell, once again fighting the urge to go to her, but as much as I wish I could, I can’t leave work again just because I’m being a pussy. Once I have my ring on her finger, this will be easier, but I still type out a message to Beau, just in case they have a full house of people the way they usually do.
Me: Hey Beau, the Barnett curse struck again. Etta’s mine. Make sure that anyone who looks at her knows. Oz.
His reply is almost instant.
Beau: Got it. Does she know?
Me: She’s aware.
Beau: Congratulations.
Me: Thanks.
Some of my anger fades, but a fresh bout of anxiety fills me at the realization that I won’t get to see her again until Wednesday morning. She needs me, and I need her, and another full day without her sounds like fucking hell. Maybe Knight has the right idea about retiring once he claims his woman, because being with Etta full-time sounds fucking incredible.
Once dinner has been served, we sit down and talk through the call out the guys went to this morning and the search and rescue call Anders, Knight, and I were part of yesterday. Mealtimes are always a chance for us to debrief about each rescue we attend and talk about any issues we had or anything we think we may need to train more on. Other people might prefer to decompress, but we’re always striving to improve, and when people’s lives are at risk, being the best is always what we’re aiming for.
The rest of the evening is quiet, and as my teammates start to head for the bunk room to sleep, I step outside into the crisp evening air. Pulling up Etta’s number, I hit dial and wait for her to answer.
“Hello,” she says sleepily.
“Hey,” I say, relaxing at the sound of her voice.
