Page 243 of Knot Their Soldier: Part Three

"Evidence of neglect."

"This," I say, gesturing to the office, "is not neglect. It's administrative work."

Blaze shifts closer, and I swat at him again, but he evades me with a delighted little huff. His mouth curves as he dips his face back toward my throat, careful not to touch his teeth to my skin, though the promise of them makes my Omega perk up like the traitor she is.

"Your scent is begging me for intervention," he says, maddeningly pleased with himself.

"My scent is not begging!"

His eyes lift to mine, bright with trouble.

"Sparkles, your scent has filed a formal complaint."

I open my mouth to argue, but Blaze moves faster.

His warm and callused hand covers my mouth, and he leans in until his soot-smudged cheek nearly brushes mine.

"Do not alarm the enemy," he whispers.

I blink at him over his fingers.

His eyes dart down to the datapad, the screen open on the supply count reports.

Ah. I see.

The enemy is, apparently, supply management.

It clicks. This isn't Blaze coming back wired and deranged from a mission. This is my Blaise being playful. Sometimes it can take a while to parse which personality I'm with, but I'm certain this doesn't require me to send out a distress signal to the Pack. Blaise just wants to have fun, and I'm all for it.

I lick his palm.

Blaise freezes, and I watch as his pupils dilate.

Through the bond, his amusement flares into absolute, heated delight. "Oh, Sparkles. You want to play? Come play with me."

"I can't, I have work to do," I say when he finally lowers his hand.

I shove at his chest, but the laugh building in my throat ruins the effect. He smells like smoke and that wild, satisfied Alpha edge he always brings back from recon, and it wraps around me until the office feels warm with it.

"Please, please, please?"

"I need to read this report. I’m serious."

His expression softens beneath the mischief. He crouches in front of my chair, hands settling on the armrests, his thumbs close enough to brush my wrists.

"I know," he says, quieter. "That’s why I’m stealing you. You haven't smiled all day."

I start to ask how he would know and stop myself. When it comes to Blaze, it's best not to know the how.

My inner Omega preens, starved of attention after being left alone for only a few hours. It's ridiculous, because I'm a full-grown woman capable of being on her own. Except, now that I have a Pack, my instincts crave affection constantly. I'm like an addict.

Blaise must have felt a subtle change in my mood through the bond and, like a protective Alpha, came home from whatever nightmare he spent the day crawling through for the sole purpose of making me smile.

I sigh like I’m suffering, because dignity matters, but I'm buttery soft for my mate on the inside. Sometimes, he can be such a sweetheart.

"Fine," I mutter. "But if Knox asks, I was abducted against my will."

Blaise’s grin returns at full force.