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My troops and I completed our work in the field before returning to Kajal, Xaxos’s capital. We deposited the Quarek renegades in a secure facility until their scheduled time to stand trial in military court. Once all that business was handled, I relieved the troops of duty for a couple days and went to the main building of headquarters. Thoughts of Cammie filled my head as well as other parts of my body.
I entered the building and blazed a path to the elevator to get to our living quarters. I pictured my mate reclining on the couch, draped in a blanket and not much else.
“Rone.”
She threw me off when she came bursting out of my office instead.
I stopped short of the elevator in the hall. “Cammie, I thought you’d be at home. It’s after six.”
She wore a shirt and pants that covered her from the neck down. “I just heard from your medic. He told me you got hurt in the field.”
I grumbled under my breath. “Let’s talk about this behind a closed door.” I didn’t care to have our conversation recorded over all the surveillance cameras.
I assumed Cammie would move to take the elevator with me. Instead, she marched back into my office. This was not going to go over well. I walked in after her and closed the door behind me.
She perched on the edge of my desk. One eyebrow lifted as she waited for me to start talking.
I continued to grumble. “Bhesur didn’t need to say anything.”
“I asked him how the mission went in the field when I saw him on his way to the clinic.”
“Ah, so you set it up for him to tell you.”
She lifted her shoulders, pretending to be blameless. “I didn’t demand he tell me, if that’s what you mean. I wanted to know how you were doing. Communications are sketchy in the field. I couldn't risk jeopardizing the mission, or I would’ve tried contacting you myself weeks ago.”
“You gave this considerable thought.” I went and planted a kiss on her forehead. Her clean, soft vanilla scent put my mind at ease. My cock, meanwhile, twitched at the idea of me clearing space on my desk for the two of us. I did not mean digitally. “Each day we’re together, I see more and more how you were made for the art of diplomacy.”
“Aht, aht. Flattery will get you nowhere, even with that voice.”
“Can I try something else?”
Her hand flew out and with a flick of the wrist, she lifted the hem of my shirt. Her brown eyes widened at the sight of my bandaged ribs. “When were you going to tell me you got hit by a Quarek’s laser rifle and broke your ribs?”
“They’re not broken. It’s only a small fracture.”
“Same thing. They’re bandaged. May I see what’s underneath?”
I unwrapped the bandage to show her my nearly healed wound from the laser rifle. “You can barely see it.”
“There’s bruising around your ribs.” Her expression softened. “How bad does it hurt?”
“Not enough to keep me down.” I removed the bandage and tossed it in the trash. “Or stay away from you for long.”
“Aww.” She tilted her head and smiled. “You’re sweet.” Then the smile went away, replaced by her serious face. “I should let you rest.”
“You should not. I don’t want you worrying over nothing.”
“This,” she gestured to my field injuries with her hand, “is more than nothing. I know you have a whole galaxy to watch over. There’s always going to be an element of danger, but it’s fine to care about yourself.”
“I hate seeing you distressed, especially if I caused it.” I lifted a strand of her hair she had gathered in a low ponytail, draped over one shoulder. The tight spirals always fascinated me, as did everything else about her.
My life wasn’t so simple anymore. I wasn’t just a soldier or the commander of an intergalactic army. I had a mate to cherish and care for. There were times I felt like our bond would last long beyond our years.
“Cammie, what do you think about children?”
She blinked. “They’re cute. Playful, and a handful sometimes.” She shook her head, perplexed by my question that seemingly came from out of a black hole. “Why?”
“Commander. Ambassador.” A voice from the other side of the door interrupted our conversation. I recognized it as Uz’Rik, my second-in-command.
