“It was still in full swing when I got there,” she said. “They were trying really hard to give you a hero complex.”
“Right. But you knew the truth of it,” he said. “That’d I’d merely been the next person in line to take up the mantle. I’d followed protocol, used my training, and did what I thought would save the most lives. You were the first person I’d met who didn’t either despise me or revere me for it.”
“A single act can’t define someone—good or bad.”
“See, it’s that.”
She raised a brow. “What is … what?”
“That even-keeled wisdom. Way beyond your years.” He pushed a strand of hair off her forehead. “But I know most of those years were heavy.”
A lump built at the back of her throat, but she mustered an appreciative smile.
“Even if I didn’t internalize it back then,” he continued, “I think that’s when I knew we could be more. Or I guess, that I might want to be more to you, someday.”
“That was almost ten years ago. Why didn’t you say anything sooner?”
“I don’t know. I’m a lot older than you, for one.” He rolled his eyes. “Whatever, that’s a shit excuse.”
She laughed. “Yeah, it’s a shit excuse. Especially since you’ve already closed the gap by three years.”
“There was just always a damn war on,” he said, voice low and steady. “Then after Paxus … I didn’t know if you’d be ready to hear it.”
“Maybe not,” she conceded. “But that was still five years ago.”
“Only two for me.”
“Right…”
“Honestly,” he began, sidling closer again, “it’s always been fear. Afraid if I told you, you wouldn’t want me back, and I’d scare you off. That I’d lose you.”
She leaned in and lightly kissed his bottom lip. He held his breath.
“You’re a centurion,” she said, “the most lauded Vanguard of our era, and as a Titan, part of one of the most successful spec-ops task forces of the last two centuries … but not brave enough to tell a woman how you feel about her?”
“Not just any woman.”
“Oh, geez,” she said with a hiss and a grin. “Feelin’ pretty smooth tonight, huh, Griff?”
He smiled, then kissed her forehead lightly. “We can still get a couple of hours of sleep before I have to go.”
“Just sleep?” she asked, biting her lip and smiling.
A wolfish grin spread across his face. “Who’s fraternizing now?”
He locked both of his thick arms around her and pulled her into a deep kiss.
* * *
Adequin was sure there was no worse sight in the universe than Griffith standing by her door with a packed bag slung over his shoulder. How she’d put up with it for three years, she didn’t know.
He swept some loose strands of hair behind her ear. “You gonna be here when I get back?”
“Where else would I be?”
“Honestly, every time I step off that ship, I’m surprised you’re still here.”
She scoffed. “This is my post, Griff.”
He didn’t immediately respond, taking a minute to regard her seriously. “Your punishment ended a long time ago. Or the Legion-issued one, at least.”