“Too long,” Mace confirmed breathlessly, and released her with an effort. Her smile was a singularity; he could not look away from her mouth. She breezed past him into the King’s office, leaving him alone with his Commander and furiously battling the flush in his cheeks. He cleared his throat.
“At ease,” the older man said with a snort of laughter, and winked. Mace clenched his jaw against the heat in his face. Fortunately, his Commander strolled away without waiting for a salute, and Mace was left alone with his suffering. Man and mountain lion stood in silence, listening in vain for some clue from the study, sealed and silent as a tomb. Mace adjusted his collar, which was becoming unbearably tight. Jo looked up at him expectantly.
“Yes?”
“Don’t muck it up,” she purred, just before the door reopened.
“Hello,” Mace said immediately, sounding like he’d collected himself. He hadn’t. “Orders,” he explained lamely. His face looked pained when he said it, as if the word tasted terrible, and he regretted ever having it in his mouth. “I wanted to find you, say goodbye, but there wasn’t time. And then there was nothing but time…I’ve never had an assignment feel that long.” Because I’ve never missed anyone so much, was the underlying subtext, but he swallowed it. “It is very good to be back.”
His smile was shy, hopeful. It begged for forgiveness, even while his eyes devoured her face. Had she always been this beautiful? He felt as if she were exerting a magnetic pull on him – it didn’t feel as much like wanting to be close to her, as being completely unable to resist her gravity. But this was definitely not the place for that. The thought of Arthur emerging from his study to find them kissing in the hallway chased the red from his cheeks.
“Would you like to go for a walk? Catch me up on what I've missed?” he asked, with just a hint of desperation.
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