Cipher’s expression softened, and he clasped the back of her neck, tilting her head back to give him access. He was so tall that he had to practically bend in half to capture her mouth, but he didn’t seem to mind. He was tender at first, his lips just brushing against hers, but when she gripped the front of his uniform shirt, he let go of that control. He kissed her as if he had been waiting a lifetime to make those promises to her.
When she whimpered and tried to deepen the kiss, he pulled back and kissed her forehead. “Not here, little one.”
“Yes, sir,” she whispered and licked her lips.
Cipher actually groaned. “You’re going to kill me with that.”
She stared up at him with confusion. “With what?”
“Sir,” he said simply.
“Oh.” She hadn’t considered it was wrong. All her life, she had been taught to show respect to older men. “Should I stop?”
“Hell no,” he said hurriedly. “You have no idea what it does to me.” His gaze darkened, and she trembled with excitement. “But you will soon.”
Taking her hand, Cipher grabbed her small bag of belongings from the hospital bed and tugged her along until she fell into step beside him. She may have imagined it, but she thought some of the medics looked relieve to see her go. In the hallway outside the hospital unit, he led her to the elevator. It was nothing like the rickety, squealing rust buckets that were in some of the deeper mines. She marveled when Cipher used the chip implanted in her wrist to activate the elevator.
“So, what happens now?” She leaned back against the wall of the elevator and smiled up at him.
“We settle into our new quarters and get to know each other a little better.”
“Only a little?” she asked, feeling bold now that they were alone and on their way to their new home.
“Maybe a lot,” he said, moving closer.
The elevator slowed and came to a halt on a floor that wasn’t their own. The doors opened to reveal four hulking men with the strange pilot haircuts. The stripes shaved into the side of their heads was a way of showing their rank, but she hadn’t been that interested in the pilot part of the bride’s guide so she had skipped over it. Uncertain whether these men outranked Cipher or not, she glanced up at him to see how he would react.
He nodded stiffly before dropping her hand and sliding his arm around her shoulders. His forearm rested just below her collar, and he pulled her into his body, her back flush with his front. The men avoided looking at her, keeping their gazes averted, and filed into the elevator. Each one gave Cipher a short, “Sir,” before focusing straight ahead on the closing doors.
The awkward elevator ride ended a few floors later. The men stepped out onto a floor that seemed very busy, and Cipher leaned forward to slap at the touchscreen console, tapping the close button until the doors slid together. He finally relaxed when the elevator started to move again.
As if realizing he had manhandled her, he quickly let go. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay.” She missed the feel of his arm around her, holding her close and safe. Wanting to show him that didn’t mind, she took his hand and lifted his arm back into place. “I liked it.”
He groaned as if in pain, and his arm tightened around her. “The things that come out of your mouth, Brook.”
“Are they good?” she asked uncertainly.
“Yes,” he said, leaning down to kiss the top of her head. “So very, very good.”
Happy to have pleased him, she leaned into his warm body and enjoyed the closeness for the rest of their elevator ride. When they reached their floor, he reluctantly let her go and took her hand. They stepped out of the elevator and into a hallway lined with doors. Some of them had wreaths or welcome mats, making the hallway joyful and inviting.
“This is us,” he announced. “Go on.”
Nervous but excited to see her new home, she placed her wrist near the scanner and waited for the chirp and green light. Once it was unlocked, she opened the door and stepped inside an entryway. Immediately, lights flicked on and a friendly female voice welcomed them before giving a rundown of the temperature, humidity and important notifications from their message system. She glanced back at Cipher in awe, and he smiled encouragingly, gesturing for her to keep exploring.