Two giddy soldiers skittered off, rejoining their friends and chattering up a storm with their newly acquired drinks. Elara gave a short chuckle, sliding up next to James at the bar and leaning forward. He shifted, ever so slightly, to allow her room next to him.
"You know," she drawled out. "I am damn lucky to have you around, James."
His breath caught a moment and he slowly shifted his gaze toward her. He forced a sharp intake of breath to refocus, quirking a brow at her. One swig of his drink and he had his voice again. "Is that so?"
"Mmm," she flashed a grin. Draining her glass, she set it on the bar and draped one arm over his shoulders. ""Who else can I trust to keep me grounded?"
James tried, tried so hard, not to tense under her carefree touch. He swallowed the lump forming in his throat, reminding himself to keep breathing. In and out. In and out. Steady. Keep it cool. In the midst of it all, he managed a slight shrug.
"That's what I'm here for, Lola," he joked.
Elara shifted her arm off his back - much to James' great relief - to order another drink. Yet as the drink arrived, matters just got worse. She wrapped her arm around his, leaning against his shoulder with a content sigh. She really is testing me, isn't she? Dammit. He shifted on his feet, though took care not to disturb her too much.
The urge to kiss her surged in his gut. She looked content, peaceful for a change and dammit he wanted something really special to remember this moment. But he couldn't, he knew he couldn't. As much as his body screamed at him in protest, he tamped the desires down enough to just grin and keep quiet. Tipping his head just enough to rest gently against hers.