Sorry for the delay in updating. Real life got in the way and it caused me to struggle a bit with this chapter. This chapter is very long and could probably be three separate chapters, but I kept it as one. Also, the beginning has a short section that is "M" rated.
Chapter 8
Moseley, Birmingham
United Kingdom
He captured my lips in a desperate kiss, his tongue seeking entry into my mouth. His hands reached for the soft, creamy mounds of my breasts before taking my burgeoning nipples between his fingers and stroking them into rigged peaks.
"Oh!" It had been so long since my body had felt this aroused and desperate for his touch.
"Please," I panted once his mouth captured my nipple, knowing exactly the amount of pressure to drive me wild with need.
"You like that?" he asked, knowing full well the answer to such a rhetorical question.
"Yes!" I gasped, as he urged my legs apart and slid two long fingers into my feminine core. "Charles!" I cried out, his fingers sending me spiralling into fulfilment.
"You're so fucking hot," he gave a sensual growl, his brown eyes flashing with desire. "I love watching you come undone," suddenly his beautiful brown eyes morphed into triumphant green eyes that seared me with a passion so intense that all I could do was gasp his name in shock… "Bones!"
-X-
"Not again," I groaned as my alarm went off, ending yet another erotic dream. This particular dream had me wondering if I had finally lost the plot. It had started with Charles making love to me and had ended with Bones bringing me to a climax.
Ever since Bones had kissed me three nights ago, it was as if my senses had finally been re-awakened. Each night I had fallen asleep only to find myself having carnal dreams of him. I felt like I was a teenager again in the throes of my first crush. It was both maddening and embarrassing.
"Jackie would be loving this," I chuckled to myself. "Being the cheeky mare that she is, she would probably suggest I have ménage à trois in my next dream," I cringed at the thought.
-X-
Later that morning, I was finishing a 5k run through Cannon Hill Park when my mobile vibrated to indicate I had a new text message. I looked down and was surprised to see that it was from Bones. He only ever texted me when he had new orders related to Operation Bellend.
Bones: Leaving for a short business trip this afternoon
Me: Should you be going on a business trip with your wound?
Bones: The most strenuous thing I will be doing is giving orders
Me: For you, that could be extremely strenuous. You might want to go easy on the ear bashings or else your sutures could come loose.
Bones: Our doc cleared me. He asked that I pass along his compliments. Apparently, you really are the nuts when it comes to playing medic. Peanut, on the other hand, was most put out when I told him you thought he was a bit crap in the medic department. I told him you would buy him a round to make it up to him.
Me: Does this mean I have another trip to Hereford in my future?
Bones: Perhaps
Me: How's your mum?
Bones: She, like you, poppet, could use a reminder that curiosity killed the cat
Me: Oi! Stop having a laugh at my expense. Have you forgiven poor Max yet?
Bones: Poor Max, my arse. To answer your question, I have not. It's much too fun hoisting the bloody turncoat with his own petard. Now if you don't mind, some of us have work to do. Laters, Poppet.
Me: Stay safe. No 'nicks' this time.
Bones: Piss off, Dawesey
-X-
One Week Later
Edgbaston, Birmingham
United Kingdom
"I'm so glad you agreed to meet me, Molls," Emily James beamed at me from across our table at the Garden House. Emily had texted me earlier in the week to ask if I would be willing to meet for lunch since she would be in Birmingham for a hen party this evening. I initially hesitated, but reminded myself of my intention to stop hiding from those I loved just because they happened to be related to him.
"I'm glad I did, too, Ems," I smiled, before taking another bite of my chicken, bacon, and avocado salad.
"Mum tells me you're seeing Bones."
"Mmm," I hesitated. Discussing my 'fake' relationship with my ex-fiancé's sister made crawling through an Afghan minefield seem stress-free in comparison.
"It's all right, Molly," Emily clearly sensed my reluctance to discuss Bones. "It's been over 18 months. It's only natural for you to start dating again."
"Thanks," I nodded awkwardly.
"What's he like? Is he really the dog's bollocks like my dad makes him out to be?"
"He's good at his job," I offered, not wanting to elaborate further.
"And on a personal level?"
"I'm sure you don't really want to hear about him," I evaded. "Besides, I want to hear all about Andrew's mate at Sandhurst. Your mum mentioned you were rather smitten with him."
"Oh Molls," Emily sighed. "If only my father wasn't a retired Lieutenant General."
"What's wrong with that?"
"Matthew is fantastic. He's intelligent, fit, a gentleman, and a natural leader. That being said, what newly appointed Officer is going to want to take me on when my father is the renowned Lieutenant General James? Just the thought of bringing Matt home to meet Mum and Dad gives me the willies. It reminds me of the film, Meet the Parents. I can just picture Dad interrogating Matt and trying to interfere with his career."
"If an uneducated Cockney could win your parents around, I'm sure Matt will have no problem impressing them," I assured.
"I dunno, Molls. It was different with you."
"How so?"
"Mum was absolutely terrified of meeting you. Oh, she was eternally grateful for what you had done, but after everything she'd heard about you, she had you pictured as a fierce Amazon who would think she was nothing but a simple housewife."
"That couldn't be further from the truth," I protested in astonishment.
"She knows that now," Emily laughed. "You have to admit the look on her face the first time she met you was priceless. Here she was expecting this tall Amazon warrior, and instead she was presented with a pint-sized pixie who was not only brave, but warm, loving, and anything but judgmental. It's no wonder she got on with you like a house on fire."
"But you're forgetting about Edward."
"He was already predisposed to like you. Beck had been telling Dad about your heroics for months before he finally met you. Then, without even knowing it, you transformed Dad into your adoring slave by showing an interest in his bloody miniatures," Emily chortled.
"There you have it. All Matt needs to do is ask your dad about his miniatures," I advised with a wide smile.
"I think it will take more than that to win Dad over. I also worry that Dad will intimidate him."
"I'm sure if he can survive Sandhurst, he can survive meeting your mum and dad."
"It's not just that, Molls," Emily frowned.
"What else is troubling you, Em?"
"I…," she hesitated. "I just worry that I won't be able to cope with being in a relationship with someone who is in the Army."
"Why do you think that? Your parents have demonstrated that it is possible to have a successful relationship when one person is in the Army and the other is not," I pointed out.
"I think about what happened to Elvis and I'm not sure I'm strong enough to survive losing my partner like that," Emily confessed.
"Being in the Army is certainly not without risk, especially in times of war, but you have to remember that Elvis was Special Forces. Not all Army roles carry such a high degree of risk."
"I know, but then there's seeing what the Army has done to Charles…"
"Em, there's always a risk that a loved one could die or get injured, but you have to ask yourself if forgoing a potential relationship with Matt is worth missing out on the opportunity to have something special with him."
"Is that how you felt when you were with Charles?" Emily probed.
"Yes, but I thought we weren't going to talk about him," I reminded Emily.
"I know. I'm sorry, Molls." Emily apologized. "Does it scare you that Bones is Special Forces?"
"I haven't given it much thought. Perhaps it's because I've seen, first-hand, how skilled he is at his job, that I haven't contemplated the 'what-ifs' so to speak."
"That's how I used to feel about Charles when he would go off on tour, but look at what happened to him," Emily frowned. "Shit! I'm doing it again. Sorry," she cringed.
"Em, your brother made a full recovery from being shot and being speared by a boar trap. While both injuries were awful, it hasn't stopped him from moving on with his life and career."
"Being banished to NATO is hardly moving on," Emily objected.
"NATO is hardly a bad gig. It's not like the Army sent him off to Coventry," I protested. "Besides, I imagine he's happy with her," I couldn't bring myself to say her name.
"Her?" Emily stared back at me in confusion.
"Please don't make me say her name."
"You don't mean Georgie Lane, do you?"
"Who else?" I replied sarcastically, annoyed that I had allowed myself to fall into a trap of my own making.
"Molly, they're not…."
"I should really get going," I reached for my handbag, desperately wanting to escape. "I need to be at work soon."
"Molly, wait," Emily protested. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have brought Charles up like that. I promised I wouldn't and I've now gone and made a proper mess of things."
"Emily, I know you mean well, but I simply cannot do this with you. Your brother hurt me so intensely that he nearly destroyed me. It's taken everything in me to rebuild my life, and the only way I have managed to, is by removing every trace of him from my life. I'm sorry," I apologised before fleeing the restaurant, unable to cope with the nightmare that was my past.
-X-
Later that evening, I was on my break, when I looked down at my mobile to see an incoming text from Bones.
Bones: Have been trapped with a total lager lout for the past 4 hours and could use some stimulating conversation
Me: Sounds a bit shit
Bones: That's an understatement
Me: Not having a good trip?
Bones: That's putting it mildly
Me: Sounds like my day
Bones: Work?
Me: I made the mistake of accepting a lunch invitation from Emily James
Bones: The sister?
Me: Yeah, and before you tell me I was a daft cow for even agreeing to said invitation, I am well aware that it was a total cock-up on my part.
Bones: Did she extol the arsemonger's lack of virtues?
Me: I'm sure you would be pleased as punch if she had. When I agreed to meeting her, I specifically told her I didn't want to talk about him, yet she spent the entire lunch inadvertently stumbling over him.
Bones: Don't be too hard on her, Poppet. You can't blame her for being cack handed with a knobhead like him for a brother. Did she ask about me?
Me: She tried, but you can rest easy, I kept mum
Bones: How do you expect to convince the great unwashed that we are on the 'up and up' by keeping mum?
Me: How would you have preferred for me to have responded?
Bones: How the hell am I supposed to know what women say to one another about these sorts of things?
Me: Then stop your bleeding whinging
Bones: How do you intend to respond the next time one of your mates asks 'what's he like?'
Me: Perhaps, Your Nibs, I'll tell them that you're a total gobshite with a face like a box of frogs. Better yet, the next time I'm asked what your first name is, I'll tell them it's Horace.
Bones: I think we both know you don't think I have a face like a box of frogs. I reckon you're actually quite fond of it. As for my name, now that you've met my mother, do you honestly think she would name her son Horace?
Me: Fair point. On the name at least. I'm not so sure I like your ugly mug.
Bones: If you're working this weekend, does that mean you have next weekend off?
Me: Possibly. Where do you plan to drag me to now?
Bones: Tetchy as ever, Poppet. There's a work thing next weekend. One that does not involve the curtain twitchers. You might actually have a bit of fun.
Me: Is this your way of inviting me?
Bones: Perhaps
Me: I'll think about it
Bones: Thank about it? You wound me, Dawesey!
Me: Sod off, mate!
Bones: Only if you promise to come to Hereford next weekend
Me: Don't push your luck, wanker
-X-
"Thanks for stopping by before heading back to Bath," I welcomed Emily into my flat the following afternoon. After confiding in Bones, I realised that perhaps I had been a bit hard on Emily, and that I owed her a second chance as well as an apology.
"I felt absolutely horrible about yesterday, Molls. I totally stuffed it up, and I don't blame you for being angry with me," Emily offered apologetically.
"I'm sorry for overreacting. I know you didn't mean to cause any harm, and I'm sorry I let it upset me."
"Mates again?"
"Of course," I smiled, before the two of us hugged, putting yesterday behind us. "Now how about I put the kettle on and we share a nice cuppa?"
-X-
"I'm so glad you texted me this morning. I called Mum in an absolute panic after our lunch yesterday and wanted to rush over here to apologize, but Mum suggested I give you some space."
"Your mum is a wise woman. Bones reminded me that I shouldn't hold your brother's actions against you, and that you are bound to mention him from time to time. I suppose I'm still a bit touchy about the whole bloody mess," I sighed.
"As you have every right to be, Molls," Emily gave me an empathetic smile. "Bones gives good advice."
"No need to tell him that. He already thinks he's the bloody business," I laughed.
"Speaking of Bones, you never did answer my question about what he's like on a personal level," Emily reminded, her interest more than evident.
"He's complicated," I blushed.
"Complicated good or complicated bad?"
"Good. He can be a bit intense, but he's fit, intelligent, witty, loyal, and knows what's what," I confessed, realizing that I meant every word.
"Is it serious?"
"It's still early days, Em. I don't want to rush things."
"He sounds great, Molls, but promise me you'll be careful with him? I would hate for you to get hurt again, especially if it turns out he is not what he seems," Emily warned.
-X-
Five Days Later
RAF Brize Norton
Oxfordshire, United Kingdom
"You do realise Bones is going to have our guts for garters?" I pointed out to Robbie, who was standing next to me inside the terminal at Brize.
"You have nothing to worry about," Bones's adjutant assured. "I know my boss and he is going to be utterly gobsmacked when he sees you."
"Chance would be a fine thing," I murmured, full of self-doubt.
"That's complete tosh, and you know it. He'll be pleased as punch."
"One can only hope," I sighed.
Robbie had called the day before to inform me that Bones would be flying back to the UK from locations unknown and had asked if I wanted to accompany her to Brize. Apparently, he had informed her that I would be in Hereford this weekend, and she thought I should arrive early to surprise him at Brize. Robbie, being the incorrigible romantic that she was, had somehow managed to convince me to go along with her outrageous idea.
This is how I found myself, dressed to the nines, awaiting my 'boyfriend's' arrival at Brize. I was not entirely sure what had possessed me, but I had treated myself to a new summer dress and sandals for the occasion. This had required a special trip to the Bullring and Grand Central the night before. I had unfalteringly avoided the popular shopping mall in Birmingham since the wedding. It had been a painful reminder of the excitement I had felt browsing through my favourite shops with Jackie and Emily to eagerly purchase new clothing for what should have been my honeymoon.
Amazingly enough, finding a new frock hadn't been nearly as dreadful as I had anticipated. It hadn't taken long before I had found a yellow, knee-length dress with white flowers outlined in black. The dress had drop shoulders with ruffled sleeves and a tie waist. I then found cute flat, black sandals with straps that tied around my ankles to accompany it. Feeling pretty in my new dress, I had decided to wash, blow-dry, and curl my hair. In addition to leaving my hair down, I had also taken care in applying cosmetics and had even gone as far as adding a touch of the expensive perfume that Jacqueline had gifted me for my 21st birthday. While I knew I would never be a ravishing beauty like her, I was pleased with the outcome. The last thing I wanted, was embarrass Bones in front of his troops, especially when they were likely to be very familiar with his preference for crumpets.
-X-
Twenty minutes later, Bones's Hercules had finally landed, and various men, all in civvies, and many sporting non-regulation facial hair, started walking towards the terminal, each carrying his respective kit. I immediately spotted Peanut and Spanner, who had been part of the team that had been sent in to rescue me. Spanner's beard was bushier than ever!
I then spotted Bones, looking extremely fit in slim fitting, black washed jeans and a short-sleeved white V-neck t-shirt. He had on dark aviator sunglasses, black lace up boots, and a black and white shemagh draped casually around his neck. He looked every inch the arrogant Special Forces Officer, and I couldn't help but feel my stomach fill with butterflies.
"Are you just going to stand there?" Robbie looked at me with anticipation.
"I, uh…"
"You know he is going to be thrilled to see you. Now, go and greet him!" Robbie instructed, before gently pushing me in Bones's direction.
-X-
"H-hiya," I walked up to Bones and greeted him nervously, uncertain as to the reception I would receive.
"Molly?" he looked back at me in shock. "What the fuck are you doing here?"
"I uh, thought I would surprise you," I struggled to read his expression, especially with his eyes hidden behind his dark sunglasses.
"Bloody hell. I certainly wasn't expecting to see you here," he reached for his sunglasses and removed them.
"Look, I've obviously stuffed this up," I blushed with embarrassment, as I noticed that we were starting to draw quite a bit of attention from his men. "I'm sorry. This was a bad idea and I-I shouldn't have taken Robbie up on her invitation to accompany her here," I looked down at the ground in an attempt to spare myself from further humiliation.
"Poppet?" I felt his hand reach for my chin, lifting it with strong fingers so that I had no choice but to raise my head and look at him.
"W-what?" I stammered awkwardly.
"Shut the fuck up," Bones ordered, before hauling me into a firm embrace and capturing my lips in a hungry kiss. The next thing I knew, I was winding my arms around his neck and kissing him back with equal intensity. Real or not, I found myself craving the feel of his lips against mine and not wanting our embrace to end.
-X-
"Blimey, Boss! We've only just touched down on British soil and you're already like a dog with two dicks!" a familiar voice interrupted our reverie.
"What the?" I pulled away from Bones in disbelief. It couldn't be?
"Way to drop a clanger, Brains," I heard Peanut groan, confirming my reservations.
"What? I'm just stating the obvious…" Brains protested as I turned to face him. "Fancy meeting you here," I greeted my former squaddie, in an attempt to make light of the situation. I hadn't seen or spoken to Brains since shortly before the whole wedding fiasco. "I see that being an action man hasn't stopped you from being a total numpty," I rolled my eyes at him.
"Dawesey!" Brains came over and gave me a giant bear hug like nothing had ever happened. "How the hell have you been? It's been donkey's years since I last saw you!"
"I'm all right, mate. Look at you, all tarted up and working for this mad bastard," I nodded at Bones. "I thought I'd heard something about you joining The Regiment. It never occurred to me that you would be one of Bones's troopers."
"Hard to believe, innit?" Brains smiled. "Bones might be a mad bastard, but he's the best boss I've ever had. He's top shelf, Dawesey, but I suppose you already know that," Brains suddenly looked at us both a bit sheepishly.
"I might," I smiled at my former mate.
"So, you and the uh, Boss? Are you like a proper couple and all that?"
"Not that it's any of your business, Lance Corporal Wiggerty, but I can confirm that Dawesey is my girl." Bones interjected, placing his arm around my waist and pulling me close to him.
"Uh, right," Brains nodded awkwardly. "I have to say, this feels a bit like déjà vu, Dawesey. It's almost like when you and Captain James first…"
"For fuck's sake, Wiggerty," Bones scowled, effectively cutting Brains off mid-sentence. "Enough with the verbal diarrhoea."
"Sorry, Boss."
"Now if you don't mind, I'd like to catch up with my girl, so do us all a favour and get knotted, Wiggerty!" Bones sternly dismissed Brains.
"Sir," Brains saluted Bones. "Dawesey," he nodded at me.
"Oi, numnuts, that's technically Corporal Dawes to you," Bones corrected. "Oh, and Brains, do try to take your head out of your arse. I would appreciate it if for once in your bleeding life you would use your bloody loaf."
"Yes, Boss," Brains nodded, as Peanut and Spanner chuckled in the background.
-X-
"I've got to hand it to you, Poppet. You might be Special Forces material after all," Bones commented as he drove us to Hereford.
"Why is that?"
"The utter genius of you showing up at Brize looking hot as hell to welcome me home. I can only imagine how my men are buzzing about it as we speak. In all my years with the Army, I have never had anyone meet me at Brize. This will send the rumour mill into an absolute frenzy. Before the weekend is out, there will be no doubt in the curtain twitchers' minds that we're serious."
"I'm glad I could help," I looked down at my hands, not wanting him to see that I was disappointed, that yet again, he only seemed to care about his promotion and not me.
-X-
"You're awfully quiet, Dawesey," Bones observed once we were an hour into our journey.
"Perhaps I have nothing to say." I wasn't about to share that he had gutted me.
"Is this some type of PMT thing?"
"You did not just ask me that?" I gave him an appalled expression.
"What else am I supposed to think with this whole peevish routine you've got going on?"
"Peevish?"
"I believe that is the term one uses to refer to someone who is being both petulant and sulky."
"I know what the bloody word means, Bones," I glared at him.
"If it's not PMT, then what is the fucking problem?"
"Nothing."
"This is exactly why I don't do relationships."
"Believe me, I know. There's no way any sane woman would put up with an insensitive arse like you."
"You're obviously hankering for a good rollicking, Poppet. You might as well come out with it. I'm not going to sit here for another thirty minutes with you being all stroppy."
"Have you ever stopped to think that maybe I'm a bit knackered from all this Operation Bellend rubbish? I feel like I'm trapped in some mug's game."
"Bollocks," Bones scoffed at me in disbelief. "I've given you a fair crack of the whip. Don't give me some bloody song and dance that you're not benefitting from this ruse. We both know that's a load of cobblers."
"Excuse me?"
"There is not a single woman on this planet who doesn't enjoy tarting herself up and being given free designer frocks to wear. Add to that the various connections you are making with the Army's top brass through me, and I fail to see why you are so fucking 'knackered' as you put it."
"You make me sound like some opportunistic slag, when I'm the one putting my neck on the line for you."
"Stop being as daft as a bush."
"Perhaps I wouldn't feel this way if you gave me one smidgeon of respect, rather than treat me like I'm some bloody means to an end whose only purpose is to ensure your asinine scheme goes off without a hitch. It's obvious you could care less about me, or how it must feel for me to be confronted with my past at every bloody turn during this infernal scheme. How do you think I felt seeing Brains today, knowing full he was there to see the whole disgraceful ordeal from start to finish? I wouldn't blame him if he thinks I've turned into some pathetic slag who cannot stand on her own two feet unless she's shagging an Officer. Maybe it wouldn't be so intolerable if you actually gave a fuck about me. Instead, you treat me like one of your fucking troopers, and cannot even be arsed half the time to actually make an effort to be pleasant. I went out of my way today to be there for your arrival and all you cared about was crowing about how it would be received by the curtain twitchers. Did it ever occur to your stupid arse that my being there today had nothing to do with them? Of course, it wouldn't. You're so obsessed with your bloody promotion that you don't even realise what an imbecile you can be at times. Combine that with you being all over the bleeding shop with me, and it's no wonder I've had it with you. One minute you're unbelievably mean to me, the next you're acting like an arrogant arse, and then you go and do something so unexpectedly nice it's no wonder I'm constantly at sixes and sevens with you. I literally have no fucking clue as to who the real Bones McClyde is, and I honestly don't think I want to know anymore. I've had it with your endless bollocks. I've more than earned my walking papers, Bones, and I want them now!"
"Are you done throwing a wobbler, or is there more?" Bones demanded in an extremely aggravated voice once I had finished with my tantrum.
"Where are we?" I had been so caught up in my diatribe, I had failed to realise that we were no longer on the motorway and were sitting in a car park.
"Somewhere we can talk, now get out of the fucking car, Dawes," he ordered in a tone that brooked no argument. "It's time we get down to brass tacks."
-X-
"If you brought me here to tide me over, it won't work," I was seated across from Bones at the Trumpet Corner Tea Room near Ledbury in rural Herefordshire.
"Do yourself a favour, Dawesey, and put a bloody sock in it," Bones snarled at me before taking a sip of his espresso.
"Fine," I glowered at him.
"I had assumed that by now you would be a bit more clued into me than you evidently are. That little outburst of yours, proves that perhaps I had overestimated your abilities to suss me out."
"You don't exactly make it easy," I protested.
"Look, I've told you I'm a selfish prick and I don't do the whole feelings bit. I'm also not one who feels the need to explain myself."
"Perhaps you should, especially if you want my continued cooperation," I advised.
"If you truly want to know the man behind the uniform, I suggest you start by paying closer attention to my actions, not my words. I rarely share my innermost thoughts and that is not something that is ever going to change."
"You could try making make more of an effort."
"Not going to happen, Poppet. It's not in my DNA."
"So, I'm just supposed to put up with you being all over the shop?"
"I am not all over the bloody shop," Bones scoffed.
"Really?" I admonished, rolling my eyes at him in disbelief.
"This maddening thing that exists between us. Whatever it is, it's not real, Dawesey. I'm a bad bet, which is why I don't do the whole messy entanglement thing."
"So, playing the manwhore allows you to avoid messy entanglements, yet still get your needs met?"
"More or less."
"What about love?"
"Love's overrated. I'm sure you would agree."
"Have you ever actually been in love?" I asked sarcastically.
"Actually, I have," Bones admitted, causing my mouth to open in disbelief. "Stop catching flies again," he smirked at my shocked expression.
"What happened?" I couldn't help but ask.
"She was in love with someone else."
"Did you ever tell her how you felt?"
"No."
"Why not?"'
"It wouldn't have worked."
"I would have thought a tough nut like you would have fought for the woman he loved."
"Don't presume to understand my reasons, Poppet. Now, drink your bloody tea."
-X-
"I suppose I should address your remaining litany of complaints and grievances," Bones frowned. "I can't have you jack it in on Operation Bellend quite yet."
"Try not to make a pig's ear out of this," I advised with a sigh.
"Fine words butter no parsnips, Dawesey."
"What is with you and proverbs?" I rolled my eyes.
"You can blame my mum for that. Now onto your first point, you're obviously critical to the success of Operation Bellend, but I wouldn't be a respectable member of The Regiment if I didn't have a back-up plan."
"Are you trying to tell me that we've merely been faffing about for the past six weeks for no good reason?"
"Not at all. While I do have a back-up plan, I would prefer not to use it, as I find certain elements of it rather distasteful. I prefer to think of it as my 'nuclear option' and the less you know about it the better."
"Noted."
"I greatly appreciate the fact that your help prevents me from deploying the nuclear option. I also find, that I don't mind your company. When you're not in the throes of PMT, I actually quite enjoy our repartee. You're the only woman I know who gives as good as she gets."
"For the record, I do not have PMT," I scowled at Bones. "It's a good thing you've never had a girlfriend. She'd box your ears for being a complete prannet for asking such an idiotic question."
"What would I do without your infinite wisdom, Poppet?"
"You'd likely be in a mental institution."
"As for this afternoon, I'll admit, I was a bit gobsmacked, as you like to say, to see you at Brize. I've never had anyone meet me there other than Robbie, as I have no desire to look soppy in front of my men. It's a bit blinding to come back from a crap trip and find your girlfriend looking incredibly gorgeous and pleased to see you. I guess I now understand why so many of the guys like to have their girls waiting for them."
"Pretend girlfriend," I corrected. He'd only reminded me moments ago that what we shared was not, in fact, real.
"Pretend," Bones agreed. "As for that pillock, Wiggerty, I know for a fact that he has the utmost respect and affection for you and that it would never even occur to him to think of all that nonsense you were pontificating earlier."
"Why is that?"
"Let's just say when everything went all Pete Tong in Bangladesh, Brains and Fingers were only concerned about you. Not the arsemonger or his twit medic. Neither Brains nor Fingers condoned their actions. It was very apparent that they wanted to protect you from the fallout. Brains might be a complete muppet at times, but the kid has integrity and I respect that about him. I fully expect that he will pull me aside tomorrow to make sure I am treating you with the respect you deserve."
"I had no idea. I was only with 2 Section for 6 months, most of them had been with him for years. I just assumed they would cast me off like he did."
"I appreciate that you were with the arsemonger for five years, but you need to stop allowing what he did define your self-worth, Molly. There are a lot of people out there who happen to think you're the dog's bollocks, including me. You need to realise that what he did should have no bearing on how you see yourself. You're intelligent, beautiful, fearless, tenacious, caring, compassionate, gobby, funny, and sweet as fuck. This is who you truly are and who I want you to start seeing yourself as."
"Then why the constant barrage of insults from you?"
"Consider them a cack-handed attempt on my part to help you find your self-worth again. I also get off on winding you up. You take the bait every time and give it back to me oh so good," he smirked.
"You're a bloody arsehole," I returned his smirk.
"I also can't have you going all Lady Muck on me."
"As if that would ever happen," I giggled.
"It better not. Can we consider ourselves sorted now?"
"Yes," I nodded.
"Mates again?"
"I didn't realise that I had been upgraded from tolerable to actual mate status?"
"Remember, actions not words with me, Poppet."
"Is that an order?"
"It bloody well is. Now, if you are not going to finish your scone, I'll finish it for you."
"I thought you were particular about what you put into your body and didn't like any sugary crap?" I reminded him.
"We'll be burning it off tomorrow," Bones assured me.
"And just what exactly are we doing tomorrow?"
"You'll see," he smirked.
"Let me guess, asking any further questions about tomorrow will result in you reminding me that curiosity killed the cat?"
"There's hope for you yet, Poppet…" Bones grinned before stealing the remainder of my scone.
-X-
The Following Morning
Hereford, United Kingdom
"Am I correct in assuming we are doing something combat related today?" I asked Bones from the passenger seat of his Range Rover.
"Whatever gave you that impression, Dawesey?"
"Oh, I dunno, perhaps it has something to do with the fact you ordered me to plait my hair, wear my combat boots, trousers, and regimental t-shirt? Then there was that revolting protein shake you made me drink this morning."
"We, Dawesey, are competing in the Fifth Annual G Squadron Crusader Challenge."
"Please tell me that mud, monkey bars, tires, walls, and ropes are not on the agenda today?"
"Oh, you'll be getting muddy, Poppet," Bones gave me an evil grin.
"I thought you said today was supposed to be fun?"
"It will. I promise."
-X-
My suspicions were confirmed once we had gathered on one of the assault courses at Stirling Lines with the entirety of G Squadron and their respective wives and girlfriends. Seeing some of the younger women, wearing their Lululemon leggings and vest tops while sporting immaculate make-up, manicures, and hair had me cracking inside as they were in for a very rude awakening. Chief amongst this group was Amelia Shaw, who had taken things a step further by wearing a silly faux 'camo' style print on her leggings and vest. Fortunately, the majority of the wives and girlfriends were clearly experienced with the event and had dressed appropriately.
I was also shocked to meet Spanner's wife, Annabelle, who was absolutely stunning and could have easily been a model. What she was doing a bushy bearded anorak like Spanner, who was far more interested in explosives, than women, was beyond me. Fortunately, Annabelle had been extremely warm and welcoming to me.
-X-
The event began with Colonel Morgan, G Squadron's Commanding Officer, welcoming everyone and explaining how the Crusader Challenge worked. We would be executing the course in twenty, four-member teams consisting of two randomly selected couples.
Each team would be timed and the team with the lowest time would be declared the winner. The primary objective was for the women to obtain first hand-experience with their partners' jobs, as the majority of their work was classified and could not be discussed. It was intended to be an entertaining and fun way for the couples to bond.
The event also enabled G Squadron to further their team building skills as they needed to ensure their partners made it through the course unscathed. This, required team work, determination, creativity, adaptability, physical strength, and resourcefulness. Each were critical skills in the SAS that were always being refined.
Unfortunately for us, Bones and I were paired with Amelia and Ryan Shaw. I was certainly not looking forward to navigating the course with Mrs. Shaw as I was extremely sceptical of her athletic abilities.
Our team was slated to be the eleventh team to complete the course, which gave me ample time to study each obstacle and plot a potential strategy. The course contained parallel bars, two 1.5 meter high walls, monkey bars, dark tube tunnels, tire runs, sandbag carries, a log climb, a balancing bridge, a rope climb over a 3.5 meter wall, a cargo net climb, a mud pit with a barbwire roof, a skyscraper climb with an inverted rope descent, an incline wall, and finally vaults. While it had been several months since I had last attempted an assault course, I had maintained my fitness level enough to ensure I would not have any problems. I suspected Bones, being the fitness fanatic that he was, could easily complete the course without so much as breaking a sweat.
Having never technically met the Shaw's, Bones took it upon himself to introduce us. Ryan seemed like a bit of a Rupert, truth be told, and Amelia, I hoped, was not the cliché that she seemed.
"What do you in the Army, Molly?" Amelia questioned after we had exchanged introductions.
"I'm a nurse."
"That would make sense. I cannot imagine a little thing like you in a war zone," Amelia remarked, causing Bones to send me a warning look to keep my gob in check.
"What do you do, Amelia?" I decided two could play at this game.
"Aside from Yoga, shopping, and visiting the hairdresser?" Ryan Shaw laughed.
"I'll have you know I have started doing volunteer work with some of the other Officer wives," Amelia huffed in annoyance at her husband.
"You must be in excellent shape from all the yoga you do, Amelia," Bones observed in uncharacteristic fashion, making me suspicious of his intentions.
"I am," she confirmed with a smug smile. "I think you'll find that I am perfectly up to today's challenge," she crowed.
-X-
Finally, it was our turn to start the course. Our first objective was to run up to a set of parallel bars and use only our arms to cross them.
"Ladies first," Bones smirked at me.
"You go, Molly, as I'm sure it will take you the longest to complete," Amelia invited in a condescending tone that made me want to lamp her.
"Thanks," I ran up to the bars and quickly pulled myself across to the other side, having no trouble at all. I had to contain a smirk when I saw Amelia's triceps start to shake before she even finished crossing the bars.
Our next obstacle was to run through tires laid out in a zig-zag pattern. This was a bog-standard exercise for the Army as it developed speed, agility, endurance, and leg strength. It took me back to my first days of Basic with Geddings. I had come a long way since those days and had no problem ensuring I lifted me knees up high after stepping out of each tire to avoid tripping.
"Oi! Get your arse up now, Shaw!" I tried hard to refrain from laughing as Amelia stumbled and fell, prompting Bones to shout at her. "You need to lift your legs up high!" he barked.
"Dammit, Shaw," Bones groused at his subordinate after Amelia fell yet again. "It's not fucking rocket science. Any muppet in reasonable shape can run through some bloody tires. Will you show your wife the proper technique before I'm compelled to drag her through the tires myself?"
"Don't you think you are being a bit harsh on poor Mrs. Shaw," I whispered into Bones's ear as Ryan went over to assist his wife.
"Oh, I'm just warming up, Dawesey," Bones gave me an evil smirk.
-X-
"Ryan!" Amelia cried out in horror once we had arrived at our next obstacle. We had just completed the 1.5-meter wall jump, which Ryan had ended up having to lift his wife over and to have Bones catch her on the other side. "I know you warned me there would be mud, but you cannot expect me to actually to crawl through it?"
"Sweetheart, we have to, or else our team will have to forfeit the competition."
"I don't care! I am not crawling through all this grotty mud. Not only will it destroy my nail varnish, it will take me ages to get all of that mud out of my hair. I also don't want to ruin my outfit. I bought it especially for today."
"My dear, Mrs Shaw," Bones approached the fuming woman, "are you familiar with The Regiment's official motto?" he questioned.
"What does that have to do with anything?" she sniped at Bones.
"Answer the bloody question," Bones demanded, prompting Ryan to interfere.
"Is this really necessary, Bones?"
"You seem to be forgetting yourself Lieutenant Shaw," Bones warned.
"Sweetheart, just answer Captain McClyde's question," Shaw pleaded with his wife, clearly embarrassed by her behaviour.
"No, I don't know what the motto is," Amelia huffed.
"That's unfortunate. It would appear your husband has failed in ensuring you maintain the required level of propriety that comes with being the wife of an Officer in Her Majesty's Armed Forces. Part of being a member of The Regiment is the adoption of our motto, Who Dares Wins. For your benefit, Mrs Show, it's more than just a motto, it is our credo and it guides us in everything we do. Were you familiar with our motto and the significance it holds; you would realise that forcing our team to forfeit would result in your darling husband becoming the laughingstock of G Squadron."
"I highly doubt…"
"He's right," I interrupted Amelia. "The consequences would be catastrophic for your husband."
"I don't see how a mere nurse has any comprehension of the inner workings of the actual Army," Amelia seethed.
"Suit yourself," I shrugged.
"Let me put it to you this way, Mrs. Shaw," I could sense Bones was about to go in for the kill. "How do you expect for your husband's troops to have any respect for him or his authority once they see him for what he clearly is. A soppy, henpecked, fool who is so weak-willed, he cannot even convince his atrociously, ill-behaved wife to act as part of a team who dares to win. They would see that as a complete dereliction of duty on your husband's part and a gross violation of our creed. Now, unless you want me to drag you on your arse through the mud, which I assure you, I will, I suggest you get on your back and bash on. I've had enough of you acting like a total git, Lady Muck! As for you," Bones turned to Ryan Shaw, "don't make me remind you that I am your Commanding Officer. Question my authority again, and I will drag you arse kicking and screaming through the mud so everyone can see just how unworthy of The Regiment you truly are. I also expect that in the future you will remember your rank, and address me accordingly. You have yet to earn the privilege to call me Bones."
"Yes, Sir," Shaw looked like he was going to piss himself, having been utterly humiliated by both his wife and Bones.
I decided that if we had any hope of completing the course, I would need to put my distain aside and try to help Amelia to the extent she was willing to accept my help to make it through the course, as painful as that prospect might be.
"If you want, I can go first and explain the technique to you," I offered, hoping to diffuse the situation.
-X-
"Molly, you were brilliant, thank you for helping me," Amelia panted once we had finally reached the end of the course. Not only was she covered in mud, her hair was a tangled mess, her mascara was running down her face from sweat, her manicure was completed destroyed, and her Lululemon ensemble was beyond repair. "I never imagined someone so petite like you would be able to manage an assault course. You certainly proved me wrong."
"I've had a lot of practice. Let's just say I wasn't always like this. I may have thought I had met my maker the first few times I did the assault course at Basic. At the time, I didn't quite understand the purpose of them, but after my first combat tour in Afghan, I developed a new found appreciation for them."
"You were in Afghan?" Amelia looked at me in shock.
"Yes. I did two tours there before I started Uni as part of the Army's nursing program."
"I had no idea," Amelia admitted in an embarrassed voice.
"She's also one of only four females to have won the Military Cross," Bones added.
"What's that?"
"It's a military decoration awarded by the Queen in recognition of acts of exemplary gallantry during active operations against the enemy on land," Ryan Shaw explained to his wife, clearly hoping to ingratiate himself with Bones.
"It's not something I like to make a fuss about. I was just doing my job," I shrugged. Nearly six years later, I still hadn't come to terms with being be honoured for saving Smurf's life. Especially, when in the end, he had ultimately ended up dying in front of me and there was nothing I had been able to do to save him.
"Just doing my job, my arse," Bones rolled his eyes. "She fucking crawled through an active minefield to rescue a squaddie who had been shot under enemy fire, and insisted on being hoisted onto the medivac with him, all while under enemy fire, so she could avoid him bleeding out on her."
"My goodness. Do the other Officer wives know about this? They would be in awe of you, Molly. I know it's hard with you living in Birmingham, but you really must attend the next Regimental Dinner. The ladies would love to get to know you better and I will ensure you are made welcome," Amelia promised. "Hopefully next year, you can give me some tips before the Crusader Challenge so I don't make a total tit out of myself again," she smiled. Perhaps she had come to realise that, she too, needed to ingratiate herself with Bones if her husband had any hope of salvaging his career.
-X-
"So, Lady Muck is now your biggest champion. Who would have ever thought?" Bones smirked as he opened the boot to his Range Rover to get us towels.
"Lady Muck was certainly covered in muck," I giggled. "Of course, sod's law dictated that we had to be paired with the Shaw's. They're bloody intolerable."
"Who said anything about sod's law?" Bones gave me a knowing look, as he helped me take off my muddy t-shirt, leaving me in my sports bra and combats.
"Please tell me you didn't…" I glared at him while he started cleaning off my arms, neck, and abdomen with a wet towel.
"I may have ensured we were partnered with them," he offered nonchalantly before handing me a clean grey t-shirt that belonged to him.
"What am I supposed to do with this?" I expressed my extreme annoyance with him.
"Put it on. I don't need my men gawking at you in your sports bra. I figured you would prefer showering back at my gaffe. Unless you prefer the cold water and atrocious water pressure at the Officer's Mess?"
"Whatever," I rolled my eyes before putting his shirt on. "Now perhaps you could explain why the fuck you would deliberately pair us with the Shaw's of all people?"
"My reasons were twofold, Poppet. The first relates to Shaw himself. I'm not too keen on him, and am not entirely convinced he has what it takes to be of value to The Regiment. Unfortunately, he went through the selection process while I was at Stanford Hall doing my rehabilitation. Had I been here for it, he never would have passed. 'The McClyde' would have seen to that."
"Don't tell me you're now referring to yourself in the third person?"
"Oh, Dawesey, what am I going to do with you?" Bones chortled. "Even I wouldn't refer to myself in the bloody third person. 'The McClyde' is a test, designed by yours truly, that is used to weed out any remaining candidates that we have doubts about. Unfortunately, I cannot share what 'The McClyde' entails, but I can tell you that it is designed to bring even the best of soldiers to their knees. The sheer brutality of it ensures that only the truly talented and dedicated survive. For whatever reason, the muppet who was in charge of Shaw's selection, failed to select him for 'The McClyde' which is how I ended up with the lazy sod."
"And how does all of this relate to today?"
"Shaw likes to think that because he is an Officer, he is above the enlisted troopers. This does not wash in The Regiment. Thus far, he has been impervious to my not so subtle suggestions that he get over himself. He also seems to take extreme pride in his wife's appearance and thinks that the other G Squadron members and their wives should lick their respective arses," Bones started to explain. "I knew that Mrs. Shaw would make a complete tit of herself today, which I must say, she did in spectacular fashion."
"That she did," I agreed.
"I also knew that Mrs. Shaw would completely underestimate you, and that you would easily expose Luck Muck for the fraud that she is. I deliberately bellowed at the Shaw's the way I did, to ensure that the rest of G Squadron was witness to his utter incompetence. He will now be viewed by his Squadron as a henpecked git, who is not only an ineffectual leader, and but completely and totally useless at managing his shrew of a wife. These qualities demonstrate that he is incompatible with the qualities we aspire to within The Regiment, and will potentially make him unfit for duty."
"What will you do with him?"
"Come Monday, I will be providing Shaw a one-way ticket to Coventry unless he knuckles down, man's up, and starts fucking listening to me. I suspect once Shaw realises just what a laughingstock he has become, he'll heed my advice and make a valiant effort to save his career."
"Does your C.O. know about this diabolical plan of yours?" I raised an eyebrow at Bones, amazed yet again by his shrewd intellect.
"I have his full endorsement."
"And your second reason for subjecting me to the Shaw's?" I prompted, as Bones took off his muddy t-shirt.
"Consider it part of your self-respect training," Bones took a wet towel and started cleaning his torso.
"My self-respect training?" I stared back at him with incredulity.
"I know Amelia Shaw reminds you Lane and I thought pairing you with her might remind you that you're the dog's bollocks, not Lane, and certainly not Amelia Shaw. You showed yourself today that while Amelia Shaw might be a ravishing beauty on the exterior, she's all fur coat and no knickers on the inside. I also think the determination, skill, grit, and discretion you showed today you are far sexier than the Amelia Shaw's of the world could ever be, even when you are bloody manky," Bones smirked.
"You're unfucking believable," I looked back at Bones in complete awe. Only Bones would devise such an elaborately calculated plan to help me restore my self-confidence.
"Ready to head back to my place for a decent shower? I brought extra towels for the seats so we don't muck up my Rover."
"It better be a bloody good shower," I warned. "You owe me big time for making me put up with the Shaw's."
"Let's just say I'm willing to let you use the shower and soaker tub in the master bathroom, and I will use the one in your ensuite. That should help make up for it. Max also gave me a list of outrageously expensive products that he thought you might want to indulge in after our ordeal. I had Robbie ensure I have everything on the list for you to pamper yourself with."
"Does this mean you've forgiven Max?"
"Yes, but only because I didn't want you thinking I was yet again an inconsiderate arse of a boyfriend," Bones smirked, as I rolled my eyes at him, not bothering to
remind him that he was he was my 'pretend' boyfriend and not my actual boyfriend.
-X-
Four hours later, I woke up from a wonderful and relaxing nap to find myself in Bones's super king-sized bed with him seated next to me wearing black athletic shorts and a white t-shirt, while scowling at his laptop screen.
After returning to Bones's house, he had shown me to his master bathroom, which had the largest, custom-built shower I had ever seen. Not only could it fit five people if he were so inclined, it was equipped with a large rectangular raincan showerhead, four different body sprayers with adjustable pressure, and a wall-mounted hand shower. His shower alone, was larger than the bathroom in my flat. I felt like I had died and gone to shower heaven.
Separate from his shower, he had a white, freestanding, Waterworks oval bathtub, which beckoned my sore muscles. I could not wait to take a long soak in it after I cleaned all of the muck out of my hair. Bones had clearly not exaggerated when he had implied that his bathroom would help assuage my annoyance with being forced to endure the Shaw's.
Sitting on the bathroom counter was a large box with a bow that he had told me to open. Inside contained brand-new bottles of Kérastase shampoo and conditioner, along with a conditioning mask and hair oil. The box also contained, bottles of Jo Malone exfoliating shower gel, body wash, bath oil, body cream, and hand cream. Max definitely knew his business and had clearly made Bones part with some serious coin. While I shouldn't have allowed myself to accept such a lavish gift, my aching muscles, manky hair, and mud-covered limbs were desperate for cleanliness and relief. I was also touched that Bones had arranged for something so thoughtful while he had been away. It made me feel guilty that I had accused him of being insensitive to my needs the day before.
After my shower, which had been absolutely blinding! I had spent a long time soaking my tired, aching body in his bathtub, which had been utter bliss. In addition to two long bath sheets, Bones had laid out a fresh t-shirt of his, which absolutely dwarfed me and came down to my knees. By this point I had been so knackered, I had hardly been able to move. I had barely even reacted when Bones had lifted me into his arms and carried me to his bed, where he tucked me under his duvet, kissed me on the forehead and told me to rest.
"Well rested?" Bones inquired, as I sat up next to him.
"Yes, that was divine. You could make a woman fall in love with you for your shower and bathtub alone."
"The showers are proper shit at barracks. For as hard as I work my body on a daily basis, I like to be guaranteed warm water and halfway decent water pressure in my own home. Often, when we have worked our bodies to the extreme, I like to recover with an ice bath."
"Sounds a bit brass monkeys to me," I laughed.
"It gets the job done."
"Thank you for the hair and bath products. Max really went over the top with his suggestions. You shouldn't have spent so much on me."
"I'm hardly skint, Dawesey. Besides, what kind of arse, makes his girlfriend run a bloody assault course, get covered in mud, and doesn't ensure she has the tools necessary to feel human again. I might be clueless about being a boyfriend, but I certainly do not lack common sense."
"It was very thoughtful of you. It reminded me that perhaps I was bang out of order yesterday."
"Water under the bridge, Dawesey. It's not like I haven't made a cock-up of things in recent weeks."
"Is the great Bones McClyde admitting that he is a mere mortal?" I giggled.
"Don't push your luck, Poppet," he warned with mock annoyance.
-X-
Later, we were seated at his breakfast nook, sharing a light snack, as we would be meeting Peanut and his girlfriend, and Spanner and his wife, for dinner and drinks later that evening.
"What were you scowling at earlier on your laptop?" I asked Bones.
"I was working on my speech for the passing out ceremony luncheon at Sandhurst."
"When is it?"
"In a fortnight. The entire thing is bloody ridiculous if you ask me."
"How so?"
"As part of The Regiment, I cannot very well go and introduce myself to the public let alone discuss anything pertinent to what I actually do in the SAS. Which means I have to use a legend."
"Have you created one?"
"Peanut insists I name myself Captain Sykes after Staff Sgt Sykes from the film Jarhead."
"There are definitely similarities in your personalities."
"Very funny, Dawesey," Bones scowled at me.
"What is Captain Sykes's regiment?"
"I'm thinking PWRR."
"A Tiger? I thought you might go with the Royal Regiment of Scotland."
"And have to wear a bloody kilt? No, thank you."
"I take it Captain Sykes has done multiple tours in Afghan and Iraq?"
"Naturally."
"Has he received any battle honours."
"Of course, he bloody has."
"A Victoria Cross perhaps?"
"You're not starting that rubbish again, are you?"
"Just wondering," I smirked. "So, what's the problem with your speech?"
"For one thing, I cannot be arsed when it comes to giving formal speeches. I deplore public speaking and I'm certainly not some pompous old windbag."
"Who says you have to be a pompous old windbag? I'm sure Bones McClyde, who has an opinion on just about everything, under the guise of Captain Sykes, can offer some meaningful advice to the graduating cadets without even thinking about it."
"And how exactly do I do that?"
"You do what I did in Basic. I remember when Corporal Geddings forced me to speak in front of everyone. I was horrified and didn't know how to say anything remotely articulate or meaningful, so I just started talking about my life. It turns out people found me authentic and relatable. When it came time to train medics in Afghan, I used the same strategy, and the students found me, a gobby little Cockney Private, to be a good teacher because of this."
"You might be onto something, Dawesey," Bones had a contemplative expression on his face.
"Speaking of Captain Sykes, does he happen to have a girlfriend?"
"Why do you ask?"
"One would assume he might be permitted to invite a guest to the luncheon. Given that said luncheon is only a fortnight away, perhaps she is a bit surprised that she has not yet been invited. One would assume that the curtain twitchers will be in attendance. Wouldn't it seem rather strange for his girlfriend to be missing?" I posed.
"I was planning to tell them that you were unable to get the necessary time off from work."
"Oh," I tried not to look disappointed that he didn't seem to want me there.
"Don't look at me like that, Poppet. It's not what you think," Bones sensed my disappointment.
"Then what is it?"
"You seem to be forgetting that a certain Andrew James is part of the graduating class. While I am often an insensitive arse, it did occur to me that it might be somewhat awkward for you to attend, especially if a certain tosser decided to grace his brother's passing out with his undignified presence."
"Do you know for a fact that he will be there?"
"No. I have not done any reconnaissance as I didn't feel comfortable even risking the prospect of him being there."
"Thank you," I reached out and cupped Bones's chin. "I appreciate you wanting to project me. However, I would like to be there to support you, not as your 'pretend' girlfriend, but rather as your mate. That's what good mates do for one another."
"Molly," Bones removed my hand from his face, and moved it down to the table, where he kept it grasped in his hand. "That's incredibly sweet of you, but it's not necessary for you to attend."
"Nonsense," I objected. "How about this, now that I am speaking to Emily James again, why don't I just text her and find out if her brother will be there. This way we can avoid any potential slip-ups on a recce front and find out straight from the source. If it turns out he will not be there, which is entirely possible given his NATO commitments, I will attend. If he will be there, I will stay in Birmingham."
"Are you sure?"
"Absolutely. You're not the only one who can put together a cunning plan," I smirked. "I know your speech is going to be blinding and I hear Captain Sykes is rather scrummy in his Number 2. I certainly do not want to miss the opportunity to drool over him."
"You're such a cheeky mare, Poppet," Bones shook his head and gave me a knowing smirk. "Whatever would I do without you?"
"I dunno? Let's hope you never have to answer that question," I smiled back at him, my hand still clasped tightly in his.