CHAPTER EIGHT
Tor disconnected from his first call in three months with Blythe, surprised, but very glad that she'd agreed to meet him in Paris for his three days of leave.
She hadn't even scolded him about spending more time with his family.
The December Op had lasted three long months, every single day of which he and his unit had been on a no contact order.
No texts. No emails. No sat phone calls.
Nothing.
The Op itself had been grueling and costly to his team.
He'd lost a friend and seen another seriously wounded.
Tor wanted to see only one person.
Blythe.
It was not that he did not want to see his family, but that he did not want to see anyone. Except Blythe.
He booked the penthouse suite in a Paris hotel known for its luxury and more importantly, their absolute discretion.
Even so, he booked the room in Blythe's name, arriving a couple of hours after she'd checked in and sent him the room number.
He texted her from the elevator to let her know he was on his way up.
She stood framed in the door as he approached, her beautiful sapphire eyes focused on him, taking in everything about him.
"Hi." She spoke softly when he was only a few feet away, like that one word had been hard to get out.
Tor didn't bother to attempt a reply, just pulled Blythe into his arms and guided them into the room as he covered her lips with his own, kicking the door shut behind them.
Her hands were all over him, but not in a sexual way. It was like she was checking to make sure everything was there and accounted for.
He broke his mouth away. "I am fine."
He was not the one who had been wounded. He was not the one who had lost his life.
"Three months," she said. Like that explained everything.
"We were on a noncom order," he reminded her. He'd told her as much when he'd called her to ask her to come to Paris.
"I know, but…" She let her voice trail off, just shaking her head.
"I am here now."
"Yes."
They made love. It was inevitable. Tor needed the affirmation of life.
Blythe seemed to be equally determined to prove to herself that he was there and fine, in her arms.
Afterward, they lay without speaking, their bodies entwined as only two lovers could do.
"Will you have another op like the last one?" Blythe's soft voice finally broke the silence between them.
"You know I can't answer that."