Free Wolf's Oath (After the Crash 3.25) by Maddy Barone Page B

pilot. He would be on base only one night before flying back out and all she wanted was one night of passion with someone she could connect with. He hadn’t comforted her. Maybe he’d tried, but all she felt the next morning was sordid shame and she was glad when he’d left.
    She’d done the same thing a month later with a man she felt she knew well, one she respected. He was transferring back to the States in a month, and she thought they’d have a good time until then. She found passion with him, but no connection. She hadn’t wanted a commitment from him, just some sort of bond, however brief and superficial it might be. His attitude in the following days made it plain he was looking for some time in the sack, and nothing else, so she broke it off. Working with him for the next three weeks until his transfer had resulted in too many awkward silences. Staff meetings were agonizing. Even the casual friendship between them had died an icy death. She didn’t want to experience that with Des.
    Of course, who said sex with Des had to be meaningless? These wolves mated for life. They could build a lasting relationship over the next forty years or so, starting tonight. Maybe.
    The door opened to admit her new husband. Handsome, amazing Des. She tried to not stare hungrily at him. It wouldn’t be fair to deny him sex and then openly lust for his body.
    “Toothbrush,” he said, holding the hand-carved wooden toothbrush out to her.
    “Thanks.” She stood up to take it. “Where do I brush my teeth?”
    Des picked up the lantern from the floor and carried it to the door beside the closet. “The bathroom is here. The water will be ice cold.” He sounded apologetic. “Tomorrow, if you want, I’ll see that water is heated for a bath.”
    Since coming to this new world, baths were few and far between. Water had to be pumped and then heated on a stove. Connie had gotten used to washing up in a bucket of lukewarm water in the kitchen, but she didn’t like it. “It’s locked.”
    He gave the knob a vigorous twist. “No, it’s just tricky to open,” he said, still sounding apologetic as he swung the door wide.
    She peeked past Des into the bathroom and sucked in a breath. It looked like a real bathroom from home. There was a toilet, and a sink with a mirror above it, and a tub.
    “Does the toilet work?” she asked, almost trembling with hope. Hope wilted when she saw the bucket of water sitting on the floor beside the toilet. There’s no such thing as running water, she chided herself, but Des surprised her.
    “Yes. Push the lever down and pour half of this bucket of water into the bowl to flush it. Turn the faucet to run water into the sink. Don’t forget the water will be cold.” He stepped into the bathroom to set the lamp on the top of the toilet tank. “Here’s a towel for you. Soap is there, and here is a box of tooth powder. I’ll wait outside for you.”
    When he closed her inside the bathroom, Connie turned the faucet and did a little dance when water came out. True, it wasn’t huge rush of water, merely a steady trickle, but it came out without having to use a pump. After she’d brushed her teeth, used the toilet, and washed her face and hands, she admitted he was right about the water temperature. If it was any colder, the water would be slush. Even so, she was flooded with dark envy that the den had running water.
    She dried her cold-stung hands on the towel, hung it neatly over the rack above the toilet, picked up the lantern, and went back out to the bedroom. “You know, we need to get…”
    She trailed off as she saw Des peel off his unbuttoned shirt. He dropped it carelessly on the floor and stretched his impressively muscled torso. With his hands behind his neck, each sculpted abdominal muscle was outlined in the lamplight. God, he was beautiful. Was his hair as satiny smooth as it looked?
    “Pick up your shirt,” she said, instead of launching herself at him. “It’s going to get