Free A Reluctant Companion by Kit Tunstall Page B

wouldn’t know anyway. Even if they speculated, their ideas weren’t likely to be any different from the consequences she’d tortured herself by imagining the past couple of weeks.
     
    “May I ask you a question?” asked Ashandi.
     
    Madison nodded.
     
    The other girl’s smile held a glint of wickedness. “Exactly how have you managed to keep him in your bed every night for two weeks?”
     
    “His bed, you mean,” said Nina with a derisive curl of her lip.
     
    Heat filled Madison’s cheeks. “I don’t know,” she mumbled.
     
    Esme giggled. “Of course you don’t,” she said with gentle sarcasm.
     
    Cleo waved a hand. “Ignore them, Madison. You’re under no obligation to share the details of your time with the commander.”
     
    “Yeah, we’re just envious,” said Layko with a small sigh. “It’s been forever since he sent for me.”
     
    “Me too,” agreed Ashandi, though she didn’t seem to mind. “I miss the sex, but it’s easier to maintain an emotional distance when you have Tiernan in small doses. Being the sole focus of his attention for so long…” She shuddered. “I’d just about be guaranteed to fall in love with him.”
     
    Madison’s eyes widened. That was a laughable idea. Of course, she wasn’t his companion by choice. She supposed she could understand how a woman could fall for Tiernan if they wanted to be with him, but that could never happen to her.
     
    *****
     
    Tiernan came back to the suite earlier than his usual time that evening. Madison was still mulling over her afternoon tea and contemplating her place in the harem, so she was distracted when he entered.
     
    He sighed harshly. “I thought you were moving past the silent treatment?”
     
    She blinked. “Oh, sorry. I was lost in thought.”
     
    “About what?”
     
    None of your business. “Nothing important.”
     
    He made a sound in his throat, but let the subject die. Instead, he handed her a small box. “Open it.”
     
    She looked at the wooden box, admiring the carved hummingbird. “It’s pretty.”
     
    “Open it,” he said again. He seemed to be reining in his excitement.
     
    Was he that eager to be giving her a gift? Vowing to make a big production of whatever was in the box, she flipped the lid with her thumb. A genuine smile curved her lips as she touched the pretty necklace made from gold so shiny that it must have been purified and crafted before The End. The asymmetrical pendant had a pink stone in the middle, and she stroked it with her index finger. “It’s beautiful. What’s that?” She tapped the gem.
     
    “It’s pink sapphire.” Tiernan knelt down to her level, rubbing his thumb over her lower lip. “The color made me think of your lips just after a long kiss.”
     
    She leaned forward to offer him one, clutching the box securely in one hand while grasping the front of his military uniform jacket with the other. The kiss left her dizzy, with her pulse racing and body tingling.
     
    When he pulled back, he said in a soft voice, “It also made me think of your pretty little pussy spread open, waiting for my cock.”
     
    She blushed, looking away. “Tiernan, you shouldn’t say things like that.”
     
    He laughed. “Why not? It’s true.”
     
    Madison shrugged, unable to verbalize her objections—mainly because embarrassment was the only one coming to mind. Still not quite looking at him, she whispered, “Would you like to see it again?”
     
    Tiernan’s body shook with a hearty laugh, and he scooped her up in his arms so quickly she squealed with surprise. “I’d love to, but it will have to wait.”
     
    “Oh.” She refused to admit to her own disappointment. “Why?”
     
    He set her on her feet, though clearly reluctant to do so. “Because we’re dining downstairs tonight. My closest officers and their spouses usually dine with me at least once or twice per month, to keep communication flowing and let them know I’m available.”
     
    “I see.”