I wasn’t going to watch. I couldn’t, but I also couldn’t avoid looking at him.
He started climbing, and I understood why he was their entry. He moved as if he were part of the ladder. Colin had been methodical, but Percy was instinctive. He understood what was happening and adjusted immediately.
My dragon was riveted, and I told him there was no need to take his scales. I composed my features to give nothing away because I was surrounded by my crew.
At seventy feet, where Colin had paused, Percy powered on through the sway. When he reached the top, the number that flashed on the board was three seconds faster than Colin.
Station 9 cheered as Percy descended. His crew swarmed around him. When he pulled off his helmet and shook out hishair, I gritted my teeth. I wanted to be there, hugging and kissing him.
He grinned and glanced at me, just for a second. It was a glimpse of what we had in the bedroom, eating breakfast and arguing about the coffee maker. And then he was back with his crew accepting congratulations.
I didn’t care about the loss, though that stung. But I so wanted to be the one standing at his side who got the version of Percy that he showed me when we were alone.
Instead, I shook hands in the lineup and told him, “Good climb.” Percy responded, and when our palms touched, I both overheated and shivered. I was surprised no one noticed my expression. If they thought I was warm and gooey about donuts, they’d be shocked into silence now.
My crew was quiet on the ride back. Colin said he was sorry, and I told him there was nothing to apologize for.
“Percy is so fast.” Colin stared out the window. “Have you ever seen anyone climb like that?”
I had, when Percy had climbed on top of me that night we mated. I gulped away an inappropriate response and said he was good.
Back at the station, I sat alone in the quiet bay after everyone had left. I needed to see my mate.
Congratulations.
He messaged me back.Dinner? Same place as last time?
I was hoping he wanted to come over to my place. We’d spent so little time together, and we had to have a discussion about what the future looked like. But I wasn’t going to turn down an opportunity to be with one another where we wouldn’t be discovered.
Percy was already at the restaurant and sitting at the same table as before. He had a beer in front of him and another for me.
“I ordered for you. Well, water for you, beer for me, but I got you a beer too in case you wanted one.”
“I’m not on shift tomorrow.” I slid into the seat and took the beer.
His brows rose, and he teased,“I thought you ran on water and discipline.”
“Most of the time.” I took a sip. “You were incredible up there.”
“I was.” But his smile faded as he studied me. “Hey. It's just one loss.”
"It's not that.” I peeled the label from the bottle, a habit I'd broken years ago. “It's the part where I had to pretend I didn't care that you were a hundred feet in the air. And when my crew is analyzing your climb and I can't say that I know you.”I rolled up the damp shredded label.
Percy reached across the table and covered my hand with his. “I hated that you couldn’t be with me.”
“It’s not the secrecy so much but the lying. There’s a reason why we’re keeping quiet. But pretending you don't matter is what’s getting to me.”
He squeezed my hand. “Not long to go now.”
“And what if they react badly?”
Percy studied his fork. “They'll be angry we lied to them.” He met my gaze. “But I'd rather have that conversation than keep pretending you're nobody to me.”
Awwww, my heart. My dragon was getting emotional and shaking his scales.
I laced my fingers through Percy's. “Two more weeks.”
“And then we burn the secret down and deal with whatever’s left.”
