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Ren sat on the stoop, watching the slow set of the sun paint the distant mountains with scarlet and purple, while Kronus hung heavy in the sky. One of Kronus's other moons, Diarra, glittered in the sky like an oversized star, but the others were below the horizon.
'Ri scampered and played in the lichens and rocks that made up the cabin's front yard, leaping up to try to catch the night insects as they began to glow and take flight. It had taken three months to arrange a new set of dates for leave. In the interim, Lucia had kept him up to date on the proceedings with Snyder. As he’d expected, the man had been found guilty and sent to prison. And two weeks after he arrived, the former captain had been killed in a riot.
Ren wished he could say he was surprised.
Behind the cabin, he heard a vehicle pull in and stop, then the crunch of shoes on gravel. He wiped his palms on his trousers and blamed the beer for his sudden damp skin, the unexpected race in his pulse. Already he could feel the pleasure, contentment, and simple joy radiating from his wolf. He wished he could share the animal's faith. Trans-orbital vid and messaging systems were one thing. Face-to-face was entirely different.
Lucia rounded the corner, the sunset light painting her pale dress in vivid indigo and making him catch his breath. She dropped her luggage next to her on the path and let out an appreciative sigh. "That's gorgeous."
Ren stood to cross to her side, but Inari was faster. She charged across the distance and slammed into Lucia's legs insistently, almost bowling her over. Fortunately, Lucia just laughed and knelt to offer scritches along the wolf's sides. "Yes, I missed you too, 'Ri."
He helped her back to her feet and smiled down at his wolf. "Hey. Let other people say hello." With an easy tug, Lucia settled her back against his chest, and he wrapped his arms around her, chin on her shoulder as they watched the red ball of the sun finish its trek below the horizon. When dark had descended, he turned her to face him, unable to wait any longer before tasting her lips.
She broke the contact with a soft laugh. "About time. I thought you weren't ever going to get around to kissing me. You should listen to your wolf more."
"Oh? What's she saying now?"
"That she's just fine out here, and you need to take me inside so we can get reacquainted." Lucia's eyes glittered in the dark as she dragged her palm down his chest.
Fire traced the wake of her touch, sending desire to flood his veins like molten honey. "Reacquainted, eh? I like the sound of that."
She stepped back and started to walk into the house, leaving him to trail behind like smoke following a candle. "Then what are we waiting for?"
Nothing at all. He didn't know how it would end, but Ren knew this much. He was done waiting.
THANKS FOR READING! I hope you enjoyed your visit to the Three Systems, and to the Rangers of Fireteam Bravo. If you’re not ready to leave yet, then you’re in luck – the story continues in Book 2, Grenville, available now at your favorite e-tailers:
https://books2read.com/u/b5rw7l
Also by JC Hay
TriSystems: Rangers
TriSystems: Smugglers
The Corporate Services Books
Flare: Team Corona (Part of The Great Space Race)