There was no time to waste if she was taking on an extra load. Running her hand over the hair she’d yet to pin up, Dharma crossed to the door. “I...I can’t be late. When I get back, I have to share something with you. Something important.”
“Dharma—”
***
“Please. The other. Call me gariad. When you say it, I feel like...I mean, I feel as if you care. Not that I think there’s more to this.” She said the last with an air of sadness.
There would be more if Bane had his way. He approached her and caressed the ball of her shoulder. He slid his hand down her arm, past her elbow and curled it about her wrist. Her eyes flared.
He flexed his hand and teased his thumb over her pulse then rubbed her palm. “Thank you for your help during my stay here, gariad.”
Her gaze softened. The word meant lover in his maman’s language which he rarely spoke and unfortunately wasn’t as fluent in since he had a translator. Bane let her hand go and stepped back. “Remember your promise. You—”
The corner of her mouth lifted slightly. Not quite a smile. It was the first time he’d seen an outward glimmer of happiness from her, though. “I will come back and say goodbye before you leave. I know.”
She rolled her eyes but the half-smile stayed as she turned toward the door. She reached for the knob. Bane crossed his arms over his chest. Dharma looked down then glanced back at him over her shoulder and lifted her arm.
A small ring of his silk circled her wrist, a quick and easy weave for him. His glands burned from the overuse in the last twenty-four hours, but it was worth it to see the confusion in her gaze blossom into full-blown amusement as she shook her head. “Very slick. Don’t forget, I have something important I need to tell you when I come back.”
“I’ll listen to anything you feel you need to say.”
Her expression smoothed out and she left. The desk comm chimed with the closing of the door. Reality intruded. Bane sighed and answered.
“We’ve landed. I have V’hor and Kyele coming with me to meet you. ”
Totally unnecessary. Bane grumbled, “I can make my way to the docking bay without an escort, Jaron.”
“Official orders.”
They probably were but Jaron said them with added glee because he knew how it annoyed Bane to be coddled.
“Fine.” Bane blew out a breath. “I’ll be ready.”
Chapter 13
Worry continued to plague Dharma as she and Medic Tao met with each patient. Thoughts of what she wanted to tell Bane made it difficult to focus. Would he believe her?
“Are you well, Dharma?” Tao asked as they exited the room of a soldier who was leaving today.
Dharma slid her hands into the pockets of the fresh uniform she’d retrieved from her locker in the staff room where she kept an extra set of clothing. The shower had done little to dispel the lingering fatigue from her night with Bane. Parts of her were sore and throbbed with each step she took down the tiled hall.
“I’m fine.” She sent Tao a reassuring nod, unable to muster a smile. Not even a facsimile of one. Her stomach knotted from what she planned to do.
“I appreciate your help today. With Teyla leaving a few days earlier than planned, we’ve had to strain our resources a bit to compensate. Caris’ unexpected absence certainly didn’t help and has caused a slight upheaval but with the Jutak and a few others discharging today, I feel we can manage.”
Teyla only left three patients for Dharma. It was covering Caris’ schedule that would have Dharma running all day. She didn’t mention that though. Tao didn’t need the added pressure. “It won’t be an issue.”
“Don’t hesitate to say anything if you’re overwhelmed.” He squeezed her shoulder and after a last smiling glance, he hurried down the hall, head already down reading whatever alert was on his data pad.
The morning slipped by. She met with patient after patient blindly going through her duties on instinct. Occasionally she checked the time to make sure she wouldn’t miss seeing Bane leave. She paused at the medic comm station and its curved desk to input notes. After she took her next break, it would be time to face him. Time to tell him everything.
Her heart sped up. What ifs danced through her head. So many scenarios. She hoped taking a chance on her growing affection for Bane wasn’t the wrong choice. He’d proved to be different so far. Different in an indescribable way.
This was a new experience for her. She was, if she admitted it, excited at the idea of being with him in some way. She gnawed her bottom lip and rubbed absently at her forehead. The silver circlet on her wrist dangled, pulling at her attention and heartstrings.
A silk reminder of their night together. It had to mean something. With that thought, she firmed her resolve. The truth needed to come out.
She was taking a chance on Bane.
***
Without Dharma to distract him, Bane had no reason to delay or hesitate. Since Jaron said they would be here shortly, he needed to get ready. In the shower, memories of sex sharing teased him. The scent of Dharma rose from him as he reluctantly ran the wet cloth over his chest.
Soap ran in rivulets down his body along with regret. The night had been more than he ever imagined. What if they could have more? What if what he was feeling was more than a momentary blip?
The idea of being with her after he left CV-8 slowly took root. Bane ducked his head under the water to clean his hair as he pondered what it would be like to initiate a long term relationship with her. Would Dharma even consider it?
Those questions and many more played through his mind as he wrapped a drying cloth about his hips and went to the closet to pull out his bag. It contained a clean uniform and his weapons.
He set the bag on the bed, the flaps falling back to reveal the contents. Seeing his gear neatly folded and waiting gave him a moment’s pause. To think how close he’d come to never being able to wear this uniform again on active missions took his breath away. And Dharma was part of helping him get to this point if only peripherally.
Dharma. If he let his thoughts linger there, he’d have an inconvenient erection and his friends would take great joy in mocking him and asking questions he wasn’t ready for.
Another sigh. The two of them would talk when she came to say goodbye. Having a plan lightened his spirit. Pulling out his pants, he stepped into them and did up the front flap. Two brisk knocks on the door had him tensing. The staff rarely knocked.
“Enter.”
Jaron came in first. A genuine smile flashed when the Team Leader saw him. “It does me good to see you on your feet, Bane.”
They clasped arms as Kyele and Vee walked in behind him and closed the door. Vee gripped Bane’s shoulders and searched his face. After a moment, he placed his forehead to Bane’s and whispered, “Thank you for the price you paid.”
Bane pounded Vee’s back extra hard, grinning when Vee actually stumbled. It wasn’t often he could catch the Serpine off-guard. Kyele nodded and propped himself beside the door, one foot balanced behind him on the wall.
“We can leave as soon as you’re ready but I’ll talk while you finish dressing,” Jaron said. When Bane nodded his agreement Jaron started. “I have the results from the four females who were around you the most while here. Teyla Ouai was supposed to end her rotation at the end of this week but left last night due to an alleged emergency.”