Chapter 701

God, I just don't know if we're ever going to get there.

We spend the evening celebrating a variety of victories - Tony's top marks, Rafe's great win, Jesse's first command, and my continuing enrollment at Alpha Academy by dint of fire tornado. A great deal of contraband whiskey goes around with lots of merriment and jokes - but the best part?

The best part comes when everyone leaves and I crawl across the bed and collapse over Jackson's bare chest.

His breath all leaves him in a woosh before he laughs and wraps me up against him, kicking a foot out and knocking the curtain off its hook so that it slides shut and leaves us in darkness.

"I'm tired," I mutter, letting myself go limp against him.

"Yes, you had a long day," he murmurs.

"Yeah," I say with a sigh, snuggling against him. "Was a traitor. Shot my mate and turned his command over to my cousin. Lost my virginity. Got my mini mark," I hold up my finger as proof, making him laugh. "Yelled at my Captain and got expelled. Started a fire and reversed my expulsion."

"Busy girl," he murmurs, dropping a kiss to my head. "What was the best part?"

"The mini mark," I say on a satisfied sigh, holding up my finger again.

He laughs sincerely but then growls, wanting a better answer. I grin and sit up, letting my legs fall naturally on either side of him. "No, Jacks, you know what my favorite part was. Of course it was."

"It was really important to me," he murmurs, raising a hand and cupping my cheek in his palm. I sigh happily, resting my head there. "I didn't want you to think that I let it get overshadowed, or that I thought it was just something that happened. It was...probably one of the most important moments of my life."

"Me too," I say, utterly sincere. We stare at each other for a long moment before I lower myself softly to his chest so that our faces are very close in the dark. “I love you very much, Jackson. I'm going to spend the rest of my life making that abundantly clear."

His whole face softens with his emotions and I can feel down the bond that he feels precisely the same. "I regret it now," he murmurs, letting his eyes drift down to my neck and lifting a hand to the spot. "I should have given you the mark. I'm sorry. I mean, it would have made this whole day even harder because everyone would have flipped - but marking you should have been more important -"

"It's okay," I whisper, grinning at him. "Next time."

He nods, moving his eyes back to mine. "Next time," he whispers.

Then I gasp a little, remembering something. "OH!"

I bounce away from him, reaching from my dresser and rifling through one of the drawers.

"What on earth are you doing?" Jackson asks, propping himself up on his elbows and frowning at me.

"Looking for...this!" I say, proudly producing the little brown bottle my mom gave me and crawling back to Jacks, reclaiming my spot straddling his stomach. I hold it out to him so he can see.

"What is it?" he asks, confused.

"Birth control," I say, pulling it back and unscrewing the top.

"Oh," he says, his eyes going wide. "Where did you get that?"

"Mom," I say with a shrug. "She likes to be practical." He watches me

my lips, but the grim set of his mouth makes me pause. "Unless you wait, do you not want me to take this?"

quite seriously as I raise his ned

He blinks at me. "What?"

My eyes go wide. "I mean, if I don't, there is a...very real possibility of a little baby McClintock in six months."

Jackson goes very pale, making me grin. "No, you should definitely drink it."

I laugh a little, taking a sip like my mom instructed me and then re-screwing the cap and tossing it back in the drawer. Jackson's eyes follow the bottle and then he

reaches for me, pulling me close as I settle again close to him.

"Does it hurt you at all?" he murmurs. "To take that?"

"No," I whisper, shaking my head. "Mom says it's very gentle, that I shouldn't notice anything."

I smile a little, because I can hear him frowning. "Should...I take some? Does it work on guys?"

“I don't know,” I say, turning my head and considering it. "Should we ask Jesse? He's a hussy, apparently - he'd have an idea —“noveldrama

Jackson laughs and wraps me up tight. "No, leave him in peace," he murmurs, pressing a kiss to my hair. "I want you all to myself a little while longer."

"Me too," I whisper, snuggling up

warm against my mate, who brings

me such joy and peace. And incredible amounts of physical pleasure, apparently. "Meet me in the dream state, though," I murmur, sleepy. "I want to try something."

"Yes ma'am," Jackson murmurs, tucking his hand beneath my pajama top and running his palm, warm and possessive, all the way down my back, letting me know that he, too, has plans for when he gets me alone on that cliffside.