Page 20 of Green Ravens

“Hey! It was a goddamn mistake, all right. I’m sorry I’m not as skilled as you out here, but youwilltreat me with some fuckin’ respect.”

“Just stay close like I said, Sawyer!”

“What’s your goddamn problem, chief?”

Oakley bumped their foreheads together, his teeth bared, face turning as red as those berries, and his eyes flashing that brilliant yellow.

“You’remy problem! Do you think I risked my life and sacrificed my entire goddamn crew to lose you to a fuckin’ poisonous berry? Huh?”

Sawyer gasped, his voice caught in his throat.

“I can’t lose you, not now…not after—”

“Oakley,” he breathed. “I’m sorry. I don’t wanna—”

Sawyer was yanked into Oakley’s broad chest as strong arms wrapped around him tighter than the boa had been wrapped around the tree.

His burns and sore ribs hollered out to him, but he didn’t answer.

They panted into each other mouths. Battling for the other’s oxygen.

Oakley groaned in a guttural way that sounded of pure anguish.

“If you die…it’ll all have been for nothing.”

Chief Aiken Oakley

Dammit.

Oakley felt fileted.

He was already punishing himself for the decisions he’d made in the field, but he was constantly doubting he could get him and Sawyer out of this jungle alive.

It’d been almost impossible when he’d been with his father, and they’d had provisions and weapons.

“You didn’t sacrifice them, chief.” Sawyer had one hand around the back of his neck and the other cupping his cheek. “You did what we do. You did your duty.”

Oakley looked toward the sky and squeezed his eyes shut, trying to get the images of his friends’ bodies floating in that dismal river out of his mind. They at least deserved honorable burials.

“We’re boat captains, Oakley. We pull our people out of the water.” Sawyer brushed his uninjured cheek against Oakley’s. “I would’ve done the same thing. I would’ve gone after you too.”

“Fuck,” he moaned. “My heart fuckin’ stopped when I saw you surface.”

“We go into the water on retrievals all the time…only this time, our boat wasn’t there when we tried to return.”

Sawyer pulled on his hair and brought their mouths closer. They hadn’t kissed the other night. Oakley had been trying to keep things casual. But he’d heard so many stories of theNeptune’screw and their fearless chief that he’d built up an image of what he’d be like if their paths ever crossed.

His mind hadn’t done the real thing justice.

And then Sawyer had told him he admired him, called him a legend. Stared him down in that bar with those mesmerizing green eyes, making his attraction so obvious Oakley was immediately turned on by Sawyer’s confidence.

“Don’t diminish your heroism, Oakley. What you did was brave and took courage. We were taking heavy fire. We were outgunned and outnumbered. I’d be dead right now if it wasn’t for you,” Sawyer stressed. “Thank you, thank you for saving me.”

Persistent appreciation was whispered into his mouth, delicious gratitude grazing his dry lips.

Oakley pressed closer, needing more contact. The warmth of Sawyer’s mouth ignited something deep within him.

A feeling of comfort…forgiveness. Either of himself or from his comrades. Sawyer was right. Oakley had done his job.

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