The Ghost and the Shadow

Chapter 36 - Simon Riley

A/N: Please note that I don't own the artwork I used for this chapters cover. Full credit goes to the amazing artist, Sasha Shkret who can be found on Instagram at shkret_art. I feel the artists depiction of Ghost is the most accurate to what I imagine when I think of him. 

After packing my stuff away, I pull the duvet on my bed straight and once satisfied that the room is neat and tidy, I call Ghost and walk to the bathroom.

I lift myself up on the counter, waiting for him.

"Do you even sleep in here?" he asks as he enters the bathroom.

I nod, "Of course."

"You're very neat," he compliments as he starts working on my wounds.

I chuckle, "Blame that on drill sergeant Adams. She was unsatisfied with the way I folded my sheets one day and flipped my entire room, her and all the others. Have you ever had 5 women in your face screaming at you all at once?"

"Can't say that I have no."

"You're lucky, I almost cried."

"You, crying? I can't imagine that."

"You'd be surprised. How was your basic training?"

He shrugs, "A walk in the park, I finished first in everything so they approached me for special forces, I can't even remember being yelled at once."

"Of course," I roll my eyes, "Is there anything you're not good at?"

He thinks for a minute, "Relationships."

I don't know what to say to that and add, "Something we have in common."

He looks up at me, his eyes playful, "How many have you had?"

I shrug, "Not many, I dated this kid when I was 12, I think we dated, thinking back on it, he never asked me out though, so I don't know if it counts. Then there was this guy in high school that I dated for a while. He was weird. When I left for the military, he dumped me and my little sixteen year old heart was broken. Then I dated a guy in basic training, but he cheated on me. All the women warned me, but I wouldn't listen, so I guess it served me right. After that I just sort of focused on my career and then I met Alex. We dated for a few years...but...you already know how that ended."

He nods and starts wrapping a fresh bandage around my leg, "Do you miss him?"

I shake my head, "No, it still hurts... but I never even think about him. And you? How many exes do you have?"

"None."

"None?" I ask in shock, "You've never been in a relationship?"

He shakes his head.

"Then how are so...experienced?" I ask confused.

He chuckles, "I said I haven't been in a relationship, not that I'm a monk."

"Have you ever been in love at least?"

"I have," is all he says as he closes the first aid kit.

"Do you just not want to be in a relationship?"

He shakes his head, "It's not that, I'm not really the dating type, more the marriage type. If you love someone and want to be with them, why wait years?"

"To get to know one another first and see if the person is right for you."

"I don't have that kind of patience; you can find out everything you want to know about someone in one conversation."

I chuckle, "Maybe you can, but not everyone is quick to read people like you."

"Probably... All right, your wounds look good," he says as he helps me down from the counter.