by Cindy Dees
A terrified looking man stood up and was escorted across the patio by the three rebels. They stepped inside.
As quickly as it began, the incident was over. The patio was silent for several long seconds, and then pandemonium erupted. Tom slumped in his seat as the adrenaline drained away.
It occurred to him that Annie was being awfully quiet. He looked up, and she was staring at him, her eyes huge and dark against pasty white skin.
He threw a couple of bills on the table and said, “Let’s go. The police will be here any second to question everyone.”
“Oh, crap,” she breathed.
Exactly.
ANNIE STUMBLED to her feet and followed him out of the restaurant. Tom all but ran, and she had to hustle to keep up as he ducked into stores, crossed streets without warning and dived into alleys, all the while checking for tails.
Finally, they slowed and turned toward home. A building, or what was left of it, spilled into the street ahead in a man-high jumble of cement and steel. A rubble brigade had been established as workers lifted away bricks and chunks of debris, while rescue workers searched for victims.
Tom studied the remains of the building, looked over his shoulder in the direction of their apartment and then noted the position of the sun.
“Annie, what was that place?” he asked tersely.
“An office building.”
“What companies were housed in it?”
Tom stared expectantly at her. She’d sold him on her usefulness because she knew the city like the back of her hand. Now was the time to prove it. Think! She looked around the wrecked street, reconstructing what it used to look like. “There was an insurance company and a bank. National One Television was here, and—”
Tom cut her off. “That had to be the target of last night’s shelling. The government’s TV station.”
It made sense. The network had been gushing anti-rebel propaganda like an oil well recently.
“C’mon,” Tom muttered. “Let’s get off the street.”
To her surprise he steered her into a supermarket on their way home. He loaded their basket with piles of canned food. He added several large plastic containers, rolls of plastic wrap and duct tape, a cheap headset radio, batteries and a stack of candles big enough to elicit a rude comment from the checkout clerk. Annie didn’t ask what they were for. Right now she just wanted to get under cover.
Before long her arms were killing her, and she wasn’t carrying nearly as many bags of groceries as Tom. She was huffing when they got back to the apartment, but he seemed unaffected. She’d hate to see him at full strength if he was in such good shape after his complete inactivity the past two months.
She’d no sooner put down her groceries on the kitchen table than Tom said, “Go take a bath. Take your time and enjoy it. It’s the last one you’re going to get for a while.”
“But we found the target of the shelling, and it was destroyed. We don’t have to leave now, do we?”
“No. But if the rebels were smart enough to go after the TV station, surely they know to go after the utilities. I’d bet my next paycheck we’re about to lose water and electricity.”
The reality of living in a war zone struck Annie hard. “That makes sense. Join me in the bath?”
His gaze jerked to her, startled. “I’d better not.”
Deflated, she replied, “If you change your mind, you know where to find me.”
His gaze softened. “I’ll keep it in mind.”
TOM WATCHED her turn and head for the bathroom. Her hips swayed just enough to drive him crazy. He could still feel them undulating in perfect time with his.
And he could still see the stark terror on Annie’s face in the restaurant. He should have seen it coming. The rebels wielding the guns had been clumsy amateurs. If he’d been even half alert, he’d have seen the signs of it. But he’d been so wrapped up in Annie that he’d missed it completely.
It had been sheer dumb luck they didn’t get killed in the restaurant. Next time they might not be so lucky. He couldn’t afford any distractions.
Last night was a huge mistake. He couldn’t let it happen again.
How he was going to stop it from happening again he had no idea. The mere thought of lying beside her, holding her and loving her, aroused him.
Resolutely he set water on the stove to boil. Once they’d both had a bath, he was going to sterilize the bathtub and fill it with drinking water. He would cover it with the plastic wrap and it should last them for a week or two. Hopefully, they’d be out of here before they ran out.
He took a roll of duct tape to the bedroom and crisscrossed tape across the windows. If they were hit and shattered, the tape would keep pieces of glass from flying around and injuring them. Next he taped blankets in place over the windows for extra protection from shrapnel. He left tiny peepholes on each side of the windows at eye level.
He dragged the mattress into the living room, wrestling it through the doorway. Every freshly healed bone in his body protested, and he sat down heavily on the couch when he was down.
Exhaustion rolled over him, sucking him downward. If nothing else, their outing had shown him he was not strong enough to attempt leaving Gavarone yet. He closed his eyes and marshaled his strength. There was still a lot to do before dark, and the probable end of electricity. He was gathering himself to stand again when Annie’s voice sounded.
“Tom? Could you come here for a second?”
Immediately he was alert. “Are you all right?”
He opened the door and a wave of steam rolled forth. Annie sat in the tub, covered in bubbles, the higher curves of her breasts visible and freaking tantalizing. Her hair was pinned up, and tendrils curled around her face, teasing her rosy cheeks. She looked like a centerfold about to reveal herself. “I forgot my razor. Could you get it for me? It’s on top of the dresser in the bedroom.”
“Uh, yeah, sure.”
He stepped outside, leaning against the wall beside the door. He had to stop it, here and now. For both their sakes. But the sight of her luxuriating in that tub, looking hopeful that he might join her…
He shoved away from the wall and got her damned razor. He carried it into the bathroom, prepared to deliver it along with a speech about how they had to cool it.
She was standing up. Suds clung to her in all the right places, and she put any centerfold he’d ever seen to shame. Rivulets of water ran down her body, erasing the suds in their path, revealing tantalizing streaks of feminine flesh.
She had one foot propped on the edge of the tub, apparently waiting for the razor. Dumbly he handed it to her. Before his knees went too weak to hold him, he sat down on the closed lid of the toilet. Helplessly he watched her shave her legs.
Her hand smoothed its way up her calf, behind her knee, and up the back of her thigh. He watched its path, mesmerized. Another long stroke of her hand, and another strip of smooth flesh was revealed. Over and over, her hand glided upward in long, lazy movements. He couldn’t have gotten up and left if his life depended on it.
She gave the same treatment to her other leg, and Tom began to find it difficult to breathe. It must be all the heat and steam in the small space. Yeah. That was it. He unbuttoned the top button of his shirt, fanning the fabric to cool himself. It didn’t help. He slipped another button free. And then another. Before he knew it, the shirt was off.
Still, he was burning up. Annie straightened and turned to look at him. She smiled, and he was lost. He rose and went to his Venus rising from the sea. She reached for his belt buckle, but her fingers were slippery and fumbled with the fastener. He brushed them aside and tore it open himself. She helped him out of his remaining clothes, more in the way than not, but the feel of her hands on him was pure heaven.
He stepped into the tub and wrapped his arms around her soapy perfection. His hands slid over her skin, and he gloried in her delight. And when she did the same to him, his knees threatened to give way once more. He carried her down with him and twist
ed so he lay full length in the tub with her stretched out on top of him.
Annie squirmed until she kneeled above him. She reached between them and guided his erection to her eager body. And then slowly, slowly, she slid down onto him. The pleasure was exquisite, almost painful. He bit his lip and managed not to lose control. His effort was well rewarded by the sight of Annie, her head flung back, her eyes closed, her throat taut with ecstasy.
She started to move on top of him, and they laughed when water sloshed onto the floor. They laughed again when he emptied the rest of the bubble bath into the tub. The heady aroma of gardenias swirled around them, and he would never smell that scent again without thinking of this moment. He gave himself over to it, savoring it with the same abandon Annie did. There was no holding back, no secrets. He laid before her everything that he was, and she did the same for him.
The water was cold by the time they finally climbed out of the tub. They took turns toweling each other dry, extending the moment as long as they could. Tom brushed out her hair and kissed the back of her neck while she blow-dried it. She spread his shaving cream for him, but he handled his razor himself. Annie inspected his work with her mouth and declared it a satisfactory shave.
But finally the moment arrived when they had to leave the magic of their tryst.
Even Annie seemed to sense they might not have another like it. Her eyes grew shiny with unshed tears.
“You know we can’t do this again, Annie. Once we go out into the war zone, I’ll need to focus one hundred percent on getting us all to safety.”
“I know,” she whispered.
Tom held her gently. “No regrets, angel. Promise me.”
“I promise.” She drew a shaky breath. “But promise you won’t forget me.”
He snorted. “I couldn’t if I tried.”
She leaned back to look up at him. “I bet you say that to all the girls.”
“I most certainly do not.”
“You don’t have to lie to me. I’ve seen the way groupie chicks hang all over you Special Forces types in bars while you lie your butts off to them about what you can do.”
He chuckled. “I knew there was a reason why I never date military women. I can’t bullshit them with tales of my heroic deeds.”
Her expression turned serious. “I bet if you did tell people the truth, they wouldn’t believe you.”
He shrugged. “That’s been my experience. Sometimes even I don’t believe we pull off some of our missions.”
“Is this one of them?”
“It’s getting there.”
She gave him a tremulous smile, both endearing and heart wrenching. “That’s a deal.”
“Meanwhile,” he said, clearing his throat to loosen the tightness in his chest, “We’ve got a war to get ready for. Our survival may depend on the preparations we make in the next few hours.”
Annie straightened her spine. Brave girl.
She said gamely, “Let’s get to it, then.”
CHAPTER NINE
Exactly two weeks later, Annie woke up after a routine night of gunfire to the sight of Tom sitting on the edge of the bed, cutting the cast off his left arm.
She rolled over and spooned herself around his naked back. “Are you sure your arm’s ready for that?”
He relaxed against her momentarily before the inevitable shift away from her. “Annie, we shouldn’t have—”
She rolled away from him, exasperated. “You say that every single time, Tom. I know we shouldn’t have. But we did. Nobody got hurt, nobody knows but us, and we both know the rules when we leave here. Can’t you just relax and enjoy what we have right now?”
He frowned down at her. “It’s not that simple. I can’t explain it, but I have a gut feeling something bad’s going to come of our relationship.”
“Then we’ll deal with it when it happens. You worry too much.”
“And you don’t worry enough.”
She sighed. They’d been over that ground before. “Any particular reason you’re taking your cast off today?”
“Yeah. We’re getting out of here tomorrow, and it would be in my way.”
Annie sat bolt upright in bed. “Tomorrow?”
“That’s the plan. We’re all going walk out of here and leave Gavarone to its war.”
“You make it sound easy.”
He frowned. “It’ll be anything but easy. Get plenty of rest today. No hard workouts.”
She’d followed his lead and exercised rigorously for the past two weeks. It had been a nightmare. Watching the pain and suffering Tom had to put himself through to recover from the injuries she’d inflicted upon him had been pure torture. With every session, every muffled groan, her guilt grew. Her need to do something—anything—to make amends or even just to suffer in like fashion grew unbearable. She was as trapped in her own way by Tom’s injuries as he was.
His voice interrupted her spinning thoughts. “Are you ready to get back to civilization?”
“God, yes,” she sighed. “Just think. I could be taking a nice hot bath the day after tomorrow.”
Tom answered lightly, “Sorry to disappoint you, but Navy ships don’t have bathtubs. You’ll have to wait until we get stateside for that.”
“Hey, I’d settle for a cold shower right about now.”
“If it makes you feel better, the longest I’ve ever gone without washing, except for rain and occasional mud puddles, was sixty days. So you’re not even close to my record.”
“That’s disgusting! I bet you stood in the shower for an hour after you got back to civilization.”
“Yup. Scrubbed myself with steel wool and Lysol.”
“Your workouts these past two weeks may have proved you’re tough, but you’re not that tough!”
His response was casual. “I’ve been taking it easy on myself.”
Annie shook her head. For all she knew, he might have been. But his exercise regimen had been awe inspiring nonetheless.
“The whole team’s meeting here tonight, angel. Do we have enough food left to give them a decent meal?”
“We still have a fair bit. But the way you guys eat, I’m not sure it’ll qualify as a decent meal.”
“You know us growing boys.”
She grinned. “Boys being the operative word.”
His eyes gleamed. “Oh, yeah?”
She managed one zig before Tom zagged and pinned her to the mattress. She didn’t stand a chance of winning the tickling match that followed. But she did win the internal struggle between Tom and his conscience when he finally kissed her and then made love to her.
Tom’s men started trickling in at dusk. They didn’t eat the cupboards completely bare, but it was a close call.
Doc was the last to arrive. Annie sat with him while he gulped down a can of chili she’d heated for him over a couple of candles. When he finished, she followed him into the bedroom. The others were peering by flashlight at the six-foot-tall map of St. George that Tom had drawn on her lovely yellow wall.
Tom spoke over his shoulder, “So, Doc. What’s the word from rebel headquarters?”
Over the past two weeks, Doc had earned the trust of the rebel leaders by treating their wounded. “They’re moving into the eastern sector tomorrow night.” He pointed at the map.
“Where are their soldiers coming from?”
“This area here.” Doc pointed at a historic neighborhood in the center of the city known as Old Town.
Dutch spoke up. “The rebels don’t have all that many men there now. If they pull a large force out to attack to the east, Old Town’s going to be pretty thin on rebels.”
Annie mentally sighed in relief. It was just the opening they needed.
Tom frowned. “Does the government know about this? If they do, they’ll move on Old Town tomorrow night to take it back.”
Annie’s spirits fell. Dang. He was right.
Mac spoke up. “I haven’t heard anything about an offensive at the Gavronese Army’s headquarters. But then
I only work in their supply office. I’m not wiping generals’ a—pardon me, ma’am—behinds like Doc is.”
Tom turned to the silent member of his team, Howdy. The other men stilled and listened intently when he finally spoke.
“This afternoon the government repositioned a lot of heavy, rolling equipment for an attack of some kind. They’re in place to hit either Old Town or this area to the northwest. Both targets are lightly defended by the rebels. Unfortunately, they’re also our two best bets for egress routes.”
“Could the government attack both positions simultaneously?” Tom asked.
Howdy shook his head. “Not enough firepower. They’ll do one or the other.”
Annie groaned silently. Great. So if they picked the right route, they’d have an easy walk out. If they picked the wrong one they would land smack dab in the middle of a firefight.
Tom frowned. “Any thoughts on which route we take, anyone?”
There were shrugs all around.
“Annie?”
She started. “What?”
“Which route would you suggest?”
Her cheeks grew hot as all the men stared intently at her. “Me? I don’t know anything about this tactical stuff.”
“Which section of the city are you more familiar with?”
“Old Town. It’s tricky to navigate, though. Lots of narrow winding streets. The other area you guys are looking at is more modern with wide boulevards that run in compass grid lines.”
“Old Town it is,” Tom announced.
Alarmed, she said, “Look, don’t make this decision based on my lowly opinions. You guys do your expert thing and choose.”
“We just did. Tanks maneuver lousy in tight spaces. And the more little alleys and side streets there are, the more hiding places there’ll be for us.” Tom shifted topics. “Okay, so how are we doing for firepower?”
Howdy rolled open a large bundle he’d carried in with him and dumped at least twenty assorted pistols, shotguns and rifles on the floor.
Eagerly the other men reached for the weapons, inspecting and commenting on the arsenal. In a matter of minutes there were gun parts all over the floor as the guys cleaned and tinkered with the weapons.
