by Lea Hart
God willing, she’d live long enough to give me him a dose of his own medicine.
***
Ace rubbed his eyes and checked his watch for the millionth time since Lisa had hung up on him. It was now four in the morning, and it had been ten hours since he’d heard her voice and hadn’t had an update in six.
Standing, he stretched and walked over to the computer and saw nothing new on the satellite images. He looked around the room they’d commandeered as an HQ and noticed he was the only one left. The low-level IT guys must’ve left quietly so he wouldn’t keep bugging them for updates that were not coming.
American forces were not involved in the conflict in Aden, so any information they were receiving was fairly inaccurate. A fact that had been the bane of his existence since he’d gotten back from his mission yesterday and discovered Lisa wasn’t around.
“Where the hell are you?” he muttered to himself as he checked his phone. Hearing the door open, he spun around and saw Caid and Jax. “What’s up?”
“You’re not doing yourself any good in here,” Caid said as he rubbed his face. “Go over to her hooch and wait there.”
Jax lifted his arms and stretched. “We’re not going to know when she clears the gates, so it’s the best option.”
“Yeah, might as well. Nothing is coming in, so it’s not like I’m going to miss something.”
“Don’t yell at her when she gets there,” Jax instructed. “You swallow that shit down and behave.”
Snapping off a salute, he frowned. “Yes, sir.”
Jax snorted and then flipped him off. “I’ve screwed up enough times with women to have learned a few valuable lessons, so you’d be smart to listen.”
“He’s right,” Caid added. “If you give her a hard time, she’ll kick your ass out.”
“I know, but what the fuck was she thinking going into Aden when all the factions are trying to blow each other up?”
“She’s a journalist; they have a tendency to go where the news is happening,” Jax said quietly. “Seems to be part of the job description.”
“Fuck you; I know that.”
“Then don’t be an asshole and yell at her for doing her job.”
“I hate her job.”
“Pretty sure she knows that,” Caid replied.
Pushing his hands on his head, he locked them and nodded. “I really like this woman and don’t want to screw it up before we get started.” He let out a long breath and promised himself he would keep his anger and frustration to himself and just hug the shit out of her when he got close enough.
And, he was going to lay his eyes on her because the alternative wasn’t fucking acceptable. No way would he meet a woman as incredible as Lisa, only to lose her before they had a chance. “I’m going to head over and hang out until she shows up.”
“Good luck, man,” Jax said as he opened the door. “Go forth and make us proud.”
“Roger that.”
“You got this, brother,” Caid added as he slapped him on the back.
Slipping out of the building, he let the warm air fill his lungs and decided to spend time thinking of what kind of date he wanted to take Lisa on when they got back to San Diego. Because if he thought of her not coming back, he’d lose his shit.
And that wouldn’t do a bit of good.
Ace walked up to the group of barracks where the press bunked and wondered how many had been caught in the fighting. Figuring it had to be most of them, he was surprised to see several open doors and prayed it meant they’d all made it back and were celebrating.
He stepped over to the first open door and leaned in. “Does anyone know if Lisa Martin made it back?”
A tall, swarthy man stepped over. “Heard she was caught in the middle of it with Moshe and Gabriel.”
A cold dread slid down his back, and he instructed himself to take slow breaths. “How bad was it?”
“Not the worst I’ve seen.”
A woman crowded next to him, and he moved back, so she could step in. “Do you know if Lisa Martin made it back yet?”
“Yeah, I just saw her walk out of medical. She should be headed this way.”
Nodding, he found himself incapable of saying anything else as a sense of relief the likes of which he’d never known slid across his body. He took a step back and grinned. “Thanks.”
Turning in the direction of the medical facility, he took long strides and didn’t get far before he saw Lisa slowly walking in his direction. He closed the gap that separated them and opened his arms, praying she wasn’t too mad to walk into them. “Hey, how was your day?”
She stopped in front of him and looked up. “Not one of my best.”
He dropped his arms and tentatively took one of her hands and saw her wince. “What?”
“Got grazed by a bullet and I’m still a little sore.”
Swallowing several times, he quelled his urge to yell. “Can I see?”
“It’s wrapped up since I got a bunch of stitches. It’s not a big deal, and nothing more than a really bad abrasion.”
“Those hurt the worst because there are so many nerve endings on the skin.”
“They numbed my arm pretty good and gave me a pain pill, so I should be feeling pretty good any minute now.”
Ace took her backpack and then put his arm around her waist. “Let’s get you tucked into bed, so you can rest.”
“I’m fine, Ace; you don’t have to babysit me.”
“I’m not babysitting you. I’m taking care of you, and if you fight me on this, I swear I’ll lose my ever-loving mind. I have spent the last ten hours worrying, so suck it up, buttercup, and let me do something.”
“That’s really annoying.”
“Which part?”
“All of it. I planned on yelling at you for once, and I’m too tired and spun out to do it properly.”
“You can do it later after you’ve had some rest. I’m sure it’s something you’d like to give your all to, so wait until you’re able to really give it to me.”
Narrowing her eyes, she nodded. “I think I will.”
“Good because I’m pretty sure I deserve whatever you’ve got to dish up.”
“I’ll probably need to do it twice.”
“I’m sorry I yelled; I know it didn’t help.”
“It sure didn’t.”
Seeing her tired eyes and faltering smile made his heart crack for the first time in his life. How had someone he barely knew come to mean so much?
Not ready to deal with what the answer might be, he kissed her head and inhaled the unmistakable scent of war. The smell of cordite and melting plastic was as familiar to him as the smell of coffee, and he ground his teeth together, hating that she was anywhere near it. “Let’s get you to bed.”
“I wish that was a sexy offer and not a nursemaid one, but I suppose I shouldn’t complain, considering I have the option of either one.”
“Don’t you worry, woman; the sexy offers will be coming soon enough.”
“I hope so because after I yell at you, I could probably use some therapeutic sex, so I can forget this day.”
Feeling a laugh erupt, he shook his head and knew he’d met a woman who’d always be more than enough. “I promise to give you as much therapeutic sex as you can handle.”
“After I yell.”
“Of course,” he replied as he kissed her head. He held her against his side as they slowly walked toward her barrack and hoped it was the last time Lisa was near gunfire. She was too fucking precious to lose, and the more time they spent together, the truer it would become.
CHAPTER FIVE
Lisa walked out of the women’s lavatory and felt a thousand times better. Clean hair and brushed teeth were the secret to sanity and anyone who told you different was lying. Sliding her sunglasses down, she walked slowly in the direction of her barrack and thought about which fast-food place she wanted to hit up first when she got home. It was a toss-up between Chick-fil-A and In-N-Out.
The fries were better at In-N-Out, but a perfect piece of fried chicken on a soft bun with pickles could not be undervalued. Maybe she should go to both and call it a day.
Hearing her name, she turned and saw Ace jogging in her direction with a cup of coffee in his hand. God bless him; he brought the perfect thing. “Morning.”
“Hey, honey.” He handed her the coffee and took her shower bag. “Better?”
“Yes. I just need to put the ointment on my shoulder, and I’ll be good to go.”
“I’ll do it if you want.”
“You trying to see me naked, sir?”
“There’s no way I can answer that and not come off like an asshole, so I’m pleading the fifth.” He bent down and kissed her cheek. “After you get dressed, will you have breakfast with me?”
Sipping her coffee, she let her eyes roam over his pulse-quickening smile and noticed the energy simmering around him. He was as still as a statue but looked ready to pounce at a moment’s notice. Maybe that was normal operating procedure for a special operator, whether he was taking care of you or tackling the world’s horrors.
Or she was letting her writer’s mind go and painting a picture that fit the narrative in her head.
Either way, he had a determination that probably shouldn’t be underestimated.
“I’ll have breakfast with you, and then I need to write.”
“Good enough. I have a briefing at thirteen hundred hours, so the morning is yours.”
“Another op?”
“Not sure yet. The fighting in Adan might’ve changed the landscape enough for us to get pulled out. Yemen is a failed state, and there might not be much more we can do for the time being.”
Walking in the direction of her barrack, she nodded. “There were more than two sides going at it yesterday, so I imagine selling our involvement to Congress is going to be damn near impossible.”
“The state of the world is never going to leave us short of options, so it’s always a matter of the best worst choice.”
“Seems I’ve been chasing that best-worst choice for the last couple of years and writing about it.” She opened the door to her place and stepped inside. When she stopped in the doorway, Ace almost plowed her over. “What are you doing?”
“Coming in, so I can put a fresh dressing on your wound.”
“I can do it.”
“I’m a trained medic; let me do it.”
Looking down at her feet, she studied the pattern of dust and then finally looked up. “I don’t want you to freak out and start yelling. I’m too tired to deal with your opinions, recriminations, and judgment.” Inhaling deeply, she met his eyes. “I’ll meet you later in the mess.”
He took her hands and frowned. “Am I that bad?”
Huffing out a long breath, she nodded. “Yeah, kind of.”
“Lisa, I freaked the fuck out when I heard the mortar and gunfire. I have this weird possessive, protective thing going on and it’s so out of control that…”
“Ace, I’m a reasonable, intelligent adult and this isn’t my first rodeo. I’m not taking senseless risks to get my job done.”
“See, I think that’s where we might have differing opinions.”
“And why do you get an opinion on my life?”
Raising his eyes, he shrugged. “I have no good answer for that. All I know is that whatever is happening between us doesn’t leave a lot of room for control and it makes me feel helpless. The only way I know not to lose my shit is to make sure you’re okay and safe.”
“Well…”
“I know; that even sounded crazy to me.”
“You’re not the only one with a little crazy.”
“Yeah? I’d love to hear it, so I can feel better about what’s running around in my head.”
“I was infatuated with you almost from the moment I laid eyes on you. A big old-fashioned adolescent crush that had me almost doodling your name inside hearts.”
“No shit?”
Nodding, she felt her face heat. “It made absolutely no sense since I knew hardly anything about you. I took one look at your face, and I thought: yes, sir, sign me up because it’s him I want.”
Closing the door behind him, he took the coffee cup out of her hand and lifted her in his arms, sitting on the bed roughly. “Am I being punked?”
“No, it’s the truth.”
“God damn.”
“But…”
“I don’t like that word.”
“Infatuation by definition is a fleeting feeling. A short-lived passion or admiration. Not something that can hold up to the reality of every day.”
“I don’t think I like where this is heading.”
“I like my irrational, non-realistic passionate feelings for you, but they’ll be gone in an instant if you don’t stop giving me the vibe that you know better than me.”
“I’m pretty sure you’re a whole lot smarter than I am, so me knowing better shouldn’t be an issue. But I’m a protector by nature, and that’s not going to change. If I think something or someone is going to cause you harm, then I’m going to be loud and firm in my response. You might not like it, but it’s not going to change.”
“I’m not sure what to do with that.”
“Can you take a leap of faith and let me do my thing since it’s coming from a good place?”
“I suppose I could try.”
Nodding, he kissed her head. “I swear; I’m mostly normal.”
“You’re no such thing, Ace. What you do every day is the exact opposite of normal.” Covering his hand, she looked up. “Would you like to go on a date with me when we’re home and see what happens?”
“I’d love to, and I already asked you out, so this is really you accepting the invitation that I already put out there.”
“And pointing that out was important, why?”
“Not sure, just wanted you to know that I’m kind of infatuated with you too.”
Resting her head on his shoulder, she bit back a laugh. “So, do you want to take this little crush home and see what we can do with it?”
“Yeah, I’d like that, Lisa.”
“Mmmkay.”
“Can we make out after I get your dressing re-done?”
“I thought you’d never ask.” Lifting her head, she ran her hand over his face and nodded. “I like you, Ace Henderson.”
“Pretty sure I like you a whole lot more.”
Pressing her mouth to his, she tasted the unnamed thing she always wondered about. The thing she thought didn’t exist.
Why she had to come to Yemen to find it wasn’t immediately evident.
CHAPTER SIX
Ace had always hated when a mission got canceled, with the exception of the one that just got scrubbed. It was a long shot at best, and everyone knew it, so the usual sour mood in the team room was absent. In fact, everyone was damn near jubilant since the combat tempo they’d kept up since arriving in Yemen had been brutal.
Sliding his phone out, he shot off a quick text to Lisa and hoped she’d be feeling up to a visit, so he could give her a goodnight kiss. When she responded with a thumbs-up, he felt his gut kick with excitement. “Going to see my lady,” he said to himself with a smile.
Standing at her door in record time, he knocked and then pushed the door open. “Hey, honey, I’m home.”
“Hey, devil boy, what brings you by?”
“I need to give you a goodnight kiss and see how you’re doing.”
“I’m cozy in my bed and about to fall asleep.”
“Can I join you?” Feeling her eyes crawl over his body, he hoped she’d been serious about needing some therapeutic sex because he’d love to be the one to give it to her.
“I suppose.”
“Not as enthusiastic a response as I’d hoped for, but I’ll take it.”
“Take your boots off; I don’t want the dirt in my bed.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Seeing her smile, he laughed. “I can take off a lot more than that if you like.”
&
nbsp; “Just the boots for now.” She turned off her computer and slid it on the stack of crates next to the bed. “If I like your kisses, then maybe I’ll ask for more.”
Smirking, he hit the lock on the door and got rid of his boots and sweatshirt. “You liked ‘em earlier, so I’m feeling nothing but optimistic.”
A careless shrug was all he got in response.
Which didn’t bother him a bit since he had a feeling that the spark they had could be ignited if they had a little uninterrupted time.
Sliding into the bed, he leaned against the wall. “How’s the arm?”
“Good. Went by medical earlier and they put a new dressing on and applied a numbing cream. Right now, I don’t feel a thing.”
Running his hand over her hip, he pulled her closer. “Maybe, I can change that.”
“I’m sure you can if you put a little effort into it.”
Feeling her hand slide under his T-shirt, he welcomed her touch as she glided her fingers across his stomach. “Feels good.”
“Haven’t done anything yet.”
“I like your hands on me.”
“I like my hands on you too since you feel like you were born in a gym.”
“I have to be in good shape to do what I do.”
“I guess being a super-hero does require a certain level of fitness.”
“I’m no super-hero, just a guy lucky enough to be doing something I love alongside the best men in the world.”
“Speaking of doing what you love, I thought you were going on an op.”
“Got scrubbed.”
“Any chance of telling me why?”
“Not really, but feel free to try and change my mind.” When she rolled her eyes, he let out a laugh. “Or I could just kiss you like I’ve been wanting to since I left you eight hours ago.”
“I probably won’t hate it.”
Before she could tell him more lies, he had his mouth on hers and kissed her tenderly, knowing he’d like nothing more than hours to memorize every inch of her body. Her tongue was smooth against his, and a dizzying sensation the likes of which he’d never experienced washed over him.
