Dillon and Cale snorted. Ryan flashed a wicked grin. Lark smiled openly.
Rogue just glared. "This isn't the time or place to run your little experiment. What if the damn thing backfired?"
She met his stare unflinchingly. "What better time to try it out? It's not like I can fly over the city and take out an abandoned house in the middle of a busy neighborhood, after all."
"You could have killed us all," he growled, his face tight with anger.
"Believe it or not, I knew the missile system would work, so there was little danger." Never would she endanger others, not like he implied. Rage rippled through her body at his lack of faith in her.
"Still, it was a stupid idea to deploy one."
"The hell it was! You got in, found your evidence, and escaped in one piece. Why in the world would you want to chance having to go back and set more explosives when the matter could be taken care of, easy peasy?"
All eyes fell on Rogue. He threw up his hands and spun around. "Can't talk any sense into her stubborn mule head."
The men grinned wickedly, their attention bouncing between the two verbal combatants. Lark marched over to the temperamental Rogue. "As far as I'm concerned, she saved our hides by eliminating the need for us to venture into that death pit again. Speaking for myself, I'm grateful she thought of the solution."
Tempest's employer had been nearly overbearing in his protective streak toward her over the two years she'd worked there, restricting her independence, and severely limiting her worldly experiences. As much as she resented his caveman attitudes at times, she also knew he had ample reasons to try to shelter her, push her far from the violence in life.
If he had his druthers, she would be shackled to the office desk, going cross-eyed from hours of bookwork with the accounting software. He still grumbled over her flying tourists over the city and taking the odd job with a news reporter now and again, bringing in necessary income to his helicopter business. Never before had he allowed her along on a para-military mission, wouldn't have this time either except for the strict time schedule and her rational debate. Even as he argued vehemently for her to stay home, she pointed out a major flaw in his thinking process. No matter his great talents, he couldn't park the chopper outside the compound like a little green Nova in the mall parking lot, beep it locked, and go on his way, not if he expected to find it untouched upon his return. Either he allowed her to come along as a pilot or he stewed in the pilot seat, biting at the bit at having to stay behind while other men dashed into the fray. Reluctantly, he had agreed.
He looked down at Lark, then over her head to pin Tempest with his gaze. She cocked her head and shrugged, hoping to further dull the edge of his volatile temper.
Tempest saw the tension slowly seep from Rogue with the relaxation of his muscular frame and the firm jaw complete with clamped teeth. After years of butting heads, she realized Lark helped defuse the situation in record time. Good for her. Normally when she and Rogue argued, he would bull up and hold a grudge for a couple of days until she managed to tease him out of the surly mood.
Sending him a knowing smile, she counted a small victory. "Who's riding home with me?"
Chapter 5
Ryan settled into the first seat behind Rogue, the angle giving him an uninterrupted view of the spirited brunette pilot from an angle. Grabbing a headset, he quickly put it on, allowing him to participate in the conversation without having to yell back and forth.
The whoosh, whoosh, whoosh of the formerly still chopper blades soon turned into a steady whir, reminding him of times past when his team of Army Rangers would fly home after an exhausting, but successful mission, looking for nothing more than a hot meal and a bed for a few hours sleep. The same sounded pretty darn good right now.
Lark and the rest of the Wind Warriors chose to ride back in the SUV together. From what little he knew of Night, he could see the unit already in deep discussion about the near ambush, trying to flush out a reason and a guilty party before they fell victim to another setup.
Pride and worry warred for supremacy when he thought of his baby sister dashing through a drug cartel compound, armed to the teeth, laying her life on the line for the benefit of strangers. He didn't doubt her skills for a second, nor the happiness and excitement written clearly on her face as she raced for the target. Like their two older brothers still on active duty with the Army, she longed for the adrenaline rush and met danger head on.
"I still can't believe I let you tag along on this mission." Rogue shook his head.
Grinning at his surly former Army buddy, Ryan couldn't help but stir the pot a bit more. "Great shot, by the way."
"Thanks." Tempest twisted enough to send him a quick smile.
"You must have quite a mechanic to modify this old Huey to be able to not only fire missiles but to handle Soviet equipment and technology."
"Yeah, I'm pretty proud of my work."
His eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Your work?"
She snorted into the microphone.
"Here we go again," Rogue muttered under his breath.
"Don't think a woman can do the job?" Tempest bit off each word, arms and shoulders tensed. Her grip on the stick tightened enough to show the whites of her knuckles.
He quickly backpedaled. "Not at all. Just surprised." Truth poured into his words. "Most women don't lean toward grease monkeys especially with aircraft." He sucked in a breath and tossed in a bit of honest humor. "Besides, I'm not one to put women down. Lark would kick my ass for daring to try."
Stiffness ebbed from her petite frame.
"That spitfire could do it. She's got some guts," Rogue tossed out.
Ryan grinned. "Down soldier. She's engaged."
"Well, hell." He paused for a long moment. "I bet I could steal her away."
"No way. The sun shines when they're together. Besides, Bryce can hold his own. Retired Marine turned detective."
When Rogue remained quiet, Ryan pursued the previous topic, turning his attention back to Tempest. "Engineer?"
She nodded. "Aerodynamic and computer engineer."
"Damn." He whistled low.
"Impressed?" She teased in a pretty feminine voice that made his breath catch.
"Very."
She shrugged. "Flying is all I've ever known."
"She should be working for NASA making a ton of money instead of flying tourists around the city." Rogue's tone indicated a long difference of opinion, mostly resolved with little sparks left.
"Water under the bridge." Tempest grinned at him before turning her attention to the front once more. "And, we're home, boys."
With practiced skill, she set the helicopter down in the center of the landing area, then cut the power, allowing the dangerous rotors to come fully to a stop before pushing her door open.
Ryan climbed out, his backpack in hand, and waited for the other two passengers to disembark. For the first time, he viewed Tempest's full body, instantly appreciating her petite, yet curvy form, even in the mundane jumpsuit she wore. Modest but perky breasts stood out as the material pulled tight when she slid from the seat and again when she turned around and reached inside the cockpit, showing off a shapely backside, one he longed to cradle in his hands. His groin tightened at the image he knew would haunt his dreams for the next few nights.
Something about the little brunette intrigued him, nagged at him, prodded him to learn more about her life. She caught his interest with both her mind and body.
He mentally shook his head. The past few weeks had been nothing but a study in dating disasters. Yet here he stood, staring at a highly educated and trained female pilot, with a raging hard-on and a sudden desire to learn all about aeronautical engineers from the inside out. She could explain the theory of gravity as he lifted her against the wall, joined their bodies, and surged home, only to repeat the process over and over again.
Studying physics never sounded so appealing or exhilarating.
Rogue would probably kick his ass for one w
hiff of his thoughts.
"Hey, Blue Balls. You're drooling."
Blinking, Ryan glanced to his side, finding Rogue standing nearby, arms folded over his large chest, and a shit eating grin on his face. With the blood drained from his brain to lower portions of his body, Ryan struggled for a decent comeback. Nothing came to mind.
"She's much easier on the eyes than you are."
"And off limits."
Ryan's mouth opened then shut once more. No sense arguing with the gorilla in the middle of an airport. Besides, Tempest could make her own decisions on the matter. He would just have to get her away from her overbearing boss for a minute to have the chance to ask her out.
Tempest twirled around, flicked the door shut, and walked gracefully over. Her gaze flickered back and forth from one man to the other. "Now what?"
"Nothing." Rogue glared at Ryan before his facial expression eased as he turned to his employee.
"Nothing," Ryan agreed with a shrug.
She stared at them for a long moment before throwing her hands up in the air. "Neanderthals. Every last one of you." Spinning on her heel, she marched toward the hanger.
Rogue shot him a warning look before following in her wake.
Ryan watched them go with a sigh. What in the world was he thinking?
His gaze latched on to Tempest's swaying hips. Damn nice. She took that moment to remove her flight helmet, sending a wave of thick sable hair tumbling down to the middle of her back. The action only drew more attention to her terrific rear.
He sucked in a breath and fought the sudden need to slide those locks between his fingers, clasp them in his hands as he pulled her against him in a hard kiss.
At that rate he needed a cold shower or to stop by a local bar to find a hot, willing woman to fulfill his needs for the evening. The former idea held little enticement and surprisingly the latter fell lacking as well. Before he could dwell on the odd thought, his cell phone rang.
"Did you get a date with Tempest?" Lark's voice carried clearly over the line.
He rolled his eyes, turned around, and ambled to his truck. "What makes you think I'm interested in her?"
"Oh, I don't know. The glass-eyed admiration? The St Bernard drool? The little grin that appeared on your face when she offered to fly you home?"
"You're too nosey for your own good." He put an exasperated hint in his tone, knowing full well Lark wouldn't cease pestering him until she found out all the answers to her many questions.
"So, you didn't ask her out? Why not?"
Opening the door, he stuffed his emergency backpack behind his seat before climbing in. "Namely because Rogue was standing there, glaring at me with a promise of painful retribution."
"You let a simple glare scare you off?"
When she put it that way, he looked like a terrified elf having just run across the jolly green giant. "There was a verbal warning included."
She snorted. "What did he say? Leave her alone or I'll make a eunuch out of you?"
Sliding the keys in the ignition, Ryan started the engine, and pulled out of the parking lot. "Nothing so crass. Look, I'm not sure I want to date anyone right now."
"Chicken," she taunted.
Annoyance coursed over him. Lark always knew where to insert the thorn in his side in order to get the biggest rise out of him. "Did you already forget the last women I tried to date? How those worked out?"
"So you fell off your bike. Get back on and try again."
Tired of the uncomfortable conversation, he swiftly changed the subject. "Why are you calling me? Do you need a ride home?"
"Nah. Cranky butt Marine said he would drop me off."
"Then you're bugging me why?"
"Just because I can?"
He puffed out a breath. "Why don't you find another brother to harass? This one is beat."
Her voice softened. "Night told me what you did for us, taking the front position, charging into the firefight. He's impressed as are the other guys." She paused a moment. "I don't know how to thank you."
"You just did." A smile crossed his face. For all Lark's toughness, she remained a loving, caring woman who had no problem telling people what she thought, good or bad.
"He wants to pay you…"
"No way."
"But…"
"Is he paying Tempest and Rogue?"
He waited for her to answer, hearing mumbled voices in the background.
"He said they refused payment, too. He's gonna buy them a new missile, though. Maybe something else."
That sounded like the Rogue of old. Give him a toy over money any day. Ryan chuckled at the thought of the battle that would ensue over installing it on the chopper and ever using it. "I don't need anything, really. The FBI frowns upon weapons of mass destruction even in the hands of one of their own."
"Night says he owes you."
"That works for me." He stifled a yawn as he neared his home. "You going to be okay for the night?"
"Oh, yeah. I already texted Bryce. After I get free of these guys, I have a hot, naked man at home to celebrate with."
"I so didn't need to hear that. Way TMI." Pulling into the driveway, he punched the garage door open.
"Ask Tempest out. Maybe next time she'll meet you at the door in nothing but her birthday suit with promises to rock your world."
"Yeah, yeah." He drove the truck into the garage, turned off the engine, and shut the door behind him. "Okay. I'm off here. Be careful."
"Will do. Happy wet dreams." With a giggle, she clicked off.
She hit the nail on the head. He already envisioned the sexy pilot minus her flight suit and in various poses and positions, making his already hard erection throb with need.
A star in his nightly dreams was one thing, a date was another. He needed the challenges and complications Tempest would bring like he needed a weekend in a straitjacket.
One didn't toy with a woman under a buddy's protection. More times than not the situation led to hurt feelings, unavoidable anger, and a broken nose. Been there, done that, had a deviated septum to show for it. Life would travel down an easier path if he stuck to the scores of women ready, willing, and not interested in a long term commitment. If they just happened to be without a glorified ape as a guard dog, all the better.
With a tired sigh, he headed into the house and straight for a cold shower.
Chapter 6
Back at the office of Chopper Views, Rogue plopped down in his leather chair, scrubbing his face with his hands. Memories of Ryan's retreating back flashed through his mind, his gut churning in a mixture of emotions, the leftover adrenaline from the mission only enhancing the sensation.
Tempest returned from the storeroom, taking her seat at the desk before firing up her computer for the morning. Pride in her abilities and constitution along with the fact he pushed her into mortal danger warred inside him. The missile be damned. He worried about her facing battle situations she hadn't been prepared for.
She turned, arched an eyebrow at him, shot him a quick grin, then grabbed the mouse.
His groin tightened immediately. How she turned him granite hard instantly with just a look baffled him. After two years, he should respond less, develop some immunity to her. Instead, he struggled with spontaneous erections popping up usually at the least convenient times.
Seeing Ryan again didn't help the libido situation that morning, either. Looking better than ever, Ryan whetted his desire while prodding his competitive nature.
He didn't miss the stare of longing Ryan shot Tempest. The act raised Rogue's hackles as not much else could. In the two years they'd worked together, they never went out on a single date. However, that in no way meant he didn't want to ask her out. Quite the opposite. The problem came about with the notion of sexual harassment at work. He didn't want to make her feel pressured to accept his offer in order to keep her job or fear repercussions if she refused him. What if they entered into a relationship then broke up down the road? How could he work with her every day
afterward? The obstacles and complications too plentiful, he chose the safest path—simply keeping their interaction professional. It worked well until today when Ryan had looked at her like she was a glass of ice-cold water and he'd just walked across the Sahara desert in search of her.
How long since he'd seen Ryan? Six years? They were in boot camp together, advanced up the ladder together until he headed off to the Green Berets while Ryan opted for the Army Rangers. Always rivals, they pushed one another to the edge of their limits, needing to challenge and win each and every time against a formidable adversary. The entire camp turned out when they sparred or their supervisors set them up in competition.
"Like some long lost puppy." Ryan's comment wasn't entirely off the mark, although for reasons the blond-haired Ranger couldn't imagine. From their first meeting, Rogue felt an instant attraction to the man, an emotion that soon morphed into angst, frustration, and anger with the no-win situation. Ryan was straight. They served in the Army together where the policy of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" ruled. Without any options, Rogue chafed each day, both wanting to be around Ryan and recognizing proximity only made the maddening situation worse. His outlet became their famous rivalry, trying to beat Ryan at everything and hopefully banish him from his mind.
Unfortunately, the long ago buried feelings popped right back up with the discovery of Blue Blood in the chopper, as did a protective and jealous streak over the little brunette pilot.
He grumbled under his breath and wondered how in the hell his orderly life had fallen into chaos in the course of a five hour mission.
Chapter 7
Rubbing at her tired and blurry eyes, Tempest released a frustrated sigh, grabbed her bottle of diet soda, unscrewed the lid, and took a long drink. After the middle of the night phone call that sent her scurrying out of bed, into clothes, and zipping to the airport, four helicopter tours before noon, and a pile of receipts to enter in the computer, she hit rock bottom on her energy levels. Drained. The word described her to a T.
Blue Blood's Trifecta Page 3
