Beyond The Limit

by Lindsay McKenna

  Cali saw Pete’s brow scrunch as he finished his cursory inspection of the site. It was her responsibility to get that fence up and provide adequate ongoing security. Knowing he didn’t want excuses, she added, “I’ve already talked to Barnes, here, and his mercenary team will be pulling 24–7 security around the trailers until I can get that fence up and in place.”

  “Yes, sir,” Barnes said, turning around in the seat. “We’ve got horses from a nearby village and we’ll be riding around the trailers during the night.” He hooked his thumb at two pickups following the Land Cruiser. His team of men, all ex-American military, were to be Pete’s personal protection.

  Giving Cali a glance, Pete said, “When is that fencing going to be here?” He didn’t like utilizing his personal security team on this for too long. There weren’t enough men for the job, and they’d eventually get tired of pulling long hours of duty. That’s when terrorists would take advantage of the situation.

  “Tomorrow at 1300,” Cali said.

  “Why wasn’t this security fence up when the trailers arrived?” he demanded, noting how her features hardened ever so slightly at his brusque tone.

  “I don’t want to offer you excuses, Pete, but it’s late in arriving.” This was the man she wanted to deal with—the hard-nosed engineer.

  “Let me decide if it’s an excuse or not, Cali. What happened to the shipment?”

  Cali said tersely, “We ordered the eight-foot-high cyclone fence material and concertina razor wire for the top. The commercial plane bringing it in had engine trouble and was diverted to Kuwait. We off-loaded our material, putting it on a second commercial flight that made it to Kandahar. The material was stolen out of the warehouse there before I could hire guards. The trailers, however, arrived by transport, and we got them here on time.” Cali shrugged. “So now a third flight, which is on time, will arrive in Kabul tonight with new fencing material. I’m having my own security detail meet the plane at the airport. We’ll put the material on waiting trucks and get them out here by no later than tomorrow afternoon.”

  Nodding, Pete finished off his coffee and handed the cup back to her. “I’m not happy about this. Real life happens on a job site, and I know that. But next time, let me know the details sooner.” He saw her green eyes flare with frustration, then she quickly hid the reaction. His heart pounded briefly. Damn, but she was desirable. Not now, Trayhern. Not ever. He opened the door. “We’re going to have problems all the time, and we need to pull together to solve them. I don’t want to be left out of the loop.”

  Cali nodded. “No disagreement.” Damn, Pete was excruciatingly good-looking even when he was scowling at her. Trying to recover, she said briskly, “I’ve worked with the good, the bad and the ugly when it comes to owners on a project. I didn’t want you to think Roland was unconcerned about security. And I don’t want to get off on the wrong foot with you.” Not after her last project. Cali couldn’t afford that. One mistake was all she got, or her career would go up in flames.

  “You haven’t,” Pete said over his shoulder. “Let’s go look at my digs, shall we?” The sooner he left her company, the sooner he’d be able to breathe. Maybe his heart would settle down then. His head knew the dangers of desiring this woman. On all levels. Pete was going to stay unreachable. It was the only way to survive two years with her. Surely, Cali had to be married. That would stop him in his tracks. How badly he wanted to ask if she was, yet to do so would be completely inappropriate.

  Cali was more than willing to get out of the Land Cruiser after four hours on a bumpy dirt road less than four feet away from Trayhern. He was like a magnet to her vulnerable heart. Feeling disgruntled, she capped the thermos, pushed it into her backpack and got out. Barnes instantly followed, as did Ahmed, who triumphantly held out keys to Pete’s trailer.

  “Allow me, Major,” he said with a flourish as he mounted the steps. The man made a dramatic fuss about opening the door and stepping aside so Pete could enter. As he did, Ahmed handed Pete the keys to his new home and office.

  His boots thunking hollowly on the three wooden steps, Pete automatically noted the construction of the stairs and enclosed porch. Roland was responsible for everything on-site, and that included little things like the setup of each preassembled mobile home that had been constructed to specifications in the U.S.A. and shipped here for use. The wood was thick, a number of sturdy nails had been driven into the planks, and on the whole, the entire structure was solid, not wobbly or made of cheap materials.

  Pleased that it appeared Cali Roland’s company wasn’t skimping, Pete smiled and stepped through the door—and halted in surprise for a moment as he gazed into the trailer. Then he turned. Cali was standing behind him, an unreadable expression on her face. Was it a mask she wore? What was it hiding? Pete didn’t know and had no business trying to find out.

  “Looks like the Taj Mahal in here,” he told her.

  “You’re the king, Major Trayhern. I figured you’d need a palace of sorts out here in the middle of nowhere. Like it?” Cali could see a ruddy color flow into Pete’s cheeks. He had a five o’clock beard that made him look slightly dangerous, in an attractive way. His delicious mouth crooked into that little-boy smile, and her pulse accelerated accordingly.

  “Not bad,” Pete murmured, cleaning his boots before he stepped inside. The trailer was pleasantly warm, and he moved aside to allow Cali to enter.

  She shut the door. “Well? Does it meet your expectations?” Her gaze ranged around the room. She had had her office do some homework on Major Trayhern. She knew he’d grown up in the rugged mountains of Montana, so she’d had the trailer office decked out with a wooden table and rolltop desk. It was definitely a man’s place, not a woman’s. Cali knew from experience that men didn’t want frills out in the field. But she also knew they missed their home. On the rear wall of the office was a large picture of a creek flowing through a mountain meadow full of spring wildflowers.

  Pete stepped into the living area at the other end of the trailer. It was state-of-the-art, with a two-burner stove, microwave and small refrigerator. Everything worked. That meant Cali had brought up gasoline generators to supply power for the complex. Running his hand across the white drain board, he eyed the square aluminum sink, dish drainer, towels, small dishwasher and plenty of cabinets. “I’m impressed,” he told her, twisting to look over his shoulder.

  Cali stood with her hands on her hips, her mouth pursed and a rock-solid confidence radiating from her. She had the most alluring green eyes, and Pete found himself wanting to stare into them. But their relationship had to remain businesslike.

  “Roland has a good name around the world, and I intend to hear only praise coming from your lips about working with us on this project.” She tried to ignore that pleased glint in his eyes. He did like his trailer, and that made her euphoric.

  “I appreciate that.” Pete nodded. “I like all the pictures. They remind me of home,” he confided.

  “I thought they would.” Cali followed at a respectful distance, as he explored the living area.

  “That means that you did a little research on me,” he said, running his hand along the wood-paneled wall. Roland Construction obviously paid attention to details. In other construction projects, the low bidder had given him trailers that were nothing but shells, filled with old, dilapidated furniture.

  Cali followed him into the adjoining sleeping area. She’d personally picked out the conservative rust-red, autumn-gold and burnished-orange print for the practical cotton bedspread. To add to his comforts, Cali had hired a widow from a nearby village to clean Pete’s trailer on a weekly basis. The woman had been taught how to use the washer and dryer in the trailer for his laundry. The curtains, bedspread, sheets and other linens were all washable, and nothing required ironing.

  “This is nice,” Pete murmured, liking the dark brown curtains hanging in the two windows. He caught himself. Would he be saying this to a male? No. Scowling, he added, “It will do.” The middle pane
ls were white lace, which lightened the place considerably.

  A personal computer for his private use sat on a built-in desk in one corner, and a solid, blond-wood storage cabinet with a lockbox stood by the bed.

  “I know we have the best security, but you need a safe for your important papers.”

  Pete didn’t argue. “Vigilance pays off.”

  “Every time,” Cali agreed grimly. She’d learned from experience, long ago, to install safes that couldn’t be moved by enterprising thieves.

  “I see a TV,” Pete stated. “That seems out of place.”

  “Television doesn’t work out here,” Cali said, pointing to the small set on one of the cabinets opposite his bed. “I’m working on getting you a satellite feed. It has taken me three weeks to get the paperwork through channels in Kabul, something I thought would go a lot faster than it has. There’s a drawerful of the latest DVDs.” She pointed toward the cabinet. “I think that will keep you out of trouble and sate your appetite for a while. Satellite hookup should be another two weeks if we’re lucky, I’m told.”

  Turning, Pete tried to remain immune to her presence, which was like sunlight shining through dark clouds. Cali’s short red hair was slightly mussed by the breeze crossing the Afghan plain. There was a challenging glint in her eyes. His gaze fell to her full mouth. “You’ve thought of everything.” What did she look like when she really smiled out of pure joy? Don’t go there, Trayhern. That’s dangerous country, pardner. You should know that by now….

  Feeling heat moving within her, Cali tried to cover her surprise over the intimate, burning look Pete sent her. Just as quickly, it vanished. The man was a woman magnet—no doubt about that! Accordingly, she moved away and walked quickly down the hall toward the central workroom.

  “I hope so,” she responded. “I already have a site radio and satellite phone installed. All four computers, office and personal, in the trailer are hooked up to a special satellite connection so you can e-mail Kabul about business, and in your spare time, your friends around the world. The commercial feeds aren’t installed yet, but will be soon.”

  Cali felt Pete behind her, the pleasant hollow sound of his boots oddly comforting. Fighting her responses, she kept an even tone in her voice. “You can continue to talk to the outside world.” She turned and motioned to the large counter. Beneath it the project drawings hung from racks, ready for use. “Last but not least, the rest of your workstation.”

  Pete halted near the entrance to the work area. He really liked the quarters. The main space included two desks, several built-in file cabinets and a framed print of a massive grizzly bear catching fish in a mountain river. Cali had done her homework, and that signaled that she planned to start off on the right foot on this multimillion-dollar project.

  “I know Muslims don’t abide alcohol,” Cali told him, “but I took a chance that you were probably a wine drinker. Below the desk in your quarters, under lock and key, is a pretty good selection of California wines.” Right now, she could use a drink to anesthetize herself against this man’s charms.

  “Good guess! And thank you. I do prefer wine over hard liquor.” How much did Cali really know about him? Pete wondered. How deeply had her company dug into his background? It made him feel slightly uncomfortable. Did Cali know about his messy relationships? He hoped not. It was hard enough for him to deal with, much less have an outsider privy to his debacles.

  “Roland Construction makes it a policy to know who we’re working with,” she said with a shrug. “We like to start off positively by letting an owner know we value the relationship. We’re a team.” Cali held out the keys to the safe and the wine cabinet. Although she wanted to touch him again, she dropped them into his calloused palm instead.

  “Sounds hopeful,” Pete said, depositing the keys in his pocket. “To some construction companies I was always the bad guy.” He saw her relax slightly, resting her long fingers on her curvy hips. The only thing marring the sensual picture was the 9 mm Beretta and holster strapped around her left thigh. A beautifully long and curved thigh, at that. She was a modern Annie Oakley, and Pete was sure she could handle that weapon with ease. The fact that they were in a dangerous part of the world made him frown. The idea of Cali being shot or killed made his gut clench. Stymied by that feeling, Pete shoved it aside. If she were a man, he wouldn’t give it a second thought. But she was a woman. Somehow, he had to keep that from getting in the way.

  “Roland Construction has a different philosophy,” Cali informed him, walking back to the door of the trailer. “We see ourselves as a two-horse team. We want to go the same direction—together—not at cross purposes with one another.”

  Pete nodded. He saw her implacable look become even more unreadable, if that was possible. She wasn’t easy to plumb at all. Maybe, as a woman in a man’s world, Cali Roland had learned not to broadcast her feelings. “Thanks for the thoughtful touches.”

  “You’re welcome. You’ll find the pantry and refrigerator well stocked with food.” Cali added, “There’s a village less than a mile from here. I hired an older widow who is willing to come out and clean your trailer weekly, plus cook you two square meals a day. That okay with you? Or maybe you’re the kind of guy that likes to do housework?”

  “Construction types don’t do well at that,” Pete stated, wanting to get right down to work. The whole day had been turned upside down, and he felt unprepared to deal with a woman at his site. A beautiful woman.

  “How about cooking?” Cali asked a touch impatiently, wanting to get the hell out of his trailer and away from him. Being in close proximity with Pete Trayhern was like holding her hand over an open flame.

  “I’m pretty good at that, so I think if this lady comes over once a week to clean up, dust and wash my clothes, that will be fine. I can rustle up grub to feed myself.”

  “Got it,” Cali said, with a nod of her head. Looking at her watch, she said, “It’s nearly 1700, and the day is done. I’m going to have security set up, and then I’m retiring to my digs, which is about four hundred feet in that direction.” She pointed north.

  “Good. How about radios?” All of a sudden, Pete didn’t want Cali to leave. He wanted to ask her personal questions and get on a more intimate footing. All of that, of course, was folly.

  “Radios and chargers for the site are in your bedroom quarters next to your personal computer. I think you’ll find everything you need in there. Barnes will be on the same frequency as us. If any bandits think they can steal things out of the work trailers or from us, they won’t get far.” She gave a wolfish grin.

  “I can tell you’ve done this before,” Pete said. Her smile of bold self-assurance made him desire her even more. Never having met a woman quite like Cali, Pete thought his response was precisely because of that: how refreshing she was. Damning his curiosity, he dragged in a ragged breath.

  Opening the door, Cali said, “A few times. I’ll meet you at the main project trailer tomorrow at 0800. Ahmed will come and drive you over there.”

  “Sounds good.” Pete lifted his hand in farewell.

  Cali went down the steps without a word. She hurried to the Toyota and got in without a backward glance. Maybe that was a good sign—that she wasn’t drawn to him.

  Turning around, Pete closed the door and headed for the kitchen. There was a coffeemaker, he’d noticed, and he wanted a hot, strong brew. Still, as he puttered around his new kitchen, his mind and heart kept straying to the green-eyed, gun-totting Cali Roland.

  She was one hell of a woman in a decidedly man’s world. And they were going to be working together in very dangerous circumstances. Pete didn’t like the physical danger. But the real jeopardy would be learning how to work with Cali without getting involved on a personal level. And yet involvement seemed inevitable. It was just a question of when…and how badly it would hurt in the end.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  CRACK! CRACK! CRACK!

  Cali was in a deep, early morning sleep when rifles fired lo
udly near her trailer. Automatically, she rolled out of bed, her hand moving to the bed stand to grab her Beretta.

  She jerked on her jeans and thrust her feet in a pair of oxfords, as more gunfire erupted outside. She heard the screams and shouts of men, the thundering of horse hooves. Bandits? Taliban? She wasn’t sure, but quickly threw on a coat over her silk pajama top. Within a minute, she was dressed and running down the hall of her trailer, radio in hand. She left the lights off for safety.

  “Barnes! Report!” she snapped, unlocking the door with shaking hands.

  The sky was clear, the stars so close Cali felt as if she could reach out and touch them. Dawn, a thin purple line, was just outlining the jagged hills to the east. After leaping off the stairs, she ran around the corner of her trailer toward the commotion.

  More gunfire. A geyser of dirt spewed up in front of her, and Cali lunged for the ground. Heart thudding heavily, she watched as dust rose around her. She could barely make out a group of riders about a quarter of a mile away. Barnes and his team were firing repeatedly, with cool precision.

  “Bandits,” Barnes growled into the radio.

  “Roger. Under control?” Cali scrambled from of the dirt and sprinted toward the men flattened on the earth ahead of her.

  “Roger,” he answered. “Wounded two, I think. They’re hightailin’ it now. Fun’s over.”

  Grimacing, Cali raced up as the men slowly got off their bellies to their feet. The three of them had state-of-the-art night goggles and infrared night scopes on their rifles. Cali couldn’t see so well, but she could hear the thundering beat of horses retreating to the south. She gasped for breath, hand pressed to her chest. It felt as if her heart was going to explode with the fear and shock. Cali hadn’t expected an attack.