by Lea Hart
“Roger that,” Frisco said.
“Three SUVs coming into the valley,” Bryce said as he watched his monitor.
“Land that thing and let’s get our asses up the hill,” Blake said. “I’ll request an exfil ASAP. I don’t want to take any chances.”
“Let me bandage the wound. I don’t want that thing moving any more than it has to,” Will said as he pulled supplies out of his bag. “Amy, how are you doing?” he asked over his shoulder.
“Like shit on a shingle,” Amy replied. “But I’m alive and in one piece, so I’m grateful that you all had the time to save us. I know we’re low-value targets, so thank you for putting us on your to-do list.”
“Any time, kid,” Will replied. He applied foam around Paige’s wound and then covered the area in gauze. “That will have to do for now.”
Bryce packed up his equipment and Will did the same as Frisco kept a watch on the area. “Let’s get out of here,” Blake said as he slowly lifted Paige into his arms. Once he held her, Will checked the wound and nodded.
The team moved in the direction of the grove of trees where the SUV was stashed. Frisco took point with Bryce covering their six. Blake did his best not to jostle Paige as they moved along the trail and realized that Frisco had been right earlier. The woman smelled amazing and her soft curves fit against him perfectly. Totally inappropriate to be noticing, but what could he do? There was something about this woman that got to him, and he didn’t feel like pretending otherwise.
***
They moved silently along the path that led up the hill. He heard confirmation in his coms that the helo was thirty minutes out. Even if the Tangos had backup coming in, they wouldn’t know where to start looking, and his team would be in the air before anything could be done.
As they hiked up the trail, he held Paige firmly and tried to ignore how amazing she felt in his arms. He’d done this a hundred times over the course of his career, and he’d never felt this way about anyone he’d pulled out of harm’s way. Hell, he hadn’t felt this way about a woman in longer than he could remember.
Maybe it was a sign that he needed to do something about his social life when he got home. Definitely needed to find some female company if he was getting hot and bothered over a woman he’d never had a conversation with. Clearly, he’d been downrange for too long…what other explanation could there be?
“Sitrep,” Blake said into his coms.
“HQ has identified vehicles coming from Daraa as hostiles. No confirmation on vehicles in the valley. Helo is twenty-five minutes out,” Will reported.
Amy stumbled, and Will spun around and caught her before she crumpled to the ground. The team stopped while Will checked her. “Pulse thready,” he said as he lifted her. “Let’s hustle it up the hill.” Once Will had her in his arms, the group moved at a faster clip along the path.
“Local firefighters are under attack,” Bryce said into his mic. “HQ said two men are down.”
Blake couldn’t pick up the sound of gunfire from their location, so he assumed it was snipers who’d taken out the first responders. There was nothing to accomplish by shooting firefighters unless they wanted to make a point. Seemed ISIS was making a play for the northern region of Jordan, which was bad news for everyone.
The distant sound of a helo filled the air, and Blake grinned. Always a welcome sound. “Hope those assholes are not carrying RPGs,” he said quietly.
“Just makes the party more interesting when someone’s pointing a rocket launcher in your direction,” Frisco responded. “They’re going to hear the helo. I’ll ride the door as we exfil.”
Ten minutes later, the group was assembled at the exfil point. Will laid Amy down, did a quick check, and determined she could make it to the hospital without much worry. “Let me see how Paige is doing,” he said as Blake laid her down and lifted her top. “Don’t like the look of that.” Her bandages were soaked with blood. “I’ll pack her wound again when we get in the helo. I have some new foam I can apply that will stop the bleeding.”
“Whatever you think, man. Can’t lose a fellow Texan on this op. Especially someone like her.” Blake glanced up at Will and realized that he’d said it aloud. “What I meant…”
Will punched him and shook his head. “Got it. No need to explain.”
Fifteen minutes later, the sound of the rotors filled the air, and Blake welcomed the sound like he did every time he was out in the middle of nowhere. Only this time, he swore the sound was a little sweeter.
The men were in a Y-formation as the pilot carefully landed the helo. Bryce stood point as Will quickly loaded Amy, then pulled himself in and took Paige from Blake’s arms.
“Let’s get the hell out here,” Blake barked into his mic. The men climbed into the Blackhawk and Blake yelled, “Clear.”
Frisco sat opposite him and quickly converted his Colt into a grenade launcher. As the pilots lifted them into the air, a Humvee screamed up the hill. “Hostiles coming in hot,” Blake said into his mic and he laid cover with his assault rifle. “Looks like they brought an RPG,” he said as he hit the first man out of the vehicle.
The Blackhawk swung south, and Frisco clipped his belt to the safety line. Leaning forward, he planted his feet on the rails, launched a grenade, and blew the vehicle just as two men lifted the rocket launcher in their direction. “Fuck you,” Frisco said as the pilot moved them out of range.
“Sitrep,” Blake said into his mic as he sat in the open door of the helo. He was sweeping the area and looking for the next threat.
“Clear,” Frisco said into his mic.
“No new intel from HQ,” Bryce added.
“ETA to hospital?” Will asked. “Paige’s pulse is dropping.”
“Fifteen minutes,” the pilot reported.
Blake felt his heart speed up. “Anything I can do?” he said quietly.
“No,” Will answered. “Don’t worry, we’re not going to let anything happen.”
Nodding, he planted his feet more firmly on the rails of the helo, Blake swept the black valley below them. No reason to believe they had operatives this close to the capital, but Blake sure as shit wasn’t going to take any chances.
The moment they landed on the roof of the hospital, they were surrounded by medical personnel. Two doctors greeted them at the door, and Will quickly gave them all the relevant information. He explained what he’d done as Bryce lifted Amy out of the helo and laid her on the gurney. Blake lifted Paige and felt his heart kick against his ribs. It was the second time that had happened, and he had no way to make sense of it. He gently laid her on the gurney and squeezed her hand before the medical team rolled the women away.
The wind whipped around him as he stood with his arms crossed and waited until the elevator doors closed. Leaning back on his heels, he fought the compulsion to follow her and make sure she had everything she needed. It was as though a rope connected them, and the further she moved away from him, the more uncomfortable he got. He ran his hand over his face and tried to shake the feeling. Whatever the hell was going on had better end quickly, because he had to be fully operational as they moved on to the next phase of the mission.
“You okay?”
Turning, he considered Will’s face. “Yeah. Why wouldn’t I be?”
Will clapped him on the back. “No reason. Just checking.”
Spinning around, Blake climbed into the helo and pulled out his tablet. There were going to be updates, and he had a feeling this mission just got a lot more complicated. If ISIS was playing in northern Jordan, then they were not going home for a while. That was for damn sure.
Once they were airborne, he took one last look out the window and studied the hospital. Take care of her, he thought. The further they moved away from the building, the emptier he felt. Whatever it was that connected them was going to have to remain a mystery. At least for now.
CHAPTER FOUR
Sunday, December 4
Paige sat in her hospital bed and zipped up her swea
tshirt. She had just finished her first shower in five days and felt like a new person. After they had unhooked her IV, removed the catheter, and disconnected her from the machines, she had begged for a chance to get cleaned up. Having clean hair was going to do a lot more for her recovery than any of the meds she’d been on.
If she was lucky, the doctor would discharge her tomorrow. Four days in the hospital was two days too long. She’d been pumped full of antibiotics, scanned from head to toe a couple of times, and stitched up. As far as she could tell, there wasn’t much else that could be done.
Looking out the window, a wave of sadness swept over her as she admired the city she’d come to love. In less than two weeks, she was being sent home to Dallas for a mandatory vacation. She had no choice in the matter, and if she wanted another assignment, then she had to do as she was told.
Sighing, she touched the back of her head and felt a large lump as well as a nest of tangles that was going to take forever to get out. As she turned to look for her bag, she caught her reflection in the closet mirror. Running her hand down her face, she shook her head. Thank God Mama wasn’t here to see how banged up she’d gotten. Faye Bennett lost her ever-loving mind if any of her girls were hurt, and this would put her into overdrive and make her apoplectic.
“Thank you, Jesus, for small favors.” Pulling her small bag closer, she dug around for a brush. It was time to attack the tangle ball that was covering half her head. Just as she was about to get started, the door opened and in walked an enormous man in uniform. Her eyes flew to his and she sucked in a breath. Whenever someone like him showed up, it had to be bad news. “What’s happened, and who’s been hurt?”
“Paige, I’m Lieutenant Commander Blake Carmichael. My team pulled you and Amy out of Sakib the other day.”
Sitting back against the pillows, she rested her hand on her chest. “Oh, my goodness, I didn’t recognize you. I thought you were here to give me bad news. I never saw your face, and don’t have many memories from that night.” She scooted off the bed and stood. “Thank you for saving our lives.” Opening her arms, she took two steps forward and wrapped her arms around him. “Thank you,” she mumbled against his chest. Moving her arms, she tightened the hug and felt him stiffen.
Not everyone was comfortable with hugging, so she released her arms. Just as she was about to step away, he wrapped his arms around her and hugged her back. She almost melted from the sweet gesture. The big, bad warrior was a hugger, after all.
“Anytime,” he said into her hair. “Anytime.”
When he released her, she stepped away and smiled. “Can’t believe we got SEALs sent in to rescue us. If I didn’t know better, I’d think my mama kicked up a fuss and insisted.”
“Can’t recall any mention of your mama calling the Pentagon. But I don’t always hear the finer points of why we get sent where we’re sent. For all I know, your mama did make a call.”
Paige laughed. “I wouldn’t put it past her, but I don’t think she was fully informed of the situation until after it was resolved. Which worked out for everyone, because if she had been, she would’ve been here in a flash and directed the rescue herself. ISIS wouldn’t have had a chance against Faye Bennett.”
“Well, it’s a good thing we were available and let your mama have the night off.” Crossing his arms, he studied her. “You look good, Paige. Last time I saw you, they were rolling you into the elevator, headed for surgery.”
Lifting her T-shirt, she showed her bandage. “No big deal, just some stitches.” Turning around, she pointed to the back of her head. “This rat’s nest is going to be the hard part. It’ll take me days to get it out.”
Blake turned her around and put his hand on her hair. “That’s a good one. Want me to give it a go?”
Running her eyes over his face, she gave him an incredulous look. “You know anything about women’s hair?”
“I grew up on a ranch and had horses. How different can it be?”
Patting his arm, she winked. “It’s different. I appreciate the offer, though.”
“Let me give it a shot.” He held out his hand and winked. “I can’t make it worse, that’s for sure.”
She put her hand in his and felt her face heat. “Thank you, Blake. I had no idea that SEALs provided such full service.” His eyes crinkled at the corners, and one side of his mouth lifted. Wow! Lt. Cmdr. Blake Carmichael was a hunk with his sexy smile. Who knew a warrior could be so alluring?
He led her over to the bed and gently lifted her up. The moment his hands were on her, she felt her heart swoop. When he let them linger, her stomach flipped over. What was going to happen next? Swooning? Covering his hand with hers, she noticed the contrast. His were large and scarred, the type of hands that seemed capable of saving a life, giving pleasure, or building a fence. Of course, the picture of his hands running over her skin was the one that stuck. Apparently, inappropriate sexual fantasies for the man that saved you was a side effect of getting your head banged around. Good to know.
Shivers ran over her skin as she looked up into his smile. Seemed Lieutenant Commander Blake Carmichael knew exactly the effect he was having on her. Maybe even hoped for it, if she had to guess. The look on his face wasn’t innocent. It was feral. As though he’d consume her if given half a chance. Normally that sort of thing turned her off, but not this time. This time, she welcomed it.
Clearing her throat, she tried to think of something appropriate to say. Something to break the spell he’d cast over her. Naked man fantasies were not a regular occurrence in her life. So, either her head injury was worse than everyone thought, or she was suffering a personality change. A change that involved dirty, sexy thoughts about a stranger. Maybe it was the meds she was on. “I should…find my brush.”
Slowly he let his hand drag over her skin as he released his hold. “Yeah, a brush would be good,” he said quietly as he stepped away.
Busying herself, she blindly dug in her bag. What the hell just happened? Why was she so turned on by something so innocent? His deep voice interrupted her mental swooning, and she pulled herself together. “I’m sorry. Could you repeat that?”
“Are they discharging you soon?” he asked again.
“Hope so.” Running her hands over her face, she felt the cuts and became self-conscious. “What are you still doing in Amman? I figured you would have been out of the city within hours.”
“Ends up, we still have some work to do in the area.”
Paige knew that he couldn’t say more, so she didn’t ask him any questions. “I’m glad that I got to see you again.”
“Me too, Paige.”
Dipping her head, she tried not act like a school girl. Fluttering and flirting like a fourteen-year-old wasn’t anything she did on a regular basis. And, she didn’t need to start now. She found her brush and held it up. “Are you sure you want to tackle this?” She ran her hand over her wet hair and she shook her head. “It’s going to take forever.”
“I have the day off, so you’re in luck. I’ll not only pull you out of a burning building but also take care of the tangles.” He took the brush out of her hand and then turned her around. “Scoot over and I’ll get started.”
Following directions, she moved over and felt the bed dip when he sat down. He started to loosen the knot and she was surprised at his gentle touch. He wasn’t tugging and pulling like she expected. Instead, he was taking his time as he unraveled the knots slowly. It was so relaxing that she found herself wanting to melt into his body. “You seem to be good at this, Blake.”
“I had a horse when I was twelve that liked to rub her tail against the rail in her corral, which meant that I had to put a tail bag on her so she wouldn’t lose the whole thing. I washed her several times a week, and had to brush out her tail and then braid it so I could put her tail bag on. Guess I still remember how to be gentle.”
“What was your horse’s name?”
“PJ. She lived until she was twenty-six, which is old for a horse. That girl and I
spent many happy years together.”
“You’re lucky. My grandparents had a ranch when I was growing up, and my favorite horse died when she was seventeen. We were the same age and I took it hard. In fact, I never rode much after that. Thinking back on it, it seems silly. I denied myself a thing I loved to do because I couldn’t do it with my best friend.”
Leaning over her shoulder, he kissed her cheek. “Makes sense.”
“What was that for?” Lifting her hand, she pressed it to her skin.
“Been wanting to do that since I pulled you out of the building.” He slid the brush through her hair and made sure he hadn’t missed anything. “Now I’m going to see if I remember how to braid.”
Closing her eyes, she smiled. He wanted to kiss her. How freaking amazing was that? A tear slipped down her face, and she wondered how long this roller coaster of emotion was going to last. One minute she was lusting and the next she was tearing up. Wiping her face, she mentally pulled herself together. She should at least make some small gesture of appreciation. “Would you like to go down to the cafeteria? I’d like to at least buy you a coffee and maybe a sweet treat?”
“Sure, but are you allowed to leave your room?”
“I think so. If I tell them you’re going with me, I bet they won’t mind.”
He slid the finished braid over her shoulder and stood up. “Sounds great.”
Running her hand over the braid, she tipped her chin against her chest and smiled. “Thank you. That’s the nicest thing anyone’s done for me in a while.” She scooted off the bed, slipped her feet into her sandals, and found Blake standing in front of her with his hands out. “What?”
He lifted her chin and brushed her bangs across her forehead. “We should hold hands. I don’t want anything to happen to you.”
“Oh…of course. Good idea.” She put her hands in his and watched his fingers fold over hers. Perfect. That’s exactly what this moment was.
