The first thing Storm saw upon regaining consciousness was Stella’s worried face. The white walls of the hospital room barely registered on her sluggish mind. Slowly, she flexed her fingers and then her toes, glorying in the feel of them, relieved to findthem all there. Her whole body felt wonderfully warm and relaxed.
Stella’s voice was strained. “How do you feel?” she asked.
“Good.” Storm’s mouth was dry, and she was terribly thirsty, but she had to know. “How’s Jim?” she rasped thickly.
Stella’s hands fluttered nervously. “Oh, wait…let me get Dan in here. He can tell you,” she answered uncertainly.
Fear tore through Storm, and she struggled into a sitting position. Her left arm was splinted and wrapped tightly against her chest. An IV had been inserted in her right arm.
The door opened, and Dan Bradford entered. His skin had a grayish cast, and his eyes were watery—perhaps from lack of sleep. Several days’ growth of beard covered his thin cheeks.
“Storm?” He walked forward, his hand coming to rest lightly on her shoulder. His voice wavered. “Thank God we found you.”
“What about Jim? Will somebody tell me what’s going on?” she cried out softly.
Dan smiled benignly. “He’s resting comfortably, Storm. He got out of surgery three hours ago.”
Relief washed over her, making her tremble.
“How’s his leg?”
Dan shrugged. “The doctors say there’s been a lot of damage, but with time and rest and physical therapy, they think he can recover full use of it.”
She released an uneven breath. “Thank heavens.”
The door opened, and Oscelot stuck his head around the corner. His brown eyes danced with unabashed happiness. He squeezed in between Stella and Dan.
“Chérie! You look one hundred percent better than out there in the meadow.” He smiled broadly and tugged on his black beard.
“Thanks for rescuing us, Oscelot. I kept firing off those flares every half hour and—” Storm’s voice cracked, and she looked down at the blanket, unable to speak.
“Ma chérie, it eez all right! You scared me witless! Fainting on the stairs as I was leaving the plane. Hey, you did a fine job on Jim’s leg.” He grinned. “Bet he won’t gripe about your medical skills anymore, eh?”
Storm sniffled loudly. Stella handed her a handkerchief.
“We were lucky you found us, that’s all,” Storm whispered. She looked up at him. “We couldn’t have lasted another night.”
Dan studied the tips of his shoes and muttered, “Danziger sabotaged your plane, Storm. He thought no one was going to use the Crusader, so he put a timed bomb in the starboard engine, intending to damage it while it sat in the hangar. We don’t usually use the Crusader except for Seattle pickups, but at the last moment, Jim decided to fly it. Danziger came tearing into the office, yelling at me to stop you, but by that time you were well on your way.” He shook his head sadly. “He wanted to force our insurance rates up, make our company look bad and slow down business.” His gaze settled on Storm’s drawn features. “And to think he nearly killed both of you.”
“I’m glad it’s over, Dan. Because of the weather we heard only bits and pieces of your transmission.”
“Fortunately, chérie, we heard your mayday. Me and Leapfrog were up in a matter of minutes!” Oscelot snapped his fingers, dramatizing the point. “Voilà! I saw your flare and all was well.”
“I saw the damage to the Crusader, Storm,” Dan Bradford murmured. “You both did a fine job of keeping it in one piece. Reaching that meadow took some skillful flying.”
Storm shook her head. “Jim is the one to thank. He rode it down. I couldn’t do much because we lost our cabin pressure and I blacked out. I don’t know how Jim managed to stay conscious.”
Oscelot grinned mischievously. “Ah, you know those jet jockeys. Jim’s marine corps pilot days. He told us lots of stories of how he lost oxygen and held his breath until he reached ten thousand feet and could breathe normally again.”
“Well,” Storm said, smiling, “I didn’t even think to hold my breath. I’ve never been so scared.”
Dan rested his hand on her shoulder. “We were all scared, Storm. But you need to rest. I’ll ask the doctor to come in.”
“I want to see Jim.”
“Non, chérie. He’s still sleeping off the effects of the anesthetic. Give him another two or three hours, and then I’ll put you in a wheelchair and take you over to his room. Oui?”
Storm agreed reluctantly, suddenly very tired.
Later that day, Oscelot whistled gaily as he wheeled Storm down the spotlessly clean hospital hall. Marie, his petite wife, walked beside the chair, chatting softly in a melodic French accent. Storm’s heart raced, and she gripped the arm of the chair in anticipation.
“Is he awake? Is he coherent?” she asked Marie.
“Oui, chérie. Very much awake and very anxious to see you.” A warm, meaningful look passed between Marie and her husband. “Isn’t love wonderful?”
Storm blushed. “Ah, you are so fortunate, Storm.” Marie tittered. “That man loves you fiercely! I could tell by the look in his eyes when he woke and asked for you.” She gave Oscelot a reprimanding look. “We will not stay long.”
“No, of course not,” he agreed, grinning merrily.
Marie opened the hospital door, and Oscelot wheeled Storm into the private room. Storm anxiously sought Jim’s face. He was pale, and his leg was suspended from a system of pulleys above the bed, but he was smiling and held out his hand to her as she drew closer. Tears sprang to her eyes as she sat next to him, unable to speak.
“Come, Jacques!” exclaimed Marie. “The children! We must get home. We will say goodbye for now, Storm and Jim.”
Storm smiled. “Thanks…thanks so much for everything. Both of you.”
Oscelot bowed and winked. “We will visit again tomorrow.” He and Marie left the room, closing the door behind them.
Jim looked back down at Storm. “Why the tears?” he asked softly, brushing his fingers along her cheeks.
“Because—” she sniffed “—because it’s over and we’re both alive.”
He gave her a tender, searching look. “I wish like hell I wasn’t trussed up in this bed right now. All I want is to feel you in my arms.”
Storm pushed the chair closer until it paralleled the bed, and rested her head against his strong arm. “That’s all I want, too.” She pressed his hand to her lips. “I want you to know that I’ve got my usual afternoon sickness right on schedule.”
Relief washed over his face. “Have you told the doctors yet?”
“Yes. They ran a blood test while you were still under the anesthesia. I am definitely pregnant.”
“Is it a boy or a girl?” he asked, a grin pulling at his mouth.
“I’ll get an ultrasound later and we’ll know.” She smiled, running her fingers up his bare arm. “But my newly awakening instincts tell me it will be a boy. Would that suit you?”
“As long as the baby is healthy, I don’t care if it’s a boy or a girl,” he answered fervently.
The evening sun shone through the partly closed blinds, lending a radiance to the bare room. Storm glanced through the window, watching fleecy clouds against the dark blue sky. She shook her head. “Seeing how peaceful it is outside now, it’s hard to believe that that ferocious storm hit only a few days ago.”
“I know exactly what you mean,” Jim agreed. “But to change the subject, I’m going to count the days until we can get out of here.” He began caressing her cheek in a loving gesture. “Because as soon as this leg heals enough for me to stand up on it, we’re getting married. And then we’ll have Oscelot fly us up to my cabin, north of Anchorage, for a long, very private honeymoon. How does that sound?”
Storm closed her eyes and nodded in agreement. “It won’t be for at least six weeks, you know. And then you’ll be hobbling around on a cane for another three or four.”
He smiled
and kissed her hair. “Cane or no cane, we’ll be married and spending some very special time at our cabin. Are you game, honey?”
Storm lifted her chin, lips parted and eyes glittering. “It can’t be soon enough,” she whispered.
Chapter Thirteen
STORM LAY CONTENTEDLY in Jim’s arms on the couch in front of the fireplace. Drowsily, she half opened her eyes to look at the diamond ring on her left hand. Had it really been only two days since they’d been married? Two days since they’d come to Jim’s rustic cabin, deep in the wilderness north of Anchorage? Sighing softly, she snuggled more deeply into Jim’s arms, delighted as his embrace tightened in response.
He turned to look at her, a slight smile pulling at his mouth. “This sure beats the hospital, doesn’t it?”
“There’s no comparison,” she agreed.
“Happy?”
“More than that. I never really knew what happiness was until I met you.”
He chuckled. “Collided would be a more apt description.”
She laughed with him. “We didn’t exactly get off on the right foot, did we?”
Running his fingers through her silky hair, he shook his head. “No, but we persevered.”
“Still, it took a plane crash to convince us we were meant for each other.”
“I didn’t need a crash to convince me that I loved you.”
Storm pulled away, tucking her legs beneath her yet remaining within the circle of his arms. “But you needed it to overcome your fear of losing me.”
A slight frown marred his features. “It helped to put my past to rest,” he agreed. His eyes darkened as they caught Storm’s compassionate gaze. “That was the hardest thing—lying helpless in that plane, imagining Heather in pain. I felt my body go numb with cold and gradually my own pain went away. I fell asleep. I think that’s the way Heather died—as if she were going to sleep. For some reason, having almost experienced it myself makes it easier to accept her death.”
Jim ran his fingers down Storm’s arm and squeezed her hand. “I’ve put to rest my fears about your flying, too. I suppose I’ll always worry a little, but I know now that you have the flying ability and survival skills to get out of the worst situation. After that, it’s up to the good Lord.”
“It’s all over now, Jim,” she whispered. “We have only the future to think about. For me, it’s like a whole new life stretching before me. You—” she blinked back sudden tears “—you’ve given me so much. The chance to be myself, most of all—a confident pilot, medic and a feminine, sometimes vulnerable woman. You saw beneath the tough exterior from the very first.”
Jim caressed her cheek. “I know, honey. Even from the first.” He looked away, immersed in his own thoughts. “I fell so hard for you I couldn’t stay away from you. I tried for three weeks to get you out of my system.” He smiled ruefully. “That’s when I knew I loved you. I also realized that if I could finally deal with Heather’s death, we might have a chance together.”
“You’ve given all three of us a chance, darling.” She smiled tenderly as his hand came to rest on her abdomen.
“It’s hard to believe,” he whispered, pulling her back into his arms. “To have two of the most precious people in the world right here in my arms. Did you mean it when you promised to stop flying when you’re five months along?”
“If I don’t, you’ll worry yourself silly.” Storm laughed softly. “I have it all worked out. After the baby’s born, we’ll plan our schedules so that one of us is flying while the other takes care of the baby. We may not see much of each other for a while, but we’ll work that out, too.”
Jim shook his head. “I’ll be surprised if the kid isn’t born with wings.”
She laughed quietly. “You mean little Charles Lindbergh Talbot?”
“I mean little Amelia Earhart Talbot.” His expression became serious once again. Gently his mouth claimed hers.
A small moan of pleasure vibrated deep within Storm as she kissed him back with hungry desire. Slowly, tantalizingly, his fingers trailed up her arm and pulled the silken nightgown away from her shoulders. The fire, popping and crackling pleasantly, bathed her skin in a warm apricot glow. Jim’s mouth returned to her neck and throat, sending her pulse racing. Carefully, he guided her back against the cushions on the couch.
Anticipating his touch, Storm uttered a sigh as he coaxed the nightgown downward. His fingers moved in lazy circles around her taut breasts, and he leaned down, his mouth lightly caressing the valley between them. Her fingers tightened on his broad shoulders, and she arched upward, wanting, desiring closer contact with his hard male body.
She shuddered as his mouth teased the hardened peaks of her breasts and she moved her hips upward to meet him. Throbbing fire pulsed through her veins, and gloriously, she no longer thought; she only felt each intimate caress.
His hand slipped beneath her hips, lifting her up to unite with him. A new, more fiery sensation leaped through her singeing body. A rhythm began, a flow of molten desire flamed to life and she gasped with delight. He was sending her beyond the limits, beyond anything she had ever experienced before. They were both unchained eagles in free fall, caught up in the fiery, driven need to satiate each other completely.
A shudder of pleasure surged through her and she gave a cry of joy, clinging to him. Tears wet her temples as she lay in his embrace, a tremulous smile on her parted lips. He shifted her gently, keeping her close to him, nuzzling the damp hair against his cheek. Gradually, ever so gradually, she became aware of her surroundings—the warm fire, the cushions beneath them, the darkened cabin. Storm rested her head against Jim’s shoulder and trailed her hand across the rough hair on his chest.
His hand traced the curve of her breast, coming to rest on her waist, his fingers lingering on her abdomen—where their child was growing.
Finally, he spoke, his voice rough with emotion. “If I never live another happy moment, Storm, I’ll always remember this night, this hour with you and our child.” His arms tightened around her until she felt crushed by his strength. “I love you both so much.
“We’ve come so far in so little time,” he added huskily. “And we’ve been up against tremendous odds. You’re one of a kind, Irish storm goddess, and we’ll fly the limits of the sky together. Forever.”
Two USA TODAY bestselling authors in one book!
Two deadly missions have these men in uniform putting their lives and their hearts on the line for service, duty and love.
Look for COURSE OF ACTION next month,
featuring Out of Harm’s Way
by Lindsay McKenna
and Any Time, Any Place
by Merline Lovelace.
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Also available from Lindsay McKenna and HQN Books
High Country Rebel
The Loner
The Last Cowboy
Deadly Silence
Deadly Identity
Guardian
The Adversary
Reunion
Shadows from the Past
Dangerous Prey
Time Raiders: The Seeker
The Quest
Heart of the Storm
Dark Truth
Beyond the Limit
Unforgiven
Silent Witness
Enemy Mine
Firstborn
Morgan�
��s Honor
Morgan’s Legacy
An Honorable Woman
Selected books by Lindsay McKenna
Harlequin Romantic Suspense
@His Duty to Protect #1691
@Beyond Valor #1739
Silhouette Romantic Suspense
Love Me Before Dawn #44
^Protecting His Own #1184
Mission: Christmas/“The Christmas Wild Bunch” #1535
@His Woman in Command #1599
@Operation: Forbidden #1647
Silhouette Nocturne
*Unforgiven #1
*Dark Truth #20
*The Quest #33
Time Raiders: The Seeker #69
*Reunion #85
*The Adversary #87
*Guardian #89
HQN
Enemy Mine
Silent Witness
Beyond the Limit
Heart of the Storm
Dangerous Prey
Shadows from the Past
Deadly Identity
Deadly Silence
The Last Cowboy
The Wrangler
The Defender
Lindsay McKenna is proud to have served her country in the U.S. Navy as an aerographer’s mate third class—also known as a weather forecaster. She was a pioneer of the military romance subgenre and loves to combine heart-pounding action with soulful and poignant romance. True to her military roots, she is the originator of the long-running and reader-favorite Morgan’s Mercenaries series. She does extensive hands-on research, including flying in aircraft such as a P3-B Orion sub-hunter and a B-52 bomber. She was the first romance writer to sign her books in the Pentagon bookstore. Today, she has created a new military romantic suspense series, Shadow Warriors, which features romantic and action-packed tales about U.S. Navy SEALs. Visit her online at:
www.LindsayMcKenna.com
www.twitter.com/lindsaymckenna
www.facebook.com/eileen.nauman
Excerpt from Down Range
Chapter One
WHAT THE HELL? He had to be seeing things. SEAL Lieutenant Jake Ramsey froze as he climbed out of his rented red Jeep Wrangler. He’d just parked at the Pentagon, ordered here for an appointment with U.S. Army General Stevenson. He had no idea what this meeting entailed. It was top secret.
Untamed Desire Page 14
