Danger Zone: Tales of Military Passion

by Marie Harte

  “High, wide, and handsome,” Lane answered. “Every one is a go.”

  “Let’s head back then,” Kris told them. “We need to check out what we’ve got.”

  “You think they’ll take a group through tonight?” Mason asked.

  “Hard to say, but we want to be ready for them.” She banked the chopper and headed back to the ranch. “We don’t know how often whoever this is comes through here. Be prepared. We could be waiting a few nights.”

  “As long as we can get eyes on them and stop them, that’s all I care about.”

  “That’s what you’re paying us for,” Kris assured. “That’s why we’re here.”

  “Then let’s get back and make plans.”

  *

  RIDING WITH MASON sitting so close to her in the cockpit had been an exercise in discipline for Kris. His earthy scent kept drifting across her nostrils, overriding every other smell. How was it that sitting next to him like this, even as she concentrated on flying the helo, sent her pulse skittering, made her nipples harden and pucker, and her juices dampen the crotch of her panties. She’d met a lot of men in her life, both before and during the military, and no one—not a single one—triggered the combustible response Mason Rowell did.

  Seeing him again brought back all the memories of that one sensuous, totally erotic, down-and-dirty-sex night they’d spent together. She thought she’d buried it deep in her mind but, apparently, it was hovering near the surface, waiting to break free. Somehow, she had to make sure she wasn’t alone with him until this assignment was finished.

  She was glad she had the chopper to focus on as they flew back to the ranch. And that she could hang in there doing her post-flight checks after he climbed out. But her team was waiting for a debriefing. No way could she avoid it. When they got to the bunkhouse, she’d make damn sure she and Mason were at opposite ends of the table.

  “Hey, Kris.”

  Lane’s shout caught her attention, and she waved to him. Glancing out, she saw the riders had left, obviously to take the horses back to the barn, but the rest of the team was waiting for her. She took off her headset, set aside her clipboard, and climbed out of the cockpit.

  “Sorry. Just doing my post-flight shutdown.”

  “What’s up first?” Lane asked. “Food or meeting? Roy and Ted took the horses back and said they’d meet us in the yard.”

  “Let’s do our debriefing before lunch,” she suggested. “We had a huge breakfast, and it’s only noon.” She looked at Mason. “Does that work for you and your housekeeper?”

  “No sweat. Martina’s prepared to be flexible. Let me text her and let her know.”

  “Good. Lane? Let’s haul this gear back to the bunkhouse. We’ll grab Ted and Roy on the way and see what we’ve got.”

  She jogged ahead of everyone, needing to put some space between herself and Mason. She didn’t want to admit it, but being near him frazzled her brain. Damn! She was a seasoned military veteran and an experienced team leader here. Surely, she could control herself for a few days. It wasn’t as if they even had any future together. That wasn’t even up for discussion.

  Back at the bunkhouse, she made sure she was as far away from him as she could get. Lane opened his laptop, and everyone took out their maps and notes. Time for business. She could get through this. She just needed to concentrate.

  *

  BEFORE LUNCH, SHE approached Stick with a request.

  “All right if I borrow one of the horses to ride? I know what I’m doing,” she added quickly when she saw the look of skepticism on his face. “I can ride as well as my men, I promise you.” And she desperately needed something mindless to clear out her brain. Something to relieve the tension gripping her body that was as much Mason as the job.

  He shrugged. “All right with me, if the boss signs off on it.”

  She tried to catch Mason alone, but as soon as they finished eating, he retreated to his den and closed the door. A sure sign he didn’t want company. Restless, she wandered out into the yard, seeking an alternative to being shut up in the bunkhouse with her team.

  The hands were hard at it, moving the calves they’d separated from their mothers into larger of the two corrals. According to Mason, tomorrow they’d begin the branding process. Enjoying the pastoral scene, she leaned her arms on the top rail of the corral to watch the scene. The bawling of the animals and the shouting of the men was a familiar song that took her back to her childhood, growing up in Wyoming and visiting the ranches of her friends. She inhaled deeply, the tang of horseflesh and hay a subtle, intoxicating mixture.

  “Watching the cattle? I wouldn’t think branding was one of your forms of entertainment.”

  Kris jumped when Mason’s voice sounded right next to her. She hadn’t been aware of him coming up beside her, the sound of his approach camouflaged by the noise of the branding. His slightly mocking tone of voice irritated the hell out of her.

  “Excuse me?”

  He nodded toward the site of the branding. “I wondered if you were suddenly fascinated by all this.”

  “Oh, um, sure. It’s pretty interesting.” Could she have sounded any dumber?

  He lifted one eyebrow. “If you say so.”

  “I thought I’d take a break from the bunkhouse. I think Ray and Ted spoke to Stick about riding out this afternoon to double check the sensors. Lane will follow them on the computer program.”

  “He mentioned it. I told him to give all of you whatever you need.”

  “Appreciate it.”

  “I want this thing taken care of yesterday, before we have another tragedy.”

  He leaned his arms on the top rail of the corral. His sleeves rolled up to exposed a rich expanse of tanned skin. Kris barely resisted reaching out to touch him, feel the play of hard muscle beneath the surface, the tickle of the fine, dark hair. She knew his legs had the same dusting and remembered the soft scrape of it against her skin. At once she was hot and wet, her breath lodged in her throat, her heartbeat stuttering.

  “I was impressed at the briefing session. You guys really know your shit.” He gave a soft chuckle. “Although I didn’t expect anything less.”

  His words startled her.

  “Thanks. I have a good team with me.”

  “Nice to be reminded the people I hire are experts.”

  “We aim to please.” She shivered slightly, an electric reaction to his nearness.

  “Got everything in place for tonight?”

  “We are prepared, although there might not be anything happening,” she reminded him. “We have to play this one night at a time. You know the schedule for this stuff is unpredictable, mostly because there is no schedule.”

  “Understood. I’ve done some research myself, and I know they try to evade detection by varying when they cross. They try to fool the authorities or anyone else patrolling the area by being unpredictable.”

  “Absolutely.” She had an itch to touch the hard muscles of his arms so she shoved her hands in the front pockets of her jeans.

  They stood for a moment in silence. She wondered if he was as rocked by the sexual tension between them as she was.

  I should walk away. Go back to the bunkhouse. I’m going to get in trouble if I stay here.

  Mason cleared his throat. “Stick mentioned you asked if you could ride one of the horses.”

  “Is that okay? I used to ride a lot before I went into the military. Where I grew up. I’m sure I still remember how.”

  He frowned. “Where you grew up? I don’t think we ever talked about our backgrounds.”

  Kris couldn’t help the giggle that escaped. “I don’t think we ever got around to talking about anything.”

  He smiled. “No, we sure didn’t. Maybe we should correct that.”

  “To what end? I’ll be gone as soon as this gig is over.”

  He was silent for a heartbeat, then two, leaning against the corral fence again. “Yeah. True.”

  “Wyoming.”

  “What?�
�

  “I grew up in Wyoming. I had friends with horses.”

  More silence.

  Kris blew out a breath. “I think I’ll go back to the bunkhouse.”

  “Fine with me if you want to borrow a horse. In fact, I think I’ll go with you. Show you some of the sights on the ranch.”

  Uh-oh. She frowned. “Mason, that’s not necessary. You can trust me—”

  “Afraid to be alone with me?” His mouth curved in a slow, predatory smile.

  The answer was yes. Immediately, every pulse in her body ramped up. Leaving the ranch with him was like stepping into a danger zone. The smart thing would be to say no. Every minute she spent with him sent signals to her body she wanted to shut down. The man was like a drug to her, a habit she couldn’t kick.

  He was a hostile, sexually aggressive male, the kind of man she always avoided. Always.

  Tell him no. Right now. Just do it.

  But the words that came out of her mouth seemed to come from someone else. “Of course not. Sure. That sounds great.”

  Had she really said that?

  I’m crazy. That’s what I am. Crazy.

  He almost, but not quite, concealed the surprise on his face. Then he reached out and took her hand, as if he was staking some kind of claim. Or sending a message.

  “Let’s get saddled up.”

  The heat from the contact of their hands sizzled up her arm and through her body. From the way his fingers tightened reflexively, she was sure Mason felt the same thing. Her first tendency was to yank her hand away. The effect this man had on her was scrambling her brain and distracting her. She never, ever let men affect her this way. She needed to get a damn grip on herself.

  But he seemed equally as determined not to give her space. He held onto her hand, fingers linked through hers, until they were in the barn and standing in front of one of the stalls. A pinto shifted in its stall and hung its head over the door, nosing at Mason’s chest.

  “This is Sassy. She’ll give you a smooth ride.”

  Kris stroked the mare’s forehead. “Who normally rides her?”

  “One of the older hands. He’s been using her for ages.” Mason chuckled. “They’re almost like a couple.”

  “Won’t he mind if I ride her?”

  “Uh-uh. Lately, he’s been riding one of the horses we bought last month. He’ll be glad she’s getting some exercise.”

  Okay, she could handle riding the horse. She’d done it for years in her earlier life. It didn’t obligate her to anything else. Of course not.

  Yeah, keep telling yourself that.

  In moments, Mason had Sassy saddled and ready to go, as well as his own mount, a large buckskin. Conscious of Mason’s eyes on her, Kris took a deep breath, put her foot in a stirrup, and pulled herself up into the saddle in a smooth movement.

  Yes!

  She wanted to pump her fist.

  Mason made a sound of approval. “Not bad.”

  She tugged the reins, turning Sassy so she faced the man who ignited such sexual hunger in her, and grinned at him. “Damn straight.”

  She watched him mount up with a lithe, fluid movement and urge his horse forward.

  “All set?”

  Kris nodded. “After you.”

  The ride across the rolling pastureland was exhilarating and refreshing. They began at an easy lope, embraced by the sunlight’s warmth. The wind felt so good against her skin, the feel of the horse beneath her bringing back so many memories. For a moment, as she and the animal streaked across the landscape, she forgot Afghanistan, forgot broken relationships, forgot everything except this moment and the incredible sense of freedom coursing through her.

  Then, ahead of her, Mason slowed down and pulled his mount to a walk. She rode up alongside him.

  “Why are we stopping?”

  He pointed off to the left to a dense stand of ancient oak trees. “Thought we’d take a minute to enjoy nature. That’s a pretty sight, and there’s a creek where we can water the horses.”

  Dismount? Out here in the middle of nowhere? With him? Was he nuts? Was she?

  Kris figured she definitely was because she nodded and urged Sassy to follow him to the spot he’d indicated. It really was beautiful. A narrow creek cut through the meadow here, the spot shaded by the heavy limbs of the very old trees. They dismounted and led their horses to the stream, standing quietly while the animals drank. The silence wrapped around them like a thick blanket, so Kris dug desperately around in her brain for some kind of conversation.

  Mason touched her shoulder. “Let’s make sure the horses don’t decide to head home without us.”

  He took Sassy’s reins and led both horses to one of the trees where he looped the strips of leather over low-hanging branches.

  Kris frowned. “Are we staying here for some reason?”

  “We are.” He walked back over to where she was standing.

  “And that reason would be?” But she was sure she knew the answer before he said anything.

  “This.”

  He grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her roughly to his body, pressing her against him tightly enough she could feel the hard length of his cock through the fabric of his jeans. She closed her eyes, giving herself over to the sensations rioting through her. His mouth was like a hot branding iron on hers, searing her lips, his tongue probing and searching, forcing her to open for him so he could dive inside.

  Walk away, she told herself. Push him away. Get back on the horse and get the hell out of here. This man is not just a client, he’s big trouble. He pushed buttons she usually kept frozen in place. She was stupid to even have gone on this ride with him. She knew now what men meant when they said they were led around by their cocks. Merely being near Mason made her pussy clench and throb and her juices flow.

  And her brain, obviously, take a vacation.

  Completely unable to resist, she welcomed the intrusion of his tongue and let her own participate in the erotic dance.

  His stroked up and down her back, the touch of his hands searing her even through the T-shirt she wore. Nerve endings crackled to life, sparking little explosions everywhere in her body. Her blood pumped in her veins, and her heart rate ratcheted up. Exactly as it had been that night a year ago, she melted into him, her body craving his and everything she knew he could do to her. With her.

  He lifted his head a fraction, and she opened her eyes to find his staring directly into hers.

  “I’ll give you one chance to tell me to stop. Just one. I can’t make myself forget how great the sex between us was. Don’t try to tell me you don’t think the same thing. If you don’t want this, I’ll keep away from you the rest of the time you’re here. Otherwise….”

  He let the words trail off, his meaning clear. Unless she said no, he planned for them to have sex again while she was still here. And exactly how would that work?

  “My team—” she began.

  “You’re smart. So am I. We’ll figure it out.” He brushed his mouth over hers. “I’m not asking you for any kind of commitment here.”

  “Good.” Asshole. “Because I don’t plan to give one. I like my life fine the way it is.”

  His muscles tensed. “So do I. Been there, done that, not willing to try it again.” He paused. “But nothing says we can’t enjoy each other when the opportunity presents itself. Not when the sex is off the charts.”

  He was certainly right about that. And good sex was certainly hard to find. She could attest to that. Still. She opened her mouth to say no, but instead what came out was, “All right.”

  He nipped her bottom lip. “Don’t move.”

  She watched as he took something from behind his saddle and unrolled what appeared to be a blanket.

  “You came prepared,” she observed, not sure whether to be irritated or glad.

  His smile was purely sexual. “I was hopeful.”

  Mason reached out his hand, she took it, and his mouth came down on hers again. The fire ignited. She was as hung
ry as he was, tasting him, dueling with his tongue. She reached up and anchored her fingers in his hair, holding his head in place. Mason reached down and tugged at her T-shirt, sliding his hand beneath the fabric and along her rib cage to cup a breast. The hot touch of his fingers grazed her through the thin satin of her bra.

  She moaned when he pinched one nipple between thumb and forefinger and tugged gently. As he worked the hard bud, his mouth slid across her cheek to the line of her jaw. He sprinkled a light trail of kisses until he reached the spot behind her ear he knew drove her crazy and applied the tip of his tongue to it. Sensation splashed through her directly to her cunt, tremors vibrating in her internal muscles. Her panties were instantly soaked, the scent of her own musk drifting up to her nostrils. It mixed with the earthy aroma of Mason—something woodsy, a hint of horseflesh, and all male. She wanted to lick him all over, taste every inch of him as she’d done in that hotel room with the soft light of a lamp bathing them in its glow. Now she could see all of him in the bright light of day. Her mouth watered at the prospect.

  The slide of Mason’s hot, wet mouth down the line of her neck was so erotic, she cried out in protest when he lifted his head. But, then, in seconds, he had her T-shirt and bra gone, tossed to the quilt, and that same searing mouth closed over one nipple while his fingers pinched and squeezed the other. Her legs were so shaky she could barely stand, digging her fingers into his hard biceps for balance.

  He read her signals, lowering her to the quilt without moving either his mouth or his hand. She slipped her hands between them and began yanking on his shirt, pulling it from his jeans and digging for the buckle on his belt. She had gone from zero to one hundred on the ready meter, from nothing more than his kisses and his touch. But hadn’t he been able to do that to her the last time, too? And more than once. Many times more.

  He lifted his head, giving the nipple one last lick.

  “Not yet.” He moved her hand from his waist. “If they come off now so will my self-control.” His voice was rough with lust, the timbre of it reverberating through her. “There are things I want to do with you first. To you.”

  He disposed of her boots and slid her jeans down her legs, tossing them on top of her T-shirt. Kneeling between her thighs, he leaned down and took the lacy top edge of her panties in his teeth, slowly dragging them down the surface of her mound. When he had them barely past the tops of her thighs, he dipped his head and stroked his tongue along her slit, pushing the fabric of her panties into her drenched folds.