Danger and Desire: A Romantic Suspense Anthology

by Kimberly Kincaid

She smiled at the young operative. “Already celebrating our upcoming nuptials?”

  Chase laughed, and his boyish face turned bright red. “N…n…no.” He took a deep breath. He always stuttered a bit when speaking to her. “I…um, made Falcon team today.”

  She knew from conversations with Nate that Falcon was the elite team, the best of the best on the compound. In Alaska, that meant they ran all the trainings, but at the other Raptor compounds, they were the top operatives who were sent on missions to do things like rescue hostages when the US military wasn’t able or authorized to do the work.

  “Wow, Chase! That’s fantastic! I’ll be right back with another round.” She returned to the bar and pulled beers and poured another glass of merlot for Dev. She reached for the scotch for Ted, but stopped. He was driving, and it was just like him to try to force the duty on Chase. She loaded her tray and returned to the table to dole out drinks.

  Ted glared at her. “Where’s mine?”

  “You’re designated driver. I can get you a soda or something else nonalcoholic if you want. On the house.”

  “This is bullshit.”

  She shrugged. “We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone.”

  He glared at her, his hand curling into a fist, his forearm muscles bunching. She could see he wanted to argue, but he likely guessed her boss would back her. Charlie wasn’t a fan of Ted Godfrey either.

  And then there was the simple fact that there wasn’t another bar within a twenty-mile radius. If he was banned from the roadhouse, he’d have nowhere else to go.

  Banning him from the roadhouse would be almost as satisfying as him falling into a crevasse, come to think of it.

  “Would you like a soda?” she asked cheerfully.

  The man was seething, and she sensed the violence coiled in his body, but no way would the men at the table let him verbally abuse her, let alone strike out. Come to think of it, she had no idea why he was with this group tonight. He usually drank with other operatives—but then, his usual crowd had almost all quit, taking jobs with a company called Apex down in Oregon.

  Ted was probably lonely. Which almost made her feel sorry for him. Almost.

  “Get him a Coke, Jenna,” Brad said. “So we can toast Chase.”

  She nodded and hurried to the bar to get the soda, glad Brad had taken charge of the tense moment. He was leader of Falcon team and outranked Ted Godfrey in their little army. It was nice that he wielded his power for good. Yet another item for her lust list.

  She delivered the soda, then stepped back and watched as Brad lifted his glass. “To Chase Johnston, the youngest operative in Raptor history to make Falcon team!”

  Everyone raised their glasses and drank and cheered and clapped Chase on the back. For his part, Chase turned a bright cherry red, but he laughed and smiled and basically looked adorable. It really was a shame he was so young, because he’d probably be an excellent boyfriend to some lucky woman, but at twenty-nine, Jenna was far too old for someone who seemed so young.

  The front door opened, and she turned to see her friend Isabel Dawson enter the taproom. Isabel was a fair-skinned redhead with a million freckles and the most gorgeous corkscrew curls. Jenna had hair envy every time she saw her.

  Isabel was alone and took a seat at a table in the front corner with her back to the wall where she could watch the table of operatives. Aside from Isabel and half of Falcon team, the only other patrons in the bar were a small group of loggers shooting pool in the back room.

  “Chowder and beer?” Jenna asked Isabel from across the room.

  “Yes, please.”

  Ahh. There was another please, but then, Isabel had waited tables in her college days. Being a true adherent of the Code of Former Servers, the woman always tipped generously and was gracious even when Jenna messed up her order. It didn’t happen often, but she was human, so it happened.

  Jenna pulled half the beer and left it to settle as she darted into the kitchen to fill a bowl of salmon chowder. A minute later, she topped off the beer, poured herself a soda water, and carried both drinks and chowder to Isabel’s table. Without asking permission, she dropped into the seat across from one of her favorite customers.

  “Slow night?” Isabel asked.

  “Yeah. Thank goodness there’s a training starting soon, or I wouldn’t be able to cover my dad’s prescriptions this month.”

  Isabel winced, and Jenna knew it was because the redhead had spent the last six months lobbying to get the compound shut down. Isabel’s brother, who had also been on Falcon team, had died in a training accident last fall, and Isabel believed Raptor’s trainings weren’t safe. But she also knew most of the town, like Jenna, relied on the compound’s regular influx of military personnel to pay the bills.

  “I know it’s not personal,” Jenna said. “And I’m not so selfish that I don’t want the compound to be safe for trainers and trainees. But damn, I wish I could have both a steady income and for you to get the inspection you want.” She glanced at the wall of photos. “But on the bright side, Nate and Brad want to special order some prints, which will help a lot.”

  “That’s great.” After another round of cheers from the table of operatives, Isabel asked, “What are they celebrating?” She picked up her beer to take a sip.

  “Chase and I are getting married.”

  She choked, and foam flew off the top of the full pint glass. “What?”

  Jenna laughed. “Who would you pick, from that table, if you were playing Fuck, Marry, Kill?”

  “Oh, that’s easy. Sifuentes, Kalla, and Godfrey.”

  “Kalla over Johnston? Why?”

  She shrugged. “Chase is so young. And he blushes bright red whenever he catches my eye. And he’s never spoken to me. I’m afraid he’d have a heart attack if I actually talked to him.”

  Jenna nodded. That was fair. She knew Isabel hadn’t named Brad because the woman knew all about Jenna’s unrequited crush. Isabel respected the girl code. She was a good customer and a good friend.

  “We both picked Godfrey for kill.”

  “No surprise there. I bet he loved that.”

  “Actually, he was a good sport. Although he got pissed when I refused to serve him again because he agreed to be designated driver. But Brad shut him down.” She heard the singsong in her voice as she said it. She was so pathetic.

  “He’s totally into you,” Isabel said.

  She’d been saying that for months, but Jenna didn’t believe it. There wasn’t a single reason for him not to make a move if he was interested, ergo, he must not be interested. “It’s okay. You don’t need to try to cheer me up. After all, I just snagged me a Falcon team operator for a husband.”

  “Chase made Falcon?”

  “Yeah. That’s why they’re celebrating.”

  “Good for him. But wow. He’s so…inexperienced. I thought everyone on Falcon had served in the military or been a police officer before getting hired. Was Chase in the military?”

  “I don’t think so. He doesn’t have the bearing, you know?”

  A sharp bark of laughter let out from the Raptor table and Jenna turned to see Brad, leaning back in his seat, relaxed and laughing.

  Damn, he was beautiful.

  “You really need to make a move, Jenna.”

  She turned back to Isabel. “Oh, hell no. If he hasn’t figured it out by now, he’s an idiot, and if he has, and I make a move…then I’m the idiot.”

  But still, her belly fluttered thinking of his hot gaze when she’d named him her pick for fuck. She could swear she’d seen long-banked heat breaking free. She couldn’t help herself and twisted in her seat again so she could see him.

  Was it really possible she’d been misreading him for years?

  He caught her stare, and the smile dropped from his face. He shifted forward, no longer relaxed, and said something to the group in a quiet voice that didn’t carry.

  It was a nice fantasy for the thirty seconds it lasted.

  Chapter 2
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  Brad Fraser couldn’t wait to leave Tamarack. He was so done with this frigid, miserable town. But before he could leave, he had to make sure Ted Godfrey was booted from both Falcon team and Raptor. He couldn’t in good conscience leave the man in a place of power. Godfrey was dangerous. Brad had made it his mission to protect the soldiers who cycled through the compound from the twisted former Navy SEAL.

  Americans wanted to believe anyone who achieved special forces status—any branch and team—were the good guys, but bad apples slipped through. Worse, sometimes combat caused the rot.

  Brad was pretty sure Godfrey’s rot predated his military service.

  Until Godfrey was dealt with, Brad couldn’t leave. Which meant he was stuck here on the receiving end of Jenna O’Donnell’s sexy, come-hither looks. He couldn’t give in to her pull. If he did, he might do something stupid, like fall in love. He never, ever wanted to fall in love, and certainly not with someone who had no intention of leaving Tamarack.

  He sat back in his chair, his mind only half on the conversation at the table as he watched Jenna. She sat with her back to him and leaned forward as she said something to Isabel. These were the best moments, when he could watch her without her knowing.

  He’d honed his ability to resist her for three long years, yet after how he’d cracked when she’d named him first in Fuck, Marry, Kill, he wondered if he’d last the weeks it would take to make his case against Godfrey. But once Godfrey was out, he could leave Raptor with a clean conscience and take a job with Apex or another company. He’d never see Jenna again.

  He probably shouldn’t have asked to buy a print, but he couldn’t resist. The way she’d lit up at the request would be reason enough, but also, a poster would be something to take with him when he left. A piece of her and a picture of the town and mountain that loomed above it.

  “Man, I need to get laid,” Godfrey said. “Even that bitch Jenna is giving me a hard-on.”

  Brad pulled his gaze from Jenna to glare at the senior operative. “Shut up, Godfrey.”

  “Don’t be a dick,” Hawk said.

  “Too late,” Dev added, also glaring at Godfrey.

  Brad smiled. The Indian soldier fit right in with the group and had from day one. Godfrey had tried to intimidate the guy, but Dev would have none of it.

  Chase Johnston was a different story. He was a good kid, and damn, his hand-to-hand fighting skills were a thing to behold. But he lacked confidence, and for some reason, Godfrey had latched on to the kid and decided to be his mentor. Godfrey had pushed for him to take the Falcon test and had spent every night the last two weeks prepping Chase for the scenario they’d put him through today.

  To Brad’s amazement, Chase had aced it, forcing him to give Godfrey grudging credit. But Brad’s instincts said to keep an eye on the kid when it came to Godfrey.

  Godfrey flipped off the table in general, his gaze fixed on Jenna and Isabel. “Man, imagine doing them both at the same time.”

  White-hot anger shot through Brad. “I said shut up, Godfrey. You will treat women—but most importantly the women in this town—with respect.”

  “Hey, it’s a compliment. And they can’t hear what I’m saying.”

  “Yeah, but I can. And I’m your commander. So shut. The fuck. Up.”

  Brad was under no illusions that Godfrey was this stupid. Yes, some men would think his words were a compliment, but not Godfrey. The man was cunning, and he was trying to rile Brad. He’d been angry ever since Raptor’s owner overrode the compound director and promoted Brad to Falcon leader over Godfrey.

  They’d never been buddies prior to that, but from that moment on, Godfrey had been gunning for Brad. Not that he cared. He wasn’t afraid of Ted Godfrey, and he sure as hell wouldn’t let the guy run him out of town.

  No, the reason Brad wanted to leave was because everything in the compound had changed when Vincent Dawson died in a training accident last fall, and Brad wasn’t ready to dismiss Isabel’s theory her brother had been murdered. He’d said as much to the team that investigated Vin’s death, but his concerns had been ignored. “Also, you will stay away from Vin’s little sister.”

  “What’s your problem, man?”

  “Right this moment, you.”

  “You got a thing for Isabel? I was sure it was the waitress you wanted to bang. Or maybe you were hoping for a threesome.”

  Brad wrapped his hand around his mug and squeezed. Starting a fight in the roadhouse with his second-in-command was not a good idea.

  Hawk put a hand on Brad’s arm. “He’s not worth it.” He turned to Godfrey. “Ted, shut the hell up before you get us all banned. And I second Fraser. You go near Isabel or Jenna, and I’ll kick your ass.”

  “Damn, you guys are easy to rile. You should work on that. It’s not a good look for an operative. Hell, I thought you both were Green Berets.”

  “And you are ruining Chase’s party,” Dev said.

  “We should have taken him to Fairbanks. At least there, we could get him a lap dance at a strip club.”

  Chase choked on his beer. When he caught his breath, he managed to say, “No, thanks. I’m good with being here.” He shifted in his seat, looking toward the other table. Brad followed his gaze and realized his eyes were fixed on Isabel.

  “You going to warn Chase away from Isabel too?” Godfrey asked.

  “No,” Brad said, “because he respects women.”

  Godfrey studied the young man, his eyes narrowed speculatively. “Tell you what, I’m gonna help you out. Just like I did with prepping for the Falcon test. I’m going to help you land Isabel Dawson. Someone should be tapping that.”

  “N…n…no. No way. No. I just think she’s pretty.”

  “You gotta set your sights high, kid. Just like you did to make the team.”

  “Godfrey, leave,” Brad said. “We’re trying to have a good time celebrating Chase, and you just want to stir trouble. Go back to the compound.”

  “I’m your designated driver.”

  “Don’t care. We’ll get a ride from someone. Just go.”

  Godfrey smirked, and Brad had a feeling the entire conversation had been a test to see how far he could push Brad and the others. It was all a game to him. He was the guy who loved to be offensive, but got pissed when people were offended.

  Rumors abounded that if Raptor owner Alec Ravissant won the US Senate seat in Maryland next November, Rav would promote Nicole Markwell to take over as CEO. If Nicole took over the company, Brad had no doubt she would tap Godfrey to be the Alaska compound director.

  Brad respected Nic, but she didn’t see the side Godfrey showed everyone else. The guy was good at putting on masks, and, when he wasn’t being a dick, he was a top-notch trainer. Chase’s success today was testimony to that.

  As the front door closed behind Godfrey, Brad noticed Isabel and Jenna both relax in their seats. Jenna’s “Thank God for small mercies” carried to their table.

  Brad knew Godfrey was on Isabel’s list of suspects for Vin’s death.

  Once rumors started flying about Godfrey being named director, Brad had promised himself he wouldn’t leave Tamarack until he was certain Godfrey was either innocent or arrested.

  Jenna locked the front door behind the last customer and leaned back against it, huffing out a tired breath. It had been so strange to have Brad Fraser and Ted Godfrey at the same table tonight, throwing her off-balance. One man made her hot; the other turned her cold.

  After Godfrey left, things had lightened up at least. Nate had fed the old jukebox quarters, and the taproom had been filled with music and laughter. Between the operatives, Isabel, and the loggers playing pool in the back, Jenna took in enough tips to make it worth her time. All in all, a good shift.

  She pulled down the shades over the big front windows that flanked the door. She’d had plenty of time to restock the bar before closing. She just needed to sweep the floor and empty the till, then she was off for the night.

  She stacked the chairs on the
tables, just like elementary school, and quickly swept the hundred-year-old plank floor. She liked to think of the servers who came before her as she performed this chore, and even knew many of their names, having lived here her entire life. Her parents had moved to Tamarack in the seventies when her dad retired from the military. He’d been stationed for a time at Elmendorf Air Force Base and fallen in love with Alaska.

  Jenna had been born just a mile from here with a midwife in attendance over a decade later—the miracle baby born after her parents had given up hope of children. She’d gone to college in Anchorage and probably would have moved to the Lower 48 to get a job, but three months before graduation, her mother died of a stroke, and someone needed to take care of Dad.

  She had no regrets about returning home. She loved the wild remoteness, the vast forests, the glaciered mountaintop that was only half a day’s hike away, and the residents of Tamarack, who were all extended family—for better and worse.

  When the Raptor compound opened four years ago, things just got more interesting. And when Brad arrived a year after that, she’d been certain she’d finally have everything she wanted: Tamarack, her mountains and forest, the aurora borealis, and maybe even a family of her own.

  Three years later, it was past time to consider moving on from that little fantasy.

  She sighed as she dumped the dustpan into the garbage. And then she remembered how Brad had looked at the car wash, shirtless and ripped, and she might have let out a small purr.

  Dammit. She was a reasonably attractive, heterosexual, single, twenty-nine-year-old woman. She had enough genuine friends to know she was likeable and respected, and this was fricking Alaska. She could have her choice of men, ranging from Chase Johnston’s twenty-two years to, well, anyone this side of the grave. Men in Alaska weren’t exactly picky.

  It was time to take charge.

  His smoldering gaze at her Fuck, Marry, Kill joke had hit her in the solar plexus. Maybe he did want her, but it was hard to believe after so long.

  She should turn her attention to Nate or Dev. Both were handsome and kind and single. Yet she was fixated on the guy who’d never shown any sign of wanting her back.