“You’re leaving?” she asked, her expression clouding without her realizing it.
Ken’s throat tightened, making it hard to swallow. He squeezed the cup to keep from reaching for her.
“I thought most of the people in this area were already converted,” Lily said.
He nodded. “They are, but the people I’m referring to are natives.”
“Oh.” Lily reached for her coffee. “How long will you be gone?” She didn’t have to say that she was going to miss him. Ken could see it in her shimmering green eyes. It matched the longing he felt inside.
Ken looked away unable to face her. He’d lied to hundreds of people over the years. Some for their own good and some because it meant the difference between life and death. Yet his gut clenched at the idea of lying to Lily.
“Should be a day, two tops,” he ground out, while staring at the swaying trees.
“Maybe I can come with you?” she suggested.
His head whipped around. “No! I mean, you’re needed here. Word has spread that you’re giving inoculations. It takes people days to get here. You don’t want them to show up when you’re gone.”
Her amber brow furrowed. “What if you need medical assistance?”
He met her gaze. “I’ll take John with me. That should keep him out of Karen’s hair for at least a few days.”
She laughed. “He does seem to be quite the horn-dog. I’ve heard him drag himself in late most nights.”
“I’ll have a word with him about that,” Ken said.
Lily laughed and the sound washed over him. “I think he’s long past saving,” she said.
Ken hadn’t been referring to saving John’s soul, although he’d known Lily’s mind would go in that direction. He’d meant he would have a word with his spotter about the amount of noise he was making. He should’ve been able to slip in and out of camp undetected.
“Did you hear him last evening?” Ken asked.
Lily shook her head. “No, but that’s not a surprise since I saw him go into Karen’s tent last night. My guess is they’re still in there.”
Their eyes met and held as the attraction they’d been fighting bubbled up, swamping them. Lily’s gaze dropped to his mouth and lingered, while she moistened her lips. Ken knew what he was about to do was all kinds of wrong, but he couldn’t stop himself. This was the last time he’d ever see Dr Lily Houser and he’d be damned if he’d leave here without tasting her. Before he had a chance to let good sense and his conscience talk him out of it, Ken lowered his head and captured Lily’s luscious mouth.
He groaned on contact as her full lips softened under his assault. He’d meant to be gentle, work into the kiss, but he wanted her too bad. She tasted better than Ken had imagined, better than he’d ever dare hope. Sweet from the oatmeal and sharp from the coffee. Totally delicious. He ran his tongue over the seam of her mouth, then sucked her lower lip, luring her into the fire that was raging between them.
Her fingers flitted over the front of his shirt hesitantly. He mistook the move for trying to escape. Ken’s hands automatically tightened into fists, clutching her T-shirt as he deepened the embrace. Their tongues touched and need shot through him, tensing his muscles. His body made demands that were not about to be answered, but that didn’t stop him from wanting to toss Lily over his shoulder and carry her back to his tent. He wanted her naked and writhing beneath him, her firm thighs gripping his sides as they rode out the passion exploding between them. Ken wanted her more than he wanted his next breath. He knew he had to let her go before he acted upon the insane thoughts churning in his head, but his fingers refused to cooperate.
He was going to hell for sure.
Lily’s mind spun. She knew what she was doing was wrong, but she couldn’t seem to stop. She had wanted to know what it would feel like to kiss Father Ken since the moment she’d laid eyes on the man. It was so much more than Lily had ever thought possible.
Pulled firm against his hard chest, her body melted into his. Lily revelled in his strength, the touch of his hands. She could feel the leashed power simmering just below the surface of his carefully constructed control. There wasn’t an ounce of softness to him. Even his lips were hard and demanding. He deepened the embrace, stoking her passion until Lily feared she’d go up in flames. She squirmed to get closer as the world faded, leaving only the two of them and the vortex they’d created.
Her fingers threaded through Ken’s short black hair, accidentally brushing his collar. Reality came crashing back with a vengeance. What was she doing? Lily cried out and tore her mouth away.
Pain and confusion marred his brow before quickly smoothing into an unreadable expression.
Her hands trembled as Lily brought them to her lips. Her body was still throbbing, demanding release. She ignored it as her mind called her every foul name in the book. “I am so sorry, Father. I don’t know what got into me.”
Ken stiffened. “No,” he said. “It’s my fault. I should’ve never touched you.”
Lily’s face grew warm. She didn’t know what had gotten into her. The fact that she’d welcomed his kiss and enjoyed his touch confused her even more. She’d never done anything like this. Had never even considered breaking this taboo until she met Ken.
A faint streak of red coloured his cheeks. “Please forgive me. I don’t know what came over me,” he said. “You are an amazing woman and any man would be lucky to have you. If anyone is in the wrong here, it’s me.”
“How can you say that?” Lily asked. “Don’t you get it? I just French-kissed a priest.”
“I’m not—” Ken caught himself before he could refute her statement. “I better get my things packed for the trip before the sun gets any higher. Thank you for everything.”
Lily nodded, but couldn’t look him in the eye. She’d never been so embarrassed. One minute they’d been enjoying breakfast and the next she’d been all over him. Her parents would be mortified if they ever found out about her lapse in judgment. It wasn’t like she had a thing for priests. She’d simply wanted Ken the man. And for one moment, he’d wanted her, too. She groaned. The stress of the job was obviously getting to her.
Maybe it was a good thing he was going away for a day or two. She had enjoyed their mornings together and was really going to miss him, but some distance would give her time to clear her mind and do some soul-searching. They could talk when he got back or maybe by then everything would be settled and they’d never have to mention it again. They could pretend the kiss never happened. She watched Father Ken retreat to his tent and her heart sank. Who was she kidding? Lily knew she’d remember that kiss for the rest of her life.
She stood up and brushed off her hands, then walked to the river to wash her dishes. A splash nearby startled her out of her musings. Lily jumped back in time to see a cayman submerge under the muddy water and disappear. Cayman were smaller than crocodiles, but still quite deadly. She’d been so distracted by that amazing kiss that she’d nearly strolled right over the reptile. She shuddered at what could’ve happened.
Lily looked around then quickly finished washing her dishes. She returned to camp as Father Ken exited his tent, carrying his big duffel bag.
“Why are you taking that?” she asked.
“It holds everything I’ll need for the trip,” he said, capturing her gaze.
Before Ken or Lily could say any more, John stumbled out of Karen’s tent, pulling on his shirt. His pants were still unbuttoned and his hair was tousled. He scrubbed a hand over his face and yawned. When he caught sight of them, John grinned. “A promise is a promise,” he said, then looked at Ken and frowned. “Did I interrupt something?”
“No.” Ken scowled. “Thought I was going to have to leave here without you.”
“Give me a minute and I’ll be ready to go.” John changed direction and raced into the jungle. He was back in short order. It took him no time at all to gather his things and join them by the fire.
“Duty calls,” Ken said, staring at Li
ly, trying to memorize her features.
“Well, I’d better get to work,” she said, hitching a thumb over her shoulder towards the medical tent. “Have a safe trip.”
“Thanks,” Ken said, then quietly added after she walked away, “Have a good life, Dr Lily Houser. It was truly a pleasure.”
Four
John led Ken to the hill he’d picked out. There was dense overgrowth, making the trek difficult. No one was around the primitive house when they arrived. John had moved the drag bags with their equipment closer to their target. He’d concealed the bags with leaves and vines then draped them over a tree limb covered in dense foliage. The bags contained four camouflage ghillie suits, two for their rifles and two for them, an M-16 rifle, an M-21 match-grade bolt-action rifle, two black Glocks, lighters, flash bombs, knives, communication devices and the spotter scope they’d disguised as camera equipment.
Ken surveyed the area through John’s scope. There weren’t many places to take a clear shot, which meant their position would be compromised once he fired. They may not hear the shot, but they’d know where it came from. Their fallback position was located two klicks to the west and their escape route was to the east. Both led away from the medical clinic. It was a purposeful arrangement meant to keep the friendlies safe when all hell broke loose.
It took six hours to stalk into firing position. Ken and John had donned their ghillie suits so they’d look like part of the jungle as they moved in on their target. When they reached the slope, they belly-crawled to the top of the hill. The heavy canvas on the front of the suit helped pad their chests and abdomens. They’d plucked vines and leaves from the jungle and attached it to the camouflage netting. If Juan Garcia had lookouts, and there was no doubt that he did, the men would never spot them.
Ken and John hunkered down and prepared to wait. Despite John’s early reconnaissance, it was three days before they spotted movement. They heard the engines rev as two Jeeps pushed through the rut-covered path. The vehicles pulled up outside the crumbling house and stopped.
John calculated wind velocity, barometric pressure, humidity and distance from his position next to Ken. He gave him the calculations. Ken took them and adjusted his scope. This was what they’d been waiting for. Juan Garcia stepped out of the first Jeep. Ken found him in the crosshairs and prepared to overshoot. At this distance, it was the only way he’d hit him. Ken’s finger rested on the trigger as he focused his breath. He was about to fire, when John spoke.
“Viper, hold. We have a problem.”
Ken slowly turned his head to look at his partner. “I have a clear shot.”
“Look a little to the right,” John said, staring through his scope.
Ken did as John suggested and spotted a blonde head poking out on the far side of the second Jeep. His gut clenched. What in the hell was she doing there?
A moment later, Dr Lily Houser was dragged from the Jeep by her bound hands. She was jerked to a halt a foot before Juan Garcia. He raised his arm and backhanded her. Lily’s head snapped sideways and she would’ve fallen to her knees if one of his men hadn’t caught her and yanked her up.
“I want ears in there. Now!” Ken said as rage filled him.
John slipped back, inching down the hill on his belly until he was out of sight. A few minutes later, the com in Ken’s ear crackled to life.
“You think you can come down here to spy on me and get away with it?” Juan said. “This is my home. My land. I will not tolerate your country’s interference in my business.”
Lily shook her head. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Don’t lie to me,” Juan shouted. He raised his hand to hit her again.
Lily recoiled. “I’m not lying. I am Dr Lily Houser. I’m here on a medical aid mission to vaccinate the children in the area to prevent an divN1 outbreak.”
“You were seen asking questions around the village,” he said.
Her head slumped. “I was worried about the men who came down here with me. They were supposed to return and no one has heard from them. I told your men that when they grabbed me. Now I demand that you let me go or take me to the US Consulate.”
“You demand,” Garcia said, then threw his head back and laughed. “Take note, you are in no position to demand anything.” He lifted her bound hands and dropped them.
“You’re making a mistake,” Lily said.
Blood roared in Ken’s ears. She was in this fix because of them. Had she not gone looking for them, the general would’ve ignored her. He fought to get back some of the calm he was famous for.
Garcia paced in front of her. “I don’t believe you. Perhaps a few days here with my men will change your story.”
Lily’s eyes widened with fright. “I’m telling the truth,” she said, pleading with him. “I’m a United States citizen here on a humanitarian mission.”
Ken’s hands tightened on his rifle. He still had a clear shot, but if he took it, Lily was as good as dead. His duty was clear. Save civilians first, take out the target second.
“John, get down here. I’ve heard enough,” he said.
John came back thirty minutes later, moving slowly over the shrubbery to avoid giving away their position. “What are we going to do?”
“We don’t have a choice. We have to get her out of there,” Ken said. “It’s our fault that she’s fallen into Garcia’s hands.”
“And exactly how are we going to do that?” he asked. “We didn’t exactly come prepared for a rescue mission.”
Ken’s head slowly lowered until his forehead touched the ground. “Give me an hour and I’ll figure something out,” he said.
“Why did she come looking for us?” John asked. “We told her we’d be gone for a few days.”
Ken clenched his jaw. “Because that’s the kind of woman she is,” he said. “She takes her responsibility as team leader seriously. It’s my fault. I should’ve told her we’d be gone longer.”
“Damn foolish if you ask me,” John said.
“Well, no one did,” Ken snapped. “You may recall we have a similar code: Leave no man behind.”
John sobered. “No offence, sir.”
“None taken.” Ken stared at the little shack that now housed Lily, their target and a growing army of his men. How was he going to get her out of that place alive? He couldn’t shoot them all. He was good, but with a bolt-action rifle he wouldn’t be able to reload fast enough.
Rescuing Lily was going to take stealth and distraction, not force. He didn’t even want to think about how mad she was going to be when she saw him again. Ken couldn’t worry about that now. The only important thing was getting her out of there alive.
He swung the scope to the left and saw a man walking back to the house with a bucket of water. Conditions in the place must be as primitive as they looked from the outside. “They may have to allow Lily to go outside at some point,” Ken said.
The thought of Garcia’s men having their way with her brought out protective instincts Ken didn’t realize he had. It was only his years of training that kept him in position.
“What if they don’t let her out?” John asked.
“Then we’ll have to drive them out like vermin.”
John inched closer. “How?”
“Fire,” Ken said.
“Not sure if you noticed, but the humidity here is about ninety per cent. I’m not sure that house would burn even if we dropped gasoline on it,” John said. “And there’s always the chance they’d leave her in there to fry and save themselves. Unless you packed your asbestos underwear without telling me, neither one of us is equipped to run into a burning building.”
“We just need to get her to the river. I’ll attempt an extraction from there.”
John snorted. “That water is crawling with hungry cayman and anaconda.”
Ken looked at him. “That’s what I’m counting on. I need them to believe she’s been eaten. It’ll be the only way I’ll be able to get her out without them follo
wing.”
“And what am I supposed to do while you’re getting your ass snapped at by man-eating carnivores?” John asked.
“Go back to Cielo Bonita and get the medical team to safety, then create a distraction. We need something that goes boom.”
John grinned. “I like making those kinds of noises.”
“I know you do.” Ken clapped him on the shoulder. “Now get moving.”
Lily stared at the man who’d introduced himself as General Juan Garcia. He was a squat man with slick black hair and a sharp moustache that curved down at the ends. An ugly scar bisected the right side of his face. A knife wound no doubt. Whatever had caused the injury, the wound hadn’t been properly treated, leaving the skin to pucker unnaturally around the snaking length of slashed flesh.
She still couldn’t believe he’d accused her of spying. All she’d done was ask after her men to see if anyone had seen them. Obviously that was enough to constitute spying in this part of South America. Ridiculous.
She’d never seen the general before and she’d certainly never heard of him. Lily wondered, not for the first time, if he’d found Ken and had him killed. Her chest ached at the thought. She reminded herself again that despite the collar ordaining him, Ken wasn’t a little man. He looked like he could handle himself and he hadn’t been alone. John was the type who could talk the underwear off a nun. Surely he’d be able to talk their way out of trouble if they’d encountered Garcia’s men. Nervous laughter bubbled up in her throat. In all likelihood, they were fine. She was the one in trouble now.
Garcia’s men kept eyeing her. Lily tried to ignore them, but it was impossible to do with them leering at her. Were they waiting for the go-ahead from the general or had he told her that just to scare her?
He didn’t look like the kind of man who’d bluff. His black eyes had seemed lifeless and cold as he’d stared at her. She meant nothing to him. To Garcia her life was worthless. Even if she had information, Lily doubted that it would be smart to share what she knew. The second she did, she was a dead woman.
She banished the unpleasant thoughts. Lily refused to spend what might turn out to be her last hours on earth dwelling on the negative. Her mind wandered instead to Ken and the kiss they’d shared. He hadn’t kissed like a man who’d been celibate. In fact, he’d kissed like he had years of practice. Despite the danger she was in, her toes were still curled from that impromptu embrace. And there was no doubt in Lily’s mind that he hadn’t planned it. The look on his face showed as much surprise as she’d felt.
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