Instead of poking him in the chest with her long slender fingers, Jenna reached up and kissed his cheek. “Thanks, Mack.”
“Thank me later if we get out of this mess. Let’s rock and roll. HUMINT said to go north. We’d better run.”
*
The guys ran, fast and silent. It was still dark and Jenna knew she wouldn’t be able to see them if they got too far ahead.
“HUMINT?” Jenna gripped Mack’s bicep.
“Human intel. The cartel hostages—before they were shot to death in the gunfight that got Tavon—said CRAF took the Harmonds north. I wish I had gotten more information. Would be nice to know if the Harmonds are still alive before we go deeper into the war zone.”
She swallowed hard. “Yes. That would be nice.”
They passed the campsite. The guys went straight through, but Mack took her on the outside edge of the battlefield, trying to shield her from the worst of it. What she saw, she’d never get out of her brain. The movies didn’t do war justice. Bodies were strewn all over the place. The smell, the blood, the horror was almost more than she could bear. Mack led her by the shack where the captives had been held. The thing was completely leveled. God, he’d been in there!
Mack couldn’t have known that the next dead man they came to was the one she’d shot. Even though it had been dark and far away, she knew the man by the way he was lying. She couldn’t stop replaying the image of painting him in her scope, pulling the trigger, and watching him fall forward. Dead. Would she ever get that out of her head? Her teeth clattered. Her stomach flopped so badly she worried she’d be sick again. She gripped Mack’s hand and closed her eyes. Wishing the scene away didn’t make it so.
“Come on, babe. I’ve got you.” Mack pulled her quickly through the destruction and back into the jungle.
As she held onto Mack, she steadied her breathing and told herself she was not a monster. The dead guerillas were not good people. They had kidnapped an innocent family and were trying to kill her men. She’d done the right thing, the only thing, for Mack and the guys. She’d do it again if she had to. Let the devil deal with the evil bastards. She and the team were on the side of right and good. And later, once they were all safe, she’d go back to the therapist for a while and get her mind straightened out. She had a bad feeling she’d be shooting that guy over and over in her nightmares. But today, she’d box up and bury the dead in her mind. She had to keep fighting. It was the first time she understood what her dad did to survive.
Charlie was to the left of them, monitoring the radio and LST as he went. How could he do all that and keep an eye out for bad guys? She was barely able to fast-walk in the semi-dark without tripping and crashing into Mack. Willy was off to the right moving quickly, scanning the area, rifle up. Tavon was bringing up the rear, protecting their flank, silent and strong ready to shoot with his left hand.
“Where’s Ty?” she asked quietly.
“He’s up ahead searching for their trail.” The words had just left his mouth when Mack pressed his ear piece to his ear. “Good. Ty reported in. He’s got them. Can you run faster?”
Her feet were screaming expletives, her big toes and ankles sporting painful blisters, and her back ached. She was exhausted from lack of sleep and stress. But tonight she was learning she was stronger than she ever knew. With Mack close enough to touch, she could do almost anything. Why hadn’t she understood that eighteen months ago? No. She couldn’t think about her mistakes. For now, she was alive, and the Harmonds were still out there.
“Of course.” She ran faster.
*
As they moved, Mack ground his molars. The admiral would have done him a favor if he’d been forthcoming up front. If Mack had known missiles would be heading this way, he’d have done things differently. For one, he would have tied Jenna to a bed in California to keep her from getting on the jet. Damned admiral. The man had a way of pulling strings without the team knowing about it.
Mack thought about the first date he’d had with Jenna. In those days, he’d been under the mistaken impression he was calling the shots—the man in control. The plan had been to seduce the girl in order to manipulate the admiral to save Tavon. How hard could it be?
On the second date Mack, knew he was in big trouble. The admiral’s daughter was unlike any woman he’d ever met. He liked that. Maybe too much. In a tiny hole-in-the-wall that looked as if it should be straddling the Mexican border, he sunk his teeth into one of the best fish tacos in the universe and gazed into her eyes. “Holy shit.”
“Good, right?” Jenna flashed him one of her pretty smiles.
“Friggin’ delicious.” He wiped the juice dripping off his fingers. “How’d you find these places?”
“Being a travel agent for EXtreme Adventures has its perks.” She dipped her chip into the salsa. “I get to try out great restaurants and hotels, but I’m always on the lookout for gems that tourist companies miss. I want my clients to have the best trips of their lives. Unique food, excitement, the whole enchilada of adventures. It’s more than a job to me.” Her eyes sparkled when she talked about her work. There was nothing sexier than a woman who exuded confidence and passion.
“You travel a lot?”
“Corporate sends us on expeditions once a year to learn about different travel zones our clients might be interested in seeing. On my next trip, I’m going back to South America—Peru, Colombia, and Brazil. You ever been there?”
“South America? Um, I can neither confirm nor deny that.”
“Ah, I get it. You’re a Navy SEAL. Let me guess. Team Six, or the real name—DEVGRU.”
He leaned closer. “I can neither confirm…” He rubbed her chin with his thumb. “…nor deny.”
“I see.” She tipped her head down and planted a quick kiss on his thumb. Sparks shot up his arm. “Well, if you ever find yourself in the small village of Salta, in northwest Argentina, I recommend Armando’s Cafe. You’ll think you have gone to heaven.”
Wait, was she serious? His internal SEAL sense tingled. “Armando’s? Is that what you said?”
“Uh-huh. Do you want me to write it down?”
“No, I think I could remember that. What’s so special about that cafe? What we’ve got here is damned good.”
She dipped a chip in salsa and fed it to him. “This food is good, but it’s too…American. I like authentic foods that taste like the culture they came from. Home grown to the natives, exotic to me.”
“Like guinea pig smoked in banana leaves?”
She blinked. “That’s Armando’s specialty. How’d you know?”
He didn’t answer. It was no coincidence Jenna had been in that village. He didn’t believe in coincidences when it came to top secret missions. What the hell was going on?
She studied him as if she could almost see the puzzle he turned over and over in his head. “You can’t confirm or deny?”
“Exactly. We aren’t having this conversation.”
“Should I change the subject?”
“Nope. Tell me what you liked about Salta,” he probed.
Her eyes flashed with excitement. “Everything! The people, the colonial architecture, the canyons, exploring the Cabra Corral dam area searching for ancient rock paintings, all of it. I could have stayed for months. Every day would’ve been a new adventure, but there was some sort of political shake up in Argentina and corporate pulled me out. I didn’t get to say good-bye to Armando’s little boy. He was the cutest little five year old ever. All boy. Dirty, loud, and sweet. I gave him a cheap plastic dump truck and you’d think I bought him the real thing. Gosh, he loved that truck.”
Mack sat straighter. “A red plastic dump truck?”
She cocked her head. “Yes. How did you know?”
“Hell.” He shook his head. He’d been played.
Months earlier, he and his team had been sent to Salta to eradicate a Nazi. Or rather a Nazi-copycat. The rat bastard was two generations too late for the real Holocaust, but idolizing the monsters o
f old, he’d thought he’d become the next Mengele of Argentina. People disappeared from the fields, hookers didn’t show up to work, and wives didn’t come home from the market. Bodies found in shallow graves had been tortured. The problem? No one was sure who the monster was. No one outside of Argentina even cared, until an American exchange student turned up dead. The student’s father was a U.S. Senator.
Mack and his guys had gone deep undercover, covertly digging up intel to identify the target. Once verified, Mack and his guys had made sure the Nazi stopped seeing the light of day. It had been a cut-and-dried take out mission. Or so he’d thought at the time.
Now he knew otherwise. While in Salta taking out the trash, apparently he was also looking out for the admiral’s daughter. His intel about the Nazi threat had been passed onto the admiral, who in turn had pressured EXtreme Adventures to get Jenna out of there in a hurry. Mack had no idea that he’d been used until now.
“Mack?” Jenna’s brown eyes widened with surprise. “You knew the truck was red.”
“I can’t talk about it. Nor can I say that Armando’s little boy has a blue plastic battle ship too, a USS Arizona to be exact. Although, I’m sure he likes the truck better because he couldn’t stop talking about the pretty lady who made funny truck noises with her mouth. You’re right, that kid was cute.”
“You were there,” she whispered, her lips tantalizingly close.
“I can’t believe I missed you.”
“I’m here now.” She palmed his cheek, drawing him toward her.
“Yeah, thank God for second chances.” Mack pressed his lips to hers.
Electricity shot through him in a heat punch straight to his groin. Jenna’s lips were full, soft, moist…amazing. She continued to cup his jaw, holding his face close while they deepened the kiss. His tongue ran along the seam of her lips, and she opened up. He explored, tasted, taking all he wanted until her tongue pushed back, demanding her own exploration.
He ran his fingers through her long hair, and she moaned softly. The admiral’s daughter was smoking hot.
The waiter slid the check tray on their table, interrupting the moment.
Jenna pulled back, gaze locked onto his. “We better go. This place fills up fast.”
“Yeah, let’s go.” He was already imagining her naked in his arms. If that kiss had been an indicator, she’d be fantastic in his bed. Or hers, he didn’t care where. It was the when that was important. Now was his preference. He reached into his pocket for his wallet, and she put a hand on his bicep to stop him.
“My treat, remember?” She placed the cash in the tray.
“Babe, this whole evening has been one helluva treat. Can I take you home?”
She toyed with the placemat. “That’s not a good idea. I have that rule about Navy guys.”
“I’m on board with that rule. Absolutely. No other Navy guys. They’re assholes.”
She laughed. “All except you.”
“I can be an asshole. But not with you.” He was dead serious. “We’ve got something, Jenna. I know you feel it. Let’s see what happens.”
She chewed her lip. “What are you doing tomorrow night?”
“Taking you to dinner.”
She grinned. “Great. I know this fantastic vegan infusion café.”
He held his hand up. “Meat, babe. I’m a man. Feed me meat. How about I take you on a surprise adventure of my own?”
“I like adventures.” Pink tinted her cheeks. He could only guess what she was thinking.
He was having plenty of adventurous thoughts of his own. “It’s a date, then.”
As they left the restaurant, he put the keys in her hand. She’d drive them back to her car. He wanted to wrap around her and hang on while the roar of the engine vibrated between their legs. This memory of her hot body against his would have to last until he saw her again.
And again.
And every minute he could get away from base to be with her.
Falling in love with the admiral’s daughter had snuck up on him like the exquisite burn of Scotch that starts in your mouth, sizzles down your gullet, and warms your heart. It had only taken a few dates to know he was a Jenna-addict. More than that?
He never wanted to recover.
Chapter Fourteen
‡
Jenna started noticing the bark on the trees and flowers on bushes. It was getting lighter. A pit filled her stomach. Would they be able to sneak in and get the Harmonds once the sun was up? On the heels of that worry came an even greater one—how much time did they have left before the air strike?
They were moving slowly now. CRAF guerillas must be close.
Mack gave her hand a yank and pulled her backward behind a small tree. He touched her lips with his hand, motioning her to be quiet. He tucked her in behind him, shielding her body with his, and lifted his rifle. Without moving, she had a tiny peep hole over his shoulder.
A man appeared about twenty feet in front of them. He had an AK-47 and what looked like a large knife tucked into his belt.
“Stop! Don’t come any closer!” Jenna mentally commanded the man.
But he didn’t stop. He kept coming straight for them. He was so close Jenna could see the little wiry hairs in his mustache. Had he seen them? The tree was too thin to block them completely from his view. Jenna held her breath and tried to become invisible. She knew Mack had the man in his scope, but if he shot now, would the rest of CRAF guerillas come running?
The man yawned noisily, unzipped his pants, and relieved himself. Without glancing toward the tree she and Mack were hiding behind, he zipped up and went back the way he came.
It took several long seconds before Jenna breathed properly again. That was close. Mack lowered his rifle and reached behind to touch her. He pulled her into his back and gave her a reassuring squeeze. She leaned into him, taking an infusion of his warmth and comfort. She didn’t want to move. Maybe ever again.
But Mack had other ideas. He pointed to a stand of thick trees off to the left of them. He wanted her to go there. Alone? Heck, no. She shook her head.
He pointed again with a quick jab of his finger.
Nope. She wasn’t going anywhere without him.
He tipped his head skywards as if asking God, “Why do I have to be saddled with this crazy woman who never does what I want her to do?”
It was a typical Mack move. And it made her smile. Mack was still Mack, even out here in the middle of all this hell.
He took her hand and they quietly, and carefully made their way to the stand of trees.
“Do. Not. Move,” he whispered in her ear. “We’re going in.”
She wiggled her finger so that he would turn his ear to her. “Harmonds?”
“They’ve got captives. That’s all I know.”
She wouldn’t let go of his hand. It was as if she was physically incapable of loosening her fingers.
Lifting his night vision goggles, he moved closer until they were eye-to-eye. “Wait for me.”
Her eyes welled. “Forever.”
The look on his face took her breath away.
“Jenna…” He loaded that one word with such feeling she knew it was the start of a huge discussion, maybe the start of a whole new life. He struggled with how to say what he was feeling. Or even if he should.
Just then, Charlie popped up next to them. “The team’s in place.”
He nodded. “Keep an eye on her, Charlie.”
“Roger that. But the lady is an ace.” Charlie grinned. “She doesn’t need me.”
Mack frowned. Cupping her jaw in his hands, he pressed his lips to hers and whispered what sounded like, “My girl.”
Mack slipped into the shadows before she had a chance to tell him that she loved him. Just like that, her man was gone.
“Good, the team is ready,” Charlie whispered to her.
She bent over his LST. To her horror, the new CRAF camp was loaded with men. Her guys were outnumbered five to one. Bringing her rifle around, she po
inted it toward the camp. Her iPad was on and ready. She looked through the scope. The only thing in their favor was that many of CRAF were still asleep. If they could sneak in quietly…
Boom!
She jumped as the loud sound rocked through the jungle. If her finger had been on the trigger, she would have accidentally pulled it. Her throat was so dry she couldn’t swallow.
“Flashbang,” Charlie said. “Here comes another.”
Boom! Boom!
Even though he had warned her, she wasn’t prepared for it. She jumped even higher and grabbed Charlie by his camelback. Her guys were making that noise? So much for sneaking in.
“Hooya! Look, Jenna, got ’em on the run,” Charlie cheered.
Jenna couldn’t take her eyes off the computer screen. Men were running like scared rats and being dropped one by one. The flashbang grenades had disoriented the guerillas, and her team was taking full advantage of the situation.
Charlie pointed at the screen. “Look, six guys face down right there. Bastards are smart. They gave up without a fight.”
“And there?” Jenna pointed to a bunch of figures near a tree.
“Yep, one of our guys is tying them up to that tree. If I had to guess, I’d say it’s Ty. He’s great with knots.”
Gunfire popped off like a giant popcorn machine. Jenna studied each dot on the LST. Where was Mack? The Harmonds? She positioned herself again, looking through the scope, ready to take out the guerrillas one by one if she had to.
Another blast made her finger twitch.
“Damn. That wasn’t one of our grenades,” Charlie said.
“What? Is the team…is everyone okay?” Her heart shook.
“So far so good.” A much louder grenade blast shook the ground beneath her feet. Charlie raised his closed fist. “Go get ’em Willy!”
Jenna couldn’t believe it. Four more CRAF were lying face down in the dirt. They’d surrendered! Maybe this crazy plan was going to work after all.
Charlie leaned forward and turned a dial on his radio. “No, shit, no, no!”
SEALs of Summer: Military Romance Superbundle - Navy SEAL Style Page 93