Bound by Danger

by Terry Spear

  Yet when she closed the door behind her, she couldn’t help but shudder. Recalling every detail of the man who had tried to throw her off the balcony. Still, she’d had the notion of searching Charlie’s room for something that someone might have been looking for. Until now, she hadn’t had the chance to look.

  She hurried into the room and found volumes of papers stacked in the bottom of his closet. Manuscripts written by different authors. She read a couple lines of one of the pages and grinned.

  She licked his hard nipple as his hands ran over her—

  Her front door creaked open, startling her. She dropped the paper onto the stack.

  ***

  Dave nodded as he spoke into the phone while he stared at his unmade bed. “Yes, sir, I’ll watch every move she makes. She won’t get out of my sight for even a nanosecond.” He opened the bedroom door and peered into the living room. His heart nearly stopped dead.

  To his horror, she’d vanished. “I’ll take care of it. Got to go.”

  He dropped the phone in his pocket. They still didn’t know what kind of real danger she and her brother could be in. But he wasn’t taking any chances with her. He ran for his gun. Once he held it clenched in his fist, he dashed for the door.

  As he pushed her door open, the blasted thing creaked, ruining the element of surprise. Deidre peeked out of her brother’s bedroom. He attempted to settle his stomach still churning with anxiety.

  He holstered his gun and rested his hands on his hips. “I thought someone had kidnapped you. What are you doing over here without me to protect you?”

  “You had important personal business.” Deidre shoved a curl behind her ear and crossed her arms.

  He grinned. She was mad about him speaking to his boss on the phone. Was she jealous because she thought an old girlfriend had called? The notion really amused him. He hadn’t had a girl envious about his interest in another since he’d attended college.

  “Just work, Deidre. I have my first assignment for tomorrow. Nothing personal about it, but I can’t concentrate on a phone conversation when I’ve got a gorgeous-looking gal watching me.”

  She didn’t buy it the way she tilted her head to the side in obvious disbelief.

  He chuckled. “What don’t you believe? The part about your being gorgeous? Or about my not being able to concentrate on a phone conversation?” He grinned at her as her eyes sparkled while her lips turned up slightly as if he’d tickled her. “Really—just work.”

  “You said you just got out of the Army. Where were you stationed?”

  Dave shook his head and strode across the room. He glanced into Charlie’s room, then led her back out of her apartment. “Fort Bliss.”

  “Ah, at El Paso. You said you didn’t know anyone here, but then you have this Bill friend with a boat and—”

  Dave shut his apartment door behind her, then returned to the kitchen. She climbed onto a barstool at the kitchen bar while he sliced tomatoes.

  “Sure, I knew Bill from the service. He got out about the same time I did. But he doesn’t live in Killeen and except for you and your brother—”

  “And Marilyn.”

  “Well, yes and Marilyn, but then she’s not from around here.”

  “Yes, and we don’t truly know where she’s from, do we now?”

  “California.”

  Deidre shook her head. “She’s no more from California than you are.”

  A smile spread across his face. She could have made a great detective. He threw in slices of mushrooms and bell peppers. Taking a deep breath, he stirred the spaghetti sauce. “You sure are suspicious of people.”

  “We’re going to have to make an early night of it, I’m afraid. I have to get up practically at dawn for work. With the workout I’ve had today and all of last night’s goings-on, I’ll barely make it through supper…though it sure smells delightful. Extra garlic cloves?”

  “Certainly, for just that right touch. After supper I thought we might watch a special on television—until your brother returns home.”

  “No, truly I couldn’t make it through the opening credits.”

  “We’ll see.” He didn’t have any intention of letting her return to her apartment alone. As far as he was concerned, she would be his overnight guest again, if he could swing it without too much of a fuss on her part.

  Dave dished up the spaghetti, then carried the plates to the table. He pulled a chilled bottle of champagne out of the refrigerator afterward and uncorked it.

  Deidre chuckled. “If I drink that, I’ll be under the table tonight.”

  “I’ve been keeping this for special occasions. A day spent with you certainly qualifies.”

  After finishing the meal, Deidre leaned her head on her hand as she propped her elbow on the table while Dave cleared the dishes.

  “I’d help, but I’d rather watch like this.”

  Dave studied her and smiled. “I’d rather you rest as my guest.” He placed the dishes in the dishwasher, then led her to the couch.

  “You’ll have to carry me to bed afterward.”

  Now that stirred some interesting ideas in his mind. He could just imagine being close to her while she wore that evocative nightie again. The notion of wrestling with her in bed instantly made him hard. No sand to stop them this time.

  He chuckled and turned on the television. When they sat down on the couch, she laid her head in his lap, to his surprise. He guessed she really was exhausted. But she heated his body to excruciating heights. When she nestled her head further, he squirmed in agony. Then her hand draping over his knee fell off midway through the program. He realized then, she’d fallen fast asleep.

  ***

  The jagged ring of Deidre’s alarm woke her from her cliff-hanging nightmare. She stared at her bedroom, unsure as to how she got there. Slapping her alarm off, she jumped out of bed, then raised her brows to see she still wore the clothes from the night before. She ran to Charlie’s room. The bed hadn’t been slept in.

  Taking a deep breath, she walked into the living room. Half-buried under a couple of blankets, Dave still slept. She imagined his trusty gun rested under the pillow. She smiled and returned to her bedroom to change. Time once again to wear her green BDU.

  All dressed and ready to go shortly thereafter, she kissed Dave’s cheek. “Thanks, Cowboy, for keeping me safe.”

  He mumbled an inaudible response, and she chuckled and headed into work.

  An hour into her morning work routine, her boss, LTC Ramstodt walked into her office, his graying brows knit into a frown, his thin lips turned down as usual when he came to speak to her. “The commanding general’s asked that a reporter be assigned to you for the week to write a special report for the newspaper.”

  “Excuse me, sir?”

  “It’s not my idea and my objections were overruled. I volunteered Major Lee for the job, but, for whatever reason, the general wanted you to handle it. I don’t expect you to be idling at your job either.” Gruff and to the point. If he could have had her assigned somewhere else, he would have done so in a heartbeat—and all because she was a woman.

  “Of course not, sir. What is the reporter reporting on?”

  “The general wouldn’t say. Just do your job.” He stalked out of the office.

  The colonel was his usual sweet self. Didn’t matter what time of day it was—he not only hated women, he hated the enlisted staff. He was really a honey of a boss.

  His raspy voice scolded the sergeant major at the end of the hall about the enlisted staff again, then she turned her thoughts to the reporter. She didn’t have to guess at who he might be. The only thing she couldn’t figure was how Dave had been able to convince the commanding general and his boss at the newspaper that he had a story here.

  She steeled her back as footsteps approached. Dave, dressed in a western shirt fastened with pearl buttons complete with bolo tie and dressy denims, walked into her office. He grinned broadly at her, then shut the door.

  “You shouldn’t
close the door. It’ll make folks think something else is going on in here.”

  But his actions delighted her. Wouldn’t her senior rater be peeved? The gray-haired old geezer probably hadn’t gotten it up with his wife in ages. Which was probably why he stayed late when there was no reason to do so, just to avoid going home.

  His wife probably preferred it, too, truth be told.

  Dave chuckled. “You can’t kiss in uniform, per regulation. I needed a good morning kiss to jumpstart my day.” He leaned over the gray-metal desk and kissed her lips firmly.

  She shook her head, smiling. His lightly whiskered cheek had tickled her lips when she’d kissed him that morning and the feeling still lingered fresh on her mind. “I already had my good morning kiss.”

  “Oh?” He grinned broadly, and she figured she had pleased him that she hadn’t left without saying goodbye in a special way.

  “Sure, with one handsome devil of a cowboy riding shotgun on my couch this morning.”

  “You sneaked a kiss?” He laughed. “Good, I did also last night when I tucked you into bed.”

  He really tickled her, warming her instantly. If she could, she would have returned to cavorting with him on the beach at the lake with a flick of her wrist.

  From such a lousy start at her morning with her senior rater, she felt Dave’s arrival instantly improved the hour.

  “How much of the movie did I get through?”

  “About half, then you began to snore.”

  “No, I didn’t.” He teased her, she knew it, but she loved that part of his personality.

  His smile spread. “You’re right. But you were whimpering a bit. I figured you were having a nightmare. I held you good and tight and the nightmare went away.”

  The cliffhanger of a nightmare. Would it ever disappear for good? “Thanks for chasing it away.” She picked up a pen and tapped it on the desk. “Sorry I didn’t fix you breakfast this morning. All I have time for is just a quick fall out of bed on work mornings.”

  “But you had time for a quick kiss.”

  Yeah, she did. Seeing him lying there sleeping as sweet as a cherub, intent on shooting the bad guys if they appeared, she just had to give him a kiss before she left. “Had to make time for that considering you’ve only been able to sleep on your couch or mine the last couple of nights.” She waved at a seat and when he sat down, she said, “Okay, so tell me…how did you manage to talk both the editor of the newspaper and my commanding general into going along with this fiasco?”

  Chapter 8

  Dave couldn’t believe he’d never awakened when Deidre readied herself for work that morning. In fact, when Bill tried to wake him sometime afterward, he’d had a difficult time. Even though another agent had followed her to work for her own safety, Dave had every intention of driving her. Hell, he’d planned to serve her breakfast in bed even.

  Panicking while dressing earlier, Dave had had Bill’s reassurance that she was fine. Not that Bill didn’t question him as to why Dave had slept so late.

  But Dave could have kicked himself for sleeping later than he’d planned.

  He couldn’t break his cover and tell her the truth, though he wanted to more than anything else in the world. Yet, if he told her, then where would he be? Would she think he was a heel for investigating her brother? Most likely.

  Now, Dave smiled at Deidre dressed in her Army fatigues. Even in uniform, she was prettier than anything he could have imagined. Then he feigned hurt as he held his hand to his chest. “I was asked to do the report, Deidre. You know, the call I received on Sunday.”

  “And the general?”

  She was suspicious. But then Dave had already noted she had a skeptical nature.

  “My boss already talked to the general last Friday about it.”

  Now the question was…would she buy it?

  ***

  Deidre still couldn’t fathom that the newspaper would want to write on something as boring as her job. “So what are you going to report on?”

  “You.”

  “Not me.” Dave must have really sold the editor a bill of fluff.

  “The life of an Assistant G-1,” he continued, attempting to look totally sincere.

  She couldn’t believe it.

  “I can’t tell you what my boss thinks of me—not here, but he’s already threatened me if I don’t get my work done.” She could see how Dave’s job could interfere with her own and get her into more trouble with her senior rater.

  “So get your work done. I’ll follow you around like a lost puppy dog and take notes.”

  He’d be an adorable puppy. The notion made her smile. “Ah, but can I read the write-ups before you print it?”

  Dave chuckled. “Don’t trust what I’d write?”

  The phone rang and Deidre answered it before she could comment. “Hello, Cpt. Roux, Assistant G-1 speaking.”

  “This is Major Renton and you have me scheduled for duty on the roster for the weekend. I’ve already pulled it this month.” The major was brusque and angry.

  Deidre opened her mouth to speak, then closed it again as the major continued to talk. Dave grinned back at her. He’d probably been there…same kind of scenario when he served on active duty, too.

  “If you can’t get your act together you shouldn’t be handling the duty roster,” the major railed.

  She smugly smiled. The major had called the wrong office. “Sir, I manage the staff duty roster for G-1. I don’t have any of the airborne unit officers listed at all.”

  “What are you trying to pull, Captain? No company grade officer is going to jerk me around. If I have to, I’ll speak to the G-1 about this.”

  There was that ugly word…G-1. Deidre took a long breath. “Sir, the AG Company, also a part of the 1st Cavalry Division, maintains another duty roster. Perhaps—”

  The phone slammed down in her ear.

  She looked up to see Dave waiting to hear the story. “Another hang-up,” she said.

  “How can I get an article written about you if you won’t let me have the scoop?”

  “All right, this irate idiot of a major—”

  “Can I quote you?”

  “Word for word.” She chuckled as he raised his brows. “He called to chew me out for putting him on a duty roster he claims he has currently served on.”

  “Serious offense.”

  “Well, unfortunately there are several of us who pull duty constantly for the division, while some, like my rater, Major Lee, get exempted from all additional duties. Anyway, I don’t happen to handle that duty roster. But if the major had pulled the duty already, I can see his point.”

  “The upshot?”

  “He’ll call the AG Company—probably be really sweet to them and get his duty rescinded.”

  “All in a day’s work.”

  “Certainly. So what are you going to say in your report?”

  “Some idiot major—”

  Deidre crumpled up a wad of paper and threw it at Dave. He laughed and chucked it at the wastepaper basket, but missed.

  “Ah, you missed the circular file.”

  He leaned over and retrieved the trash and made his basket this time. “Okay, next story.”

  The phone rang. “It’s coming right up.” She picked up the receiver. “Cpt. Roux, Assistant G-1.”

  “This is LTC Smith. I’d like to know the breakdown of who all received funds this past year for Army Emergency Relief by unit.”

  “Yes, sir. I have it right here.” She pulled the paper out of her current action file and read the dollar amounts received by soldiers for financial emergency hardships out loud to him.

  “Listen, Captain, I had two soldiers turned down by AER when their mobile homes burned to the ground. And because of this, I don’t give a hoot what our commanding general says—my unit won’t be giving total support to AER this year.” He hung up on her.

  “Yes, sir,” Deidre said to dead space and hung up the phone. “It’s going to be one of those days.”
/>   “Story?” Dave readied his notepad.

  She folded her arms. “Don’t you have a laptop to write your stories on?”

  “I like to do this the old fashioned way.”

  “If I have to explain to you about every call—”

  The phone rang and she grabbed it up. “Cpt. Roux. How may I help you?”

  “You forgot to tell them you were an Assistant G-1,” Dave whispered.

  Deidre threw her pencil at him. He really perked up her morning. She could see having him around for a week was going to be the sweet in the sweet-and-sour mix.

  “The commanding general wants you to report on the status of the AER campaign—ASAP.”

  “Will do.”

  Deidre hung up the phone and grabbed her hat. “Meeting with the general…now.”

  “About?” he asked as they hurried to her car parked outside.

  “Army Emergency Relief Campaign. The 1st Cavalry Division is competing with the 2nd Armored Division. My general wants to show them up. Of course, this is always the way. But some of the unit commanders are balking at contributing monies because they feel their soldiers haven’t benefited as much as other units.”

  “Ah, second phone call.”

  Deidre smiled as she climbed into her Grand Am. “You catch on quickly.”

  When they arrived at division headquarters, Deidre briefed the general on the statistics showing how many dollars were turned in per unit. Then she produced the chart showing which units had received money for their soldier’s financial hardships. To cover herself, she explained about the colonel’s complaints concerning not having enough funding.

  The general shook his head. “He’ll have to get over it. He knows what I expect from him.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  When Deidre and Dave returned to her office, her boss walked in. “You’re to go to the hazardous materials training today.”

  Before she could say a word, he retreated from her office. “Gas mask. Bet none of the other officers of the G-1 have to do this.” She grabbed her hat.

  “Why do you think that?”

  “Last week it was physical training. And before that, water survival. Nobody from my staff ever has to go through the training—just me.”