by Lea Hart
“I think they’re going to the canyon tonight where the camels congregate and then over to where a pride of lions has been seen.”
“I’ll take lions and camels.”
“Are you sure you want to give up date night with Frisco?”
“Maybe he’ll want to come along.”
“Possible. I’ve got Jax totally hooked on elephants, and he said he’d sponsor one when he got back home.”
“Anything going on there?”
Piper waved to the first two women who were approaching the tent. “No, he’s too good-looking for my taste and has no idea what he wants. We’re just going to be friends.”
Brooke stepped back to let the women in. “He looks at you like he wants to be more than friends.”
“He’s been down range for eight months and I’m female—I think he’d look at any girl with interest.”
Brooke didn’t say more because they had patients to take care of. But she felt like saying something because Jax looked at Piper like she was the best piece of cake he’d ever seen. Deciding to leave it be, she turned toward the women who needed their care and got to work.
Cupid would have to wait until later.
***
Frisco watched his men haul the ladder they’d just rebuilt toward the water tower and decided that he couldn’t remember a time when he’d been happier. Somehow, this little tiny corner of Chad had afforded him the best couple of days of his life.
Not only did he get a second date with a woman who he was crazy for, he also spent the night with the person who, as far as he could tell, held all his future happiness in her hands.
Was he being realistic?
Yeah, he absolutely fucking was.
Last night had proven that he was never going to be able to hold her tight enough unless he could somehow melt into her and mix their colors so they looked like one of Maddy’s finger paintings.
Looking over at the tent where MSF was offering care, he caught a glimpse of the woman who not only rocked his world but also was about to change his life irrevocably. He let out a contented sigh, crossed his arms, and thought about all his close friends who were happily married and decided that joining their ranks might be a good idea.
Which was a big change from where he’d been for most of his adult life. Last week, last month, hell, the last ten years had been all about naked fun and nothing more. He’d always kept women firmly locked in that category, not only because of his career but also because he’d never met anyone who’d made him want to do anything differently.
Hearing Brooke’s melodic voice float along the breeze, he glanced over and saw her speaking to a woman as she held her hand. No one had ever been as beautiful to him, and he didn’t think it was because she wore a shapeless MSF T-shirt, cargo shorts, and old running shoes. All the slicked-up ladies who had populated his life over the last couple of years were nowhere near as appealing and certainly not as smart, kind, and brave as the one standing across the way.
Chuckling, he thought about the pedestal he was erecting for her in his mind and wondered if she’d hate it.
Probably. Every time he’d given her a compliment, she seemed to dismiss it. Flattery certainly wasn’t the way to her heart, because she seemed uncomfortable every time he’d tried, which reminded him a lot of her dad.
Thinking about the rear admiral, he wondered how well he was going to accept him dating his daughter. Truthfully, he had no reason to object, because they mutually respected one another, but you never knew how dads were going to feel about the men who were kissing on their baby girls. Not that Brooke could be described as that; she was a full-grown woman who’d made her own life choices. And if Carrick had been right, she probably didn’t much care what her father thought either way.
Not that they’d gotten to those discussions yet. They were still on the basics and most likely had a ways to go before they started pulling out old difficult stories from the closet. Even though they had shared something incredibly intimate last night, they knew very little about one another, and he was looking forward to changing that.
The plan in his mind was to go back home and spend as much time as they could together and get themselves good and tangled up so that when he was called up for his next deployment cycle, nothing would break their bond.
All neatly planned and all he had to do was get her to go along with it. Based on the incredible connection they had experienced together, he figured he was going to have an easy time of it.
Except women were never easy, and his buddy Mark had often said that getting Birdie and Maddy to go along with a plan was like herding cats.
Near impossible.
Jax and Bryce finished up and were heading his way, so he decided to put his plan-making on the back burner and figure out what they could do next to help this area with their clean water supply.
“Should we knock out a couple more shelters for the cisterns before lunch?” Frisco asked as the men walked up.
“Let’s get to it,” Bryce responded. “I promised a bunch of kids that I would run some soccer drills so they could be ready for a regional competition coming up in a couple of weeks.”
Frisco thumped him on the shoulder and grinned. “Great idea. I’d offer to join in, but I never played much soccer.”
“I think you’re going to have a bunch of babies to take care of,” Jax said as he punched him in the arm. “You have the magic touch, my friend, and it’s nothing to hide.”
“Wasn’t planning on it.” Standing tall, he gave both guys a pitying glance. “Not every man has the gift, so I expect a little jealousy.”
Jax took a couple of steps back and shook his head. “None here, man. I don’t much like those tiny creatures until they get bigger. Too damn small, too loud, and…”
“You know this means you’re going to end up with a house full of them,” Bryce said. “God has heard you and now plans on sending a bunch your way so you can become a better human being.”
“I’m a fine human being and don’t need any rugrats to make me better.”
Frisco lifted his fist and waited for Bryce to bump it. “Means he’s having ten.”
Putting his fingers in his ears, Jax started to hum. “I can’t hear you.”
Frisco shook his head and let out a laugh because Jax was one of the toughest, most fearless warriors he’d ever had the pleasure of serving with, so seeing how he got unnerved by the idea of a tiny human being was pretty damn funny. He loved kids, always had, because, as Birdie often pointed out, he was mostly just a big one.
What he really liked about them was their honesty and lack of filter. Made things interesting, and he always enjoyed what they came up with. Jax finally quit humming, so Frisco said, “Let me check in with my woman, and then we can get started.”
“Does she know she’s your woman?” Jax asked.
“Pretty sure,” Frisco replied as he walked toward the tent. The night they spent together made it impossible to think otherwise. He’d claimed her, marked her, and she was his.
That he knew for sure.
***
Brooke stood inside her hut and checked her backpack to make sure she had everything she needed. The camp director had arranged for them to spend the night on the edge of the Rigueik Wetland. There was a group from Mammoth Safaris staying, and they had invited the whole team to join them as a way to show appreciation for everything Carrick and Brendan had done.
Preserving the wildlife in the park was of the utmost importance, and the training that Carrick and Brendan had been providing for the park rangers was going to go a long way in making sure the animals never got close to extinction again.
For all her time abroad, she’d never had the opportunity to spend the night in the bush and was looking forward to seeing the black rhinos, lions, and hopefully some elephants. Though she wasn’t as obsessed with them as Piper, she was still excited nonetheless.
Just as she was zipping up her pack, Frisco walked in and swept her into a hug. “H
ey.”
“Is my woman ready to go?”
“Yes, I’m ready to go, and why do you keep calling me your woman?” Wiggling out of his grasp, she took a step back. “It’s very chauvinistic.”
“No, it’s not. You’re mine and I’m yours, and there is not a whiff of chauvinism in that statement.”
“You call all the women you sleep with by that name?”
He crossed his arms and frowned. “I’ve never called anyone my woman before, and for you to think that is kind of insulting.”
Quirking her head, she studied him and tried to figure out if he was being honest; when she realized he was, she cringed. “I’m sorry I insulted you. I don’t really know you, so I made the mistake of making assumptions, and I know that’s wrong.”
He uncrossed his arms and gathered her close. “Do me a favor and, as we get to know one another, please give me the benefit of the doubt.”
She rested her cheek against his chest and nodded. “Okay.” As she twined her hands around his waist, she noticed that he smelled like the river that ran through camp. “Where have you been since we got back from Am Timan?”
“The guys and I took a walk along the river and looked for the crocodile caves. One of the park rangers told us the only way the animals could survive the intense heat was by going underground. We poked our heads into a few and saw their eyes reflecting in our flashlights.”
“Sounds like the best day at summer camp.”
“It was a lot like that if camp happened in Africa.” He lifted her backpack and looked around the hut. “You have everything?”
“Yes. I’m ready to spend the night in Camp Nomade. I heard our first stop on the way to the wetlands was going to be the Machtour Pan, which is filled with thousands of spur-winged geese and comb ducks, along with the Kordofan giraffe.”
“I like giraffes.” Lifting his arm, he checked his watch and then cleared his throat. “You know…we’re not due to be picked up for another forty-five minutes.” He glanced over at the bed and grinned. “We have time to fool around.”
Following his gaze to the bed, she let the slideshow of what they’d done last night play in her head as her body heated with desire. Never before had she been with a man who was as enthusiastic a lover as Frisco. He wasn’t shy about anything, and, if she had to bet, she’d guess there was nothing taboo to him.
There wasn’t a square inch of her skin that he hadn’t run his hands and mouth over, and once she allowed the judgy little voice in her head to disappear, she enjoyed every minute of it. “Well…”
A light knock on the door interrupted her answer, and she heard Frisco groan. “Come on in,” she called out sweetly.
“Don’t let anybody in,” he said as he adjusted himself.
Carrick walked in and instantly let out a laugh. “Vehicle arrived early; we’re ready to head out.”
Brooke pasted a bright smile on her face and took Frisco’s hand. “Let’s go see some wildlife.”
“I’ve got your wildlife,” he said quietly as they filed out of the hut.
Brooke squeezed his hand, and when Carrick was far enough away, she said quietly, “Maybe you can show me your wildlife if we end up with our own tent.”
“Oh, we’re going to end up with our own tent if I have to construct the damn thing myself.”
Looking up into his bright blue eyes, she knew he absolutely would. “You’re very sexy when you get all determined and bossy.”
“Yeah, well get ready, honey, ’cause I’m going to drown you in it the minute we’re alone.”
“Can’t wait,” she said as they walked toward the vehicle that was going to take them into the park. No doubt about it, a night in the bush with sexy Frisco Jones was going to be memorable.
CHAPTER TEN
Thursday, September 28th
Coronado
Frisco drove down Orange Ave. toward Brooke’s house and, when he stopped at a red light, he glanced over and studied the flowers he’d just gotten from Birdie’s shop. Thank God she hadn’t been there, because it allowed him to avoid the much-dreaded inquisition that he knew he was eventually in for.
No way was Birdie going to let the first time he bought flowers for a woman go by without a thorough investigation of who, how, and when. Which, if he was lucky, he could avoid for several more days.
Truth was, he didn’t know if Brooke was still even interested, because she hadn’t been returning his calls. They had one quick conversation when she’d landed in San Diego, and then nothing. He’d left a message every day, and not one had been returned. The first couple of days he understood, because he figured she was just getting used to the time change and being back in the United States. The last eight, not so much. He’d been chomping at the bit and all he’d gotten was radio silence.
He’d finally had enough and had gotten her address from Carrick. If she wasn’t interested in continuing what they’d started back in Chad, then she was going to have to tell him to his face.
And if that happened, he was going to change her mind, because they had created something amazing in Africa, and he knew it would only get better the more time they spent together.
Here at home, she wouldn’t be dealing with death and destruction, flying bullets, or suicide bombers, and he wouldn’t be engaged in direct action missions night after night. All they had to do was get to know one another and enjoy the explosive chemistry that they shared.
And they had a ton of it. The last night they’d spent together under the stars at Camp Nomade had blown his mind, and he’d hoped it had been the same for her.
So, why had she been playing chicken with him?
Turning on Eighth Street, he headed in the direction of Avenue A and hoped Brooke was going to be happy to see him. As he followed a slow-moving car, he noticed the mishmash of houses that was so prevalent on the island. There were homes that hadn’t been updated since they’d been purchased back in the fifties or sixties sitting next to homes that were mini McMansions. He wondered what Brooke had done with the home that she had inherited from her Aunt Cecily. According to Carrick, the house had been left to Brooke’s mom, and then, when she’d passed, it went to her younger sister, and then eventually landed in the hands of Brooke and her brother.
Turning up Avenue A, he checked the address again and found the home he was looking for. It was a craftsman with a big porch off to the left. He found a parking spot, pulled in, and then took a moment to calm himself the hell down.
The last thing he needed to do was go in there all jacked up, spoiling for a fight because of his butthurt feelings. Maybe there was a perfectly rational explanation for putting him off and his little surprise visit today would give her the chance to tell him just what it was.
He grabbed the bouquet of flowers, jumped out of his truck, and headed toward the woman of his dreams. As he approached the house, he noticed a man lounging on the front porch in just his board shorts.
What the fuck?
Was this the person who’d been keeping Brooke too busy to give him the time of day?
Mentally checking the weapons he had on his person, he tried to decide quickly how he was going to take the man out.
As each step took him closer, he centered himself and prepared for whatever happened next. “Hey,” he called out as he unlatched the small white picket fence that enclosed the front yard.
The man sat up, and Frisco saw they were roughly the same build and, if he had to guess, probably close in stature. Whatever, didn’t make a damn bit of difference to him. He could take anyone who crossed his path.
Standing, the guy tilted his chin. “Hey.”
Asshole, Frisco thought. He’d adopted the same posture thousands of times as he confronted people. Didn’t mean shit.
Pasting what he hoped looked like a smile on his face, he walked up the steps that led to the house. “Is Brooke home?”
“Yeah,” the guy snarled in response.
Great, the last thing he wanted to do was leave a bunch of bl
ood on Brooke’s front porch. Something like that was bound to make her mad, and that wasn’t how he wanted to start their reunion. Taking two steps in the guy’s direction, he held out his hand. “Frisco Jones.”
The guy put out his hand and they exchanged firm handshakes. Staring into one another’s eyes, they might as well have been inside a ring getting ready for a deadly match. Not blinking, Frisco nodded and kept their hands clasped.
“Chance.”
No fucking last name, just Chance? The guy let go of his hand, and Frisco stood as still as he did when he was about to engage someone. Calm. Relaxed. Ready for whatever came his way. He’d done it thousands of times, and this wasn’t going to be any different.
Hearing Brooke’s melodic voice from inside the house, he felt himself tense for a split second. Whoever this guy was and whatever he meant to Brooke was going to be revealed in the next couple of minutes.
“Chance, do you want a tuna or turkey sandwich?”
She was making this asshole a sandwich? What kind of bullshit was that after what they’d had together?
“I’ll take turkey, sweetheart,” Chance called out loudly.
“Asshole,” Frisco mumbled. Hearing footsteps, he knew he was going to be face-to-face with the woman who was about to stomp on something he had never let out until they’d spent time together. Turning slowly, he waited for the guillotine to drop.
“Why are you calling me sweetheart? Did you crack your head in the ocean?”
Brooke came into view as she pushed the screen door open, and Frisco felt the exact same way he did when he’d first seen her in N’Djamena. Like a thousand-ton house fell on his body.
Only worse.
The moment she caught sight of him, she sucked in a breath and then smiled. “Frisco, what a wonderful surprise.”
“What?”
Walking slowly in his direction, she tipped her head toward the flowers. “Are those for me?”
Looking down at the flowers he’d practically mangled to death, he shrugged. “Yeah, I guess so.”