“You can go ahead, Mel,” Drew said. “I’ll also do my analysis first thing tomorrow, since Jason seems to be okay. The general and I will join you at home soon—right, sir?”
That was fine with General Yarrow. Sara decided to take the opportunity to leave then.
So did Jason. She felt a little uncomfortable as they walked out together.
“Want to grab dinner in the cafeteria?” Jason asked, staying much too close beside her as they walked up the stairs to the main floor.
No, is what she thought. Bad idea. But what she said was, “Sure.” And in fact, it wasn’t really a bad idea, if she might be staying at Ft. Lukman for a while. Getting to know some of the other Alpha Force members better in a group setting couldn’t hurt. And in preparation for the meetings tomorrow, it also wouldn’t hurt for her to watch the reactions tonight from any USFT people who were there and potentially further brainwashed by their general.
Surely Hugo Myars wouldn’t be at dinner there—would he?
He wasn’t. In fact, not many members of the other primary unit at Ft. Lukman were in the small facility that night. Probably a good thing.
But Staff Sergeants Noel Chuma and Rainey Jessop were there, as were shifter members of Alpha Force Lieutenants Seth Ambers, Colleen Hodell, Jock Larabey and Marshall Vincenzo. They’d taken a table in a corner, and Jason pulled a couple of additional chairs up to it before Sara and he got their dinners from the cafeteria line.
Sara chose a large chopped salad with steak chunks in it. The steak theme remained major here—undoubtedly because of at least some of the troops stationed on this base. In fact, almost all of the others had brought beef dishes of one kind or another to the table.
She mostly listened to the dinner conversation—which primarily centered on grumbling about Alpha Force’s relationship with USFT and how no one was looking forward to tomorrow’s meeting. They also talked a bit about their respective backgrounds, what the shifters’ lives had been like before joining Alpha Force. They’d all had practice being secretive, but some had had easier existences than others.
Sara couldn’t help looking at the shifter members with a different focus now. Not only had she seen Jason shift up close and personal today, but she might also be taking on, at least now and then, the function that Noel Chuma and Rainey Jessop had in assisting shifters.
She still wasn’t sure how she felt about that.
But everyone treated her as a comrade, not with the remoteness she had concerns about since she unabashedly represented their commanding officer, General Yarrow.
She liked these people.
She wondered how their unit was trained to assist the rest of the U.S. military, but the general had indicated, before she believed in shifters, that the group was working undercover in some very interesting situations—and had already helped to thwart biological warfare and other major threats.
And now she could be, indirectly, part of that very useful function.
Eventually, they all finished. Time to leave.
With Jason? Yes, it seemed that he intended to walk her back to the BOQ, notwithstanding the fact that she had other officers here who could keep her company.
Although...as they started to walk past the enclosed parking structure that housed the remains of the general’s car, Jason looked at her. “There are a couple of things I thought of that I’d like to check out on the car,” he said. “Care to join me?”
There was something in his look that she couldn’t quite read. A challenge?
Well, if she was going to remain part of Alpha Force, even for a short while, she had to stand up to Jason’s challenges and then some.
Even more, she had to master the deep sexual attraction that stirred her insides with just the slightest heat of his gaze.
“Sure,” she said. “Let’s go.”
Chapter 11
“Here we are.” Jason turned to Sara as they reached the main entrance to the post’s parking garage. “I’ll call ahead and warn the guard that we’re coming.”
She looked at him quizzically. “Okay, but I’m still not sure what we’re looking for tonight.”
“I have a couple of ideas I want to test.” Jason pulled his phone out of his pocket before she could ask anything else.
Only one guard was stationed outside the room where what was left of the general’s car was stored, since that room was secluded and locked. Jason had access with a key, but the couple of times he’d visited here, he’d called the guard first on his cell phone, warning that he was about to get company.
Jason had made sure he was on a first-name basis with each of the guards he’d met who were charged now with the duty of ensuring that no one disturbed what little evidence there was on what had been done to General Yarrow’s prized Jeep.
It was only a little more than a day since the incident, and the military crime-scene team Drew had finally zeroed in on wouldn’t be there until tomorrow, or maybe even the next day.
Jason doubted they’d find anything he hadn’t already seen, but hey, that was their expertise. Maybe, if they got their butts in gear and arrived, they’d actually figure out what had happened.
And who’d done it.
Meanwhile, his mind had been working double-time on things he may have missed when he’d looked before. Though he couldn’t come up with anything he should have done differently. Maybe he needed to look again at the small stuff, in case he’d missed something while preoccupied with his coughing spree. Surely there’d been something important he hadn’t focused on.
Sara and he hurried up the stairs to the third floor, then exited the stairwell. The room was at the far side of the garage, not far from the ramp they’d taken when they used the rented truck to bring the remains inside. Jason didn’t wait for Sara to keep up. He just hurried toward his destination.
As anticipated, a sentry stood there with arms crossed, a weapon on his hip. When he spotted the two people approach, he snapped to attention, his hand over his gun. Then he relaxed and saluted. “Sergeant Connell,” he said then looked toward Sara.
“This is Lieutenant McLinder, Kerry. Like I told you on the phone, we need to go see the general’s car again.”
“Yes, sir. Hi, Lieutenant McLinder.” Sounded to Jason as if they’d already met. For now, the private stood out of the way, allowing Jason to hold the door open for Sara.
Inside he flicked on the lights. In the center of the room, where they’d left it, was the mess of charred metal and more.
“What are we looking for this time?” Sara had moved around him to approach the hulk.
“Wish I knew,” Jason said. “But I’ve got to have missed something before. And it sure would be handy to have whatever that is with us at the meeting tomorrow. Whoever did this has to be a USFT member, and I’d love to wave evidence in their faces to see whose reaction gives them away.”
Sara turned toward him again. She was smiling, the expression lighting up every inch of her gorgeous face beneath that sexy cap of blond hair. “Love the idea, but I don’t think it’ll happen. Even if we find something, whoever did it has to be craftier than that. He—or she—will look at that piece of evidence with an expression as bewildered and innocent as everyone else’s.”
“Ah, Lieutenant, you forget. A quarter or more of the people in that room’ll be shifters. We don’t rely on looking at someone’s face or even body language to tell us what they’re thinking or feeling.”
“You mean that—”
“Fear has a scent, and we’re all familiar with it.” He grinned.
Dumb, but he felt a swirl of pride inside as she flashed him an even broader smile that he read as admiring. “Know what?” she said. “We’re going to find something here today that you can wave tomorrow to see the reaction—even if we actually come up with diddly squat.”
His turn to look at her with admiration. They were definitely on the same wavelength.
He found that idea to be hot. In fact, he found everything about Sara to be hot
.
They spent about half an hour going over the car again. Once more, they wore latex gloves and held flashlights. Lots of seared and melted metal, ashes, pieces and puddles and ruined rubber and the kinds of things Jason expected and had noticed before. He didn’t see any more paraphernalia that the general might have been transporting in the back of the car.
Jason had already interfaced with the soldiers charged with initial checking out and photographing the scene before the car was moved, who’d looked into the general’s overnight bag that had been in the front seat with him. They’d found nothing with the remains of the general’s clothing and personal items beyond what Jason had already noted there—and none of it had provided any clue as to what had gone wrong in the Jeep.
No indication that anyone had set the general’s miscellaneous stuff to smoldering before he’d gotten on his way here.
Then Sara and he got into the box at the side of the room where ashes and debris were stored, stuff like the remains of the general’s fishing pole and hooks and other unidentified metal items.
Sara knelt on the hard floor beside him, also scanning the detritus with her lovely blue-green eyes as if this additional viewing would somehow yield results.
Her sigh told him that she felt as ineffectual as he did. Why did that feel so appealing? He wished he could reassure her that she was a big help here—but knew that wouldn’t go over well. Not when they weren’t finding answers.
Jason wished, for a moment, that he was in wolfen form. Might he smell something that would be helpful?
Just in case, he closed his eyes and let the smells filter into his nose as he inhaled, carefully and slowly. There was no indication that whatever had triggered his bad reaction was present, but he didn’t want to take any chances.
Scents were merged here, but he could tell the difference between the ashes of the canvas and the odors of charred metal, burned rubber and the rest.
And yes, there was more. The fishing line? Maybe. There were several smells he believed to be melted plastic.
But that proved nothing.
“Anything interesting?” Sara said from beside him. When he opened his eyes, she was watching him intently, as if trying to vicariously participate in what he was doing.
He enjoyed that look, her seriousness. The way the intensity of her expression made him feel as if she were studying him, getting inside him, wanting more of him.
That was only wishful thinking...wasn’t it?
“Maybe,” he said. “But nothing I can really follow up on, at least not yet.”
“So we’ll just wing it tomorrow,” she said decisively.
He liked the way she said we. And the way she tilted her head, as if soliciting his agreement.
“But I can’t help agreeing that we’re missing something,” she added. She turned back toward the box of debris. “Maybe the experts will figure it out when they sift through these things, but I wonder if there’s something in here that the general couldn’t possibly have had in the back with his stuff.”
“Let’s make a list of what we find. Take a few more pictures. We’ll run the details by the general tomorrow. All he saw, when he was here checking over what was left, was the big picture. Maybe seeing and hearing about the small stuff will trigger him to suggest more clues.”
“Good idea.”
They spent another fifteen minutes there. Sara moved from angle to angle and shot photos, and Jason made the list of items they surveyed. That seemed backward to him. He was the kind of person who took action, not the kind who kept track of things. But Sara seemed happy this way, so he didn’t object.
Task completed, she stuffed her camera back into her pocket. She looked so woeful that he wanted to kiss her, to distract her from all that was bothering her.
Hell, why give himself an excuse? He just wanted to kiss her.
“Guess we’re done here,” he said unnecessarily.
“Guess so,” she agreed.
As they both headed toward the door, Jason said, “Sounds like I still won’t have an opportunity to return the truck to that service station tomorrow and retrieve my own car. I’ve been in touch with them but I’ll have to make sure it’s still okay with them. Uncle Sam’s paying for the rental, but I can’t help worrying about my Mustang.”
Her smile was broad and amused. “I’d worry about it, too, if I had a great car like that.”
“You really like it?” He felt himself lighten inside. Well, anyone with a brain and a heart would like that red, classic delight of his.
“Of course,” she said. “I told you so before.” As their eyes met, he felt some really top-grade tingling way down in his body. Tingling that told him her attitude—everything about her—was making him hot.
“I still need to go get it,” he said. “Right now, though, I’ll check on the truck. I’ve got it parked on another floor.”
They left the room, locking it behind them and making sure that the sentry was back on guard. Then Jason led Sara down the stairs to the second floor.
The garage contained a lot of cars parked in parallel rows but was devoid of other people at this late hour. The truck was right where Jason had parked it, at the end of a row near a concrete wall where it wouldn’t get in anyone’s way. All looked fine with it.
Jason glanced around. “Is your car here?”
“No. I’ve left it in one of the outdoor lots near the BOQ.”
“Well, we can still check on one of my other cars.”
She blinked at him. “How many do you have?”
“Two here. A few more with family back home in Wisconsin, where I grew up.”
“Legitimately acquired?”
He stared, offended, till he saw the twinkle in her eyes. “Some are. Some I stole.”
“Really?”
“No,” he said, grinning. “Like I told you before, the ones I stole have been returned to their rightful owners, damn it.”
Her look suggested that she was trying to feel shocked but not succeeding. He liked that teasing look. In fact, there wasn’t much about her that he didn’t like.
“Let me introduce you to the other vehicle I brought here,” he said. “I even bought it in Maryland a short while after I arrived.”
He motioned for her to follow. He led her to a silver Toyota hybrid SUV that he’d bought used but in pristine condition. It was useful—and it was a gorgeous hunk of car.
“Nice,” she said, and her sincere and impressed tone got to him.
“Yeah, nice,” he said and took a step toward her.
* * *
What was it about this guy that turned Sara into a totally different person every time they were together?
She wasn’t a car groupie. She just considered them handy transportation. But she knew that Jason had gasoline in his veins, a love for cars that at one time, at least, had gone way beyond sensibility.
And now...now he was up close and personal with her. Right beside this nice, utilitarian but attractive vehicle that he apparently owned.
Not only that, but he was really up close and personal with her. If he took just one more step—
He did take it. And suddenly, she was in his arms.
His kiss was astoundingly hot and sexy as he thrust his tongue into her mouth. She felt like melting and exploding, all at the same time. She responded with gusto, expecting—wanting—more. Lots more.
But just as suddenly, he stepped back.
“Don’t see anyone around, but you never know,” he said huskily. “Care to see my accessories?” He winked one of those golden eyes of his and she was lost.
Her own return laugh was soft and full of...what? Challenge? Sex?
Hell if she knew. But in only moments she found herself entering the back of his car. The seats were already down, forming an upholstered bed that looked much too enticing.
Especially with Jason’s hands guiding her inside.
She didn’t resist. Didn’t want to resist—although she did take one furtive look ar
ound to ensure that they were still alone.
And then there they were, with the door closed behind them, both kneeling on the SUV’s bed. Jason wasted no time in taking Sara into his arms. Kissing her again—so hard and so sexily that she nearly toppled over.
Which wasn’t a bad idea. The surface was softened by the light upholstery, but it wasn’t particularly comfortable for kneeling, even in her camo uniform’s slacks.
But instead of lying down, Sara just snugged herself closer to Jason’s muscular body. Awkward? Yes. But even so, against him this way, she could feel how hard he was below. Without thinking, she urged her own body even closer and heard him moan softly.
That did it. She wanted him. Wise or not. Forbidden or not. Or maybe that was a factor in wanting him. Rebelling against who and what she was? She’d never done that before, but maybe, just maybe, she was starting now.
She pulled back enough to start unbuttoning the top of his uniform without breaking their kiss. Turned out he had the same idea, for suddenly her shirt was open and pulled back, baring her to him.
Only, when she got through unbuttoning him, she was enthralled by the sight of his hard, wonderfully toned chest. Apparently servicing cars, or being in the military, or both, sculpted this sexy man’s muscles into perfection.
She, on the other hand, wasn’t completely naked above—not at first. But she felt one of his hands touch her breasts, rub against them so her nipples hardened, and then her bra was off, too.
“Sara,” Jason gasped, laying her down gently onto the carpetlike surface. He sucked first one breast, then the other, into his mouth as his tongue teased her nipples.
She was far from passive, even as she moaned at his utterly sensual activities, his gentle attack on her vulnerable, eager body. She reached into his pants, grasping his hard erection and pumping it gently with her hand.
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