Nowhere to Hide (Delos Series Book 1)

by Lindsay McKenna

  Wyatt watched Tal move between the tables. His body responded as he silently observed her. She had one of the nicest-shaped asses he’d ever seen on a woman. He could tell by the way she walked, the way her loose-fitting Marine outfit flowed over her hips, that she would be exciting to explore. His hands itched. Damn. He had it bad for his ice queen.

  Yet, when Wyatt did manage to snag her attention and get a few words in before she’d turn on her heel, he detected genuine interest in her eyes. That gave him hope; he suspected she was attracted to him but would face a firing squad before admitting it.

  Which was why he continued to pursue her. Sooner or later, he was going to wear that wild filly down.

  Rising from the table, he told his men he’d see them back at HQ. Sauntering down one of the polished aisles, a drop holster on each thigh, his Ka-Bar strapped to his right calf, Wyatt ignored the curious looks from the civilians and soldiers. A SEAL stood out precisely because of what he wore.

  He’d shucked down to his SEAL day uniform of a desert blouse and cammies, leaving his Kevlar vest and rifle back in his locker at HQ. Now he wished he’d at least showered, trimmed up his beard, and made himself look halfway presentable before flying into Tal’s face again.

  On the other hand, her brother, Matt, looked just as dirty and grungy as he did, and she clearly wasn’t repelled by his close proximity. Maybe, Wyatt hoped, with her family here, she’d at least be polite and let him try to charm her.

  Tal’s neck prickled with warning. Oh, damn! Her back was toward most of the chow hall, and she could see out the two windows on either side of them. Matt had said he’d bite the bullet and sit with his back to the window, a huge no-no in the black ops world, but he’d done it because Tal was there and she could see any threat or attack from the Taliban that might come their way. And Bagram had been hit many times before with mortars and hit squads who managed to get under the wire to do damage. It paid to remain constantly alert.

  Alexa sat next to Matt, her fraternal twin, not caring too much one way or another where she sat. After all, she was an A-10 Warthog driver, flying in one of the most protected cockpits in the world. The Air Force didn’t have to work on the ground with the troops, Tal thought. Her red-haired combat-pilot sister, who radiated a dazzling, bright energy, never saw life and death up close, just through the sights and computers on board her Warthog. This was a huge difference between the air and ground war. Alexa used the Gatling gun on the nose of her A-10 and dropped serious ordinance on the enemy, often at very close range and well within reach of enemy gunfire. The A-10 pilots like Alexa were highly respected by the ground troops because of their ability to swoop down low level, well within range of enemy bullets, and attack the enemy, pushing them back to save their lives. A-10 drivers, regardless of gender, among the troops were regarded to have the biggest sets of balls in the Air Force because every time they flew, there was a helluva good chance they could get killed protecting those on the ground.

  Tal reflexively rubbed the back of her neck, a warning bell going off. This wasn’t something she ignored, so she twisted to look over her shoulder. Her mouth turned downward as she met the friendly gray gaze of Wyatt Lockwood. Damn it to hell!

  Tal jerked around, scowling darkly, her lips tight. Matt, aware of the immediate change in her attitude, looked beyond her to find out what had generated this response. Then he grinned.

  “Hey, Gunslinger!” he called, rising from his seat, thrusting his hand across the table toward Wyatt. “Good to see you, bro.”

  Wyatt stopped about two feet away from Tal, who stared down at the food on her tray, deliberately ignoring him. He gripped Matt’s outstretched hand. “Hey, Culver. I thought I’d come over and say hello since I was in the area. Who’s this pretty little redhead sitting beside you?”

  Tal snorted derisively. Wyatt’s soft, easygoing Texas drawl always got to her. She wanted to tell him to leave, but she knew he and Matt had been like brothers for many years. Alexa lifted her head and beamed up at the SEAL. Tal squirmed. Lockwood was too close to her! She could literally feel the male heat rolling off him.

  “This is my twin sister, Captain Alexa Culver,” Matt said, gesturing toward her. “She just flew in with her A-10 and we met by accident here in the chow line. Alexa, this is Chief Wyatt Lockwood, a SEAL and a good friend of mine.”

  Alexa stood and offered her hand. “Hey, nice to meet you, Chief Lockwood.”

  Wyatt nodded and smiled. “Believe me, the pleasure is all mine.” He grinned back and then released her hand as she sat down.

  Matt said, “Hey, why not join us? Sit down, bro. I need to catch up with you.”

  Wyatt leaned over just enough to catch Tal’s disgruntled stare in his direction. “Ma’am? Do you mind?” He gestured toward the empty chair about a foot and a half away from her.

  Tal gritted her teeth and glared at Matt, who gave her a confused look. “Sit down if you want,” she growled at him, cutting into her breakfast steak. Of all things! She knew Wyatt would somehow find her! He was a damned SEAL and they had that all-terrain radar.

  She saw Alexa give her a questioning look because of her sour reaction to Wyatt. Her sister knew nothing about Lockwood’s three-year campaign to woo her into his bed, and she sure wasn’t about to tell her right now. Not with this Texas cowboy sitting down next to her.

  “I’m a little worse for wear,” Wyatt drawled, gesturing to his dusty uniform.

  “Aren’t we all?” Matt said with a grin, sitting down. “How are you, Wyatt? What’s going on over in SEALdom?”

  Wyatt took a coffeepot and a clean cup from the center of the table and poured himself some. “Been up in the Hindu Kush, Af-Pak border area. Doing a little HVT huntin’.”

  “Did you get the guy, Chief?” Alexa asked between bites of her scrambled eggs.

  “Yes, ma’am, we did, although it took six days longer than we’d planned.” He shrugged. “We’d estimated six days for the DA, and it turned out to be twelve. Ran out of MREs at day six and bought a goat off a Shinwari farmer so we could run and gun on meat.”

  “Wow,” Alexa murmured, giving him an impressed look. “You SEALs rock.”

  “We think so,” Wyatt agreed smugly with a nod and grin in her direction. He heard Tal Culver choke and press her hand against her chest. When Wyatt gently patted her on the back like a mother might a child, she gave him a “get your hands off me” look that even a SEAL had to respect. He quickly lifted his hand away, wrapping it around his mug of coffee in front of him.

  The Books of Delos

  Title: Last Chance (FREE Prequel)

  Publish Date: July 15, 2015

  Learn more at: http://delos.lindsaymckenna.com/last-chance/

  Title: Nowhere to Hide

  Publish Date: October 13, 2015

  Learn more at: http://delos.lindsaymckenna.com/nowhere-to-hide/

  Title: Tangled Pursuit

  Publish Date: November 11, 2015

  Learn more at: http://delos.lindsaymckenna.com/tangled-pursuit/

  Title: Forged in Fire

  Publish Date: December 3, 2015

  Learn more at: http://delos.lindsaymckenna.com/forged-in-fire/

  Title: Broken Dreams

  Publish Date: January 2, 2016

  Learn more at: http://delos.lindsaymckenna.com/broken-dreams/

  Everything Delos!

  Newsletter

  Please sign up for my free quarterly newsletter on the front page of my official Lindsay McKenna website at lindsaymckenna.com. The newsletter will have exclusive information about my books, publishing schedule, giveaways, exclusive cover peeks, and more.

  Download FREE Novella Last Chance!

  Last Chance is the prologue to Nowhere to Hide! It is available on most publishing platforms or you can download it from my Lindsay McKenna bookstore at lindsaymckenna.selz.com. Last Chance is in eBook format only.

  Delos Series Website

  Be sure to drop by the website dedicated to the Delos series at del
os.lindsaymckenna.com. There will be new articles on characters, publishing schedule and information about each book written by Lindsay.

  Quote Books

  I love how the Internet has evolved. I had great fun create “quote books with text” which reminded me of an old fashioned comic book…lots of great color photos and a little text, which forms a “book” that tells you, the reader, a story. Let me know if you like these quote books because I think it’s a great way to add extra enjoyment with this series! Just go to my Delos Series website delos.lindsaymckenna.com, which features the books in the series.

  The individual downloadable quote books are located on the corresponding book pages. Please share with your reader friends!

  Follow the history of Delos:

  The video quote book will lead you through the history of how and why Delos was formed. You can also download the quote book as a PDF.

  The Culver Family History

  The history of the Culver Family, featuring Robert and Dilara Culver, and their children, Tal, Matt and Alexa will be available as a downloadable video or PDF quote book.

  Nowhere to Hide, Book 1, Delos Series, October 13, 2015

  This quote book will lead you through Lia Cassidy’s challenges in Costa Rica and hunky Cav Jordan, ex-SEAL. Download the book and enjoy more of the story.

  FREE sample chapter of Nowhere to Hide, Book 1:

  https://lindsaymckenna.selz.com/item/nowhere-to-hide-sample

  Tangled Pursuit, Book 2, Delos Series, November 11, 2015

  This quote book will introduce you to Tal Culver and her Texas badass SEAL warrior who doesn’t take “no” for an answer.

  FREE sample chapter of Tangled Pursuit, Book 2:

  https://lindsaymckenna.selz.com/item/tangled-pursuit-sample

  Forged in Fire, Book 3, Delos Series, December 3, 2015

  This quote book will introduce you to Army Sergeant Matt Culver, Delta Force operator and Dr. Dara McKinley.

  FREE sample chapter of Forged in Fire, Book 3:

  https://lindsaymckenna.selz.com/item/forged-in-fire-sample

  Broken Dreams, Book 4, Delos Series, January 2, 2016

  This quote book will introduce you to Captain Alexa Culver and Marine Sergeant Gage Hunter, sniper, USMC.

  FREE sample chapter of Broken Dreams, Book 4:

  https://lindsaymckenna.selz.com/item/broken-dreams-sample