“I saw they were red when you danced.”
She smiled. “Yes. To match my costume.” Taking a sip of wine, she added, “You don’t miss much, do you?”
“I can’t in my world,” he agreed, somber. Matt finished the meal and took her empty plate, putting both aside so they could be picked up. “Have you ever known anyone in black ops before?”
“No. I’m finishing my third and last year of residency training at a hospital in Arlington, Virginia. I never meet military men except when I come here for a week to help out Callie and her charity. I do it once a year—it’s my way of giving back.”
Matt rested his chin on his folded hands, studying her beneath the dim light. “You have a good heart,” he said. He watched her face soften and her cheeks color briefly.
“Thanks. I just can’t stand to see a pregnant mother, infant, or child suffer. It just kills me. Callie begged me to come over here, and I’ve been doing it the last two years.”
“So are you here much longer?” Matt finally asked.
“Not really. I’m here for six days.”
“I see. And Callie?”
“Oh, she’s here full-time. The charity she works for has her in Kabul for six months, and then she goes back to their headquarters in San Francisco the other six.”
“How many times has she been to Kabul, then?”
“Five years in a row.” Dara sighed. “I worry so much about her, Matt. This is a very, very dangerous place. I don’t feel safe outside the wire. When I’m in Kabul, half my attention is on whether we’re going to be attacked in the van we’re riding in or whether a RPG will be shot into the building where the orphanage is.” She nibbled on her full lower lip. “You can tell I’m a genuine worrier.”
He reached over, his hand covering hers for a moment. “Listen, I’ve got the next week off. We’re on standby for Thanksgiving. I’d be glad to ride shotgun with you two, stay with you where you work for the day, and then get you back here to Bagram.”
Matt slowly removed his hand from hers. Her skin felt like firm velvet, those slender hands of hers long and delicate. He imagined what they would feel like across his body. That sent his erection, which was already pressing against his zipper, into overdrive.
This woman turned him on. In fact, she turned him inside out. There was a deep sensitivity to Dara, one that he wanted to intimately explore with her.
“Could you do that, Matt?”
“Sure. I’ll just let my CO know, get authorization, and I’ll be yours for the rest of the week.”
“But couldn’t that be dangerous?”
He grinned a little. “Dara, my business is dangerous all the time. So riding with you in a van, checking out the building where you two are working, and riding back in a van to Bagram is child’s play compared to what we usually do. Okay?”
He saw her eyes darken and grow concerned. Now Dara was worried about him! He’d have laughed, but he realized that she was a civilian and had no clue as to what he did in black ops. Not that the Army was telling anyone about Delta Force. They weren’t, so he couldn’t fault Dara for her reaction.
“That would be wonderful! Honestly, I’d never tell Callie this, but I cringe thinking about coming here. I just don’t ever feel safe or completely relaxed.”
Grimly, Matt knew that she was right, but he said instead, keeping his tone light, “Look, you’re both in good hands with me around. I’ll carry my normal weapons and pretend this is a PSD, personal security detail, where I keep a client safe from the bad guys.”
Her brows rose a little. “Are you sure you’re not a knight on a white horse riding to our rescue?”
“Oh, I’m no knight,” Matt protested, holding up his hands. “I’m just a man like any other man, believe me.” Sure, he thought, a man with a powerful attraction to Dara. He wanted to make love to this woman. Actually, he wanted more than that. He wanted to appreciate her on every possible level: her mind, her heart, her body. He also wanted to court Dara, because he sensed she was the kind of woman who would not be crowded, pressured, or stalked into his arms and into his bed.
“Well,” Dara said, “your armor certainly is shining today.”
Matt didn’t want to spoil that image she had of him. “I’ll try to live up to it,” he promised, giving his credit card to the waitress to pay the bill. “But I have feet of clay. Trust me.”
“Well, then, that’s another thing we have in common,” Dara murmured, giving him a warm look. “I’m certainly not the perfect doctor.”
“What’s the perfect doctor?” Matt asked.
She shrugged. “I get emotional sometimes. I’m not always clinical. They drill into your head that you have to be detached and not get involved in the patient’s feelings one way or another.” She waved her hand. “I can’t do it. I’m fully involved.”
“Don’t stop being that way,” he said gruffly, taking back his credit card and then signing the bill. He thanked the waitress and looked at Dara. “Can I drive you to your B-hut?”
“Oh, yes, the infamous B-huts. I told Callie I always feel like we’re camping out when I come here.”
Matt rose, pulling back her chair, and hungrily absorbed every movement of her graceful hands. He helped her put on her dark gray wool coat and then shrugged into his winter gear. They climbed into his vehicle and sat in silence until he pulled up in front of her hut. Easing out of the Hummer, he went around to open her door.
“You must have a great set of parents,” she teased as he shut the door, leading her to the concrete porch with an overhang.
“Why is that?”
“You opened my door! Most guys don’t bother.”
He kept his hand on her back, standing close to her, inhaling the scent wafting from her, which reminded him of ripe, rich pomegranates. His uncle Berk had such trees in his huge fruit orchard outside Kuşadası.
Suddenly serious, Matt looked into Dara’s eyes, the closest he could get tonight to exploring her intimately. “I guess I have to keep up that knight-on-a-white-horse thing with you, right?”
Dara burst out laughing, placing her hand against her mouth to keep the sound from traveling. “Sorry,” she said, motioning to the nearby door. “I’ll wake people up. Those B-huts are plyboard-thin.”
“Yeah, well, that’s hardly my idea of comfort,” he said. “Can I pick you and Callie up here tomorrow morning and take you to the orphanage?”
“That would be lovely, but Mohammed will pick us up right here with the charity van and drive us to and from Kabul. Do you want to meet us here at 0900?”
“Sure. I’ve got the use of a Humvee.”
Matt forced himself to take his hand from her back. He could feel her heat through the gray coat and the sensuous movement of her waist and hips, too. Although his touch was light, he didn’t miss much when it came to the body of a gorgeous woman.
“Okay. I’ll see you then, Dara.” He looked into her eyes and thought he saw a glimpse of something. Yearning? Never reticent about expressing his feelings, Matt fought back a powerful urge to give her a light kiss, realizing it was way too soon. If he kissed her now, she’d probably retreat and never rely on him. More than anything, Matt wanted to earn Dara’s admiration and trust.
Instead, he surprised her by asking, “By the way, are you wearing your hair up or down tomorrow?”
She gave him a curious and amused look. “I always wear it up. Why?”
“Well, tonight when you danced, your hair was like a shining gold cloud around your shoulders.” He moved closer to take a few errant strands of her hair, tucking them behind her delicate ear. “It’s a picture in my mind I’ll always remember. Good night …”
CHAPTER 3
“Hey, Dara,” Callie asked, visiting her sister’s small room in the B-hut the next morning. “Who was that hot-looking soldier?”
Dara buttoned up her dark blue wool slacks and pulled a bright red angora sweater over her head.
“That was Sergeant Matt Culver,” she replied
casually, sitting down on her bunk and putting on a thick pair of socks. The orphanage was always chilly because it cost a lot to heat its buildings, and the women who ran it depended on the donations they received to keep things going.
Callie sighed and stood in the doorway. “He was sinfully good-looking and kind of sensual. Hey, can a man be sensual?”
Snorting, Dara said, “You’re the expert on men, kiddo. You go through them like water. Me? I’ve had four relationships since college, and that’s it. But sure, I think a man can be sensual.”
“Was he?” Callie goaded her sister, her eyes gleaming, clearly hoping Dara would give her the full scoop.
Dara straightened after pulling on her sneakers. “He was very nice, Callie, and that rare thing—a gentleman. God knows you don’t find them around much these days. Imagine finding one here in Afghanistan.” She stood up and stretched. “We went to an Italian restaurant, where he bought me dinner and we talked. Then he dropped me off back here.”
Pouting, Callie said, “What? You mean he didn’t try to get you into bed?”
“No. And if he’d tried, I wouldn’t be seeing him for the next five days.” She realized that her sister would seize on her last words, and she didn’t have long to wait. Dara draped a white silk scarf around her neck; later, she would wear it over her head to honor the local Muslim tradition of keeping a woman’s head covered in public.
Brightening, Callie said, “Excuse me? Did you say you’re going to see him for the next five days? Wow, that’s not like you, sis. Usually it takes you months to warm up to a guy!”
Dara gave her bubbly sister a cool look. “So I’m conservative. And as you know, I don’t like to be rushed. Well, not usually …” She trailed off.
“That’s true,” Callie said. “So is Matt going to see you for five nights in a row?”
Dara smiled. Her sister would just keep digging until she found out. Picking up her leather belt, she slid it through the loops of her trousers. “He’ll see us both, Callie. Matt’s providing us security while we’re in Kabul.” She looked up. “Did you know he’s a Delta Force operator?”
Callie lost her smile and became serious, crossing her arms. “Wow, usually you don’t see any of the black ops guys around. I mean, you can tell who they are because they wear their hair long and have beards. What made him offer that?”
“I guess I did. I told him that I felt uneasy being here, what with the constant threat of violence, the Taliban now attacking charities … you know.”
“And he offered to come along?”
Dara turned, pulling the covers over her narrow bunk and smoothing them into place. There was something about rumpled beds that made her edgy. “Yes. I thought it was really nice of him. He’s got to have it approved with his CO first, but I have a feeling he’ll get clearance. In fact, Matt’s going to meet us in about ten minutes. He’s coming to watch over us while we work at the orphanage.”
“I think he’s coming because he’s drawn to you,” Callie said.
“Well, he certainly saw me,” Dara murmured, smiling a little at Callie’s being stymied by what had happened.
“Do I detect a note of satisfaction, sis? This guy must really be working magic on you. I wondered what was going on after I ran to the van and waited for you two to show up.”
Dara pulled her knapsack onto the bunk, making sure she had everything she needed, lunch, including protein bars and water. She also went to her stash earlier and made some sandwiches and wrapped up some cake for dessert. The orphanage had little food, and she’d rather eat her own food brought from the U.S. for lunch than take food from a needy child just to keep up her energy. She decided to drop a few more hints about Matt. “I have to admit, he’s got an interesting background, Callie. His mother is Turkish with a little Greek thrown in. His father is an Air Force general. He told me he spent summers with his siblings in Kuşadası, Turkey, where he learned to truly appreciate belly dancing.”
“Really!” Callie murmured. “What are the odds of that?”
Dara smiled. She hauled up an eighty-pound rucksack that held all her medical supplies and dived into it, making a mental checklist to be sure she had all the medications, vaccinations, and other items she might need for the mothers and children awaiting her.
“Right? What are the odds …”
“So, did he like our performance?” Callie asked.
“Did he ever!” Dara’s voice swelled with pride. “He actually told me we were at the professional level, and he should know, given his experience watching Turkish belly dancers.”
“What a nice compliment for us,” Callie said, pleased. “Sooo, sis?” she asked, catching Dara’s gaze. “You like this guy, don’t you?”
Zipping up her rucksack, Dara said, “I do like him. He’s not obnoxious or aggressive like some soldiers on this base can be.”
“Sounds potentially serious, or am I jumping ahead too fast?” Callie knew that Dara was the cautious type, but this Matt guy seemed to have captured her interest big-time.
Dara looked fondly at her sister. “Don’t put that much stock in it, Callie. I’ll only be here a week and then I go back to the States, where I’ll continue to finish off my residency. Matt might be here today, but I have no idea where he’ll be tomorrow.”
“But,” Callie pointed out, “if you like him, you could Skype, no? And email,” she hinted slyly.
“It would never work, Callie. You know that.” Dara hefted her heavy ruck and sat it upright on her bunk. “Let’s face it. As a resident at my hospital, I’m focused on my career right now. I’m really not looking for a serious personal relationship.”
“Well,” Callie chuckled, “a little male distraction like Matt isn’t going to hurt, is it? And how long has it been since you were in a relationship?”
Dara groaned. “Don’t remind me. I guess about eighteen months …”
“That’s a long time not to have orgasms,” Callie pointed out. Then, seeing her sister’s expression, she quickly added, “Well, I mean you can, but you’ve got to admit, having sex with a man is so much better than doing it yourself.”
Dara shook her head. “Callie, you can be so … graphic sometimes.”
Her sister came over and hugged her. “I know, but come on, admit it. You love me for my bluntness. It’s just the way I am.”
Dara smiled back at her and pulled on her heavy black nylon parka. “You’re the free spirit, and I’m the conservative, Callie. Long may we both be who we are!”
“Well,” Callie said merrily, “Matt Culver is a hunk. And something tells me that if he wants to bed someone, he’d be very, very good between the sheets!”
Dara looked sharply at Callie as she prepared to leave. “Can we just keep this to ourselves? Matt’s going to be meeting us any minute now.”
“Sure,” Callie said, giving her a warm look, picking up her knapsack, and shrugging it over her shoulders. “Give me your knapsack. That ruck of yours weighs a ton.”
“Thanks,” Dara said, pulling on her leather gloves. She settled a bright red knit cap over her hair, having left it down instead of pinning it up as she usually did.
As they prepared to go, Dara realized she was getting nervous about seeing Matt this morning. She hoped his CO had given him permission to be their security guard. And to be honest, she had barely slept last night. She kept seeing Matt’s face, his deep gold-brown eyes luring her toward him. And then, when she did fall asleep, she dreamed that she was kissing him.
She’d awakened this morning, her lower body aching, wanting relief, wanting his touch, because intuitively Dara knew he’d be a wonderful lover. And she sensed that Matt wanted more from her than just a night in bed together. Normally, she wouldn’t have entertained that line of thinking, but having made such a powerful connection with Matt, she had to admit she had begun to wonder … Could he be the “right” man—someone who was seriously interested in all of her? Not seeing her as just a bedmate?
She and Callie had often ta
lked about how much women, like men, just needed purely physical relief, but Dara had always wanted an emotional connection as well as a sexual one. Sometimes, she wondered how Callie managed to sleep with men she wasn’t in love with, but whatever she was doing, it seemed to work for her. Maybe the trick was not taking things too seriously.
Although Dara had to admit that Callie didn’t shack up with a new man every week. Her sister actually tended to get into long-term relationships rather than one-night stands. But when things didn’t work out, she managed to emerge unscathed, ready for the next fascinating candidate. Somehow, Callie was able to not only bounce back but thrive.
Dara was very different. She was shy, insecure about men, serious, yet with a wild streak that emerged unexpectedly, such as when she and her sister broke out and belly danced to the powerful, sensual music that brought men to their feet.
Her thoughts turned to Matt again. This man was a first for her. Their powerful attraction—and she knew it was mutual—had her worried, stirred up, and aware of her own womanly needs coming to life when he looked at her. Just looked at her!
And when she saw his mouth hitch into that little-boy smile, she felt heat cascade through her like an unstoppable lava flow. Aside from the physical, Dara checked off a lot of social skills that were a rare find in men these days.
She’d always been attracted to intelligent, interesting men who were well traveled and fascinated by life. Unfortunately, when she’d met men like this in the past, they had been more left-brained and logical. She needed an emotional component, a connection with the man that involved her heart, not just her body. That had left her sexually and emotionally frustrated.
She had to smile when she thought of Callie and her conversations about orgasms, as if they were a normal part of everyday life. Dara was too embarrassed to admit to her sister that she’d never had one. She just hadn’t met a man with the combination of lust, love, intelligence, and strength that would allow her to open and blossom with him at the deepest levels of herself.
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