He made that rumbling “mmmmm” sound again, then grasped her butt cheeks and hiked her ass onto the counter.
Nudging her knees open with his hips, he settled between her legs, poking her opening with the tip of his cock. “See? Improvised.”
“Jesus, Buck. Why can’t I ever get enough of you?”
She scooted her butt forward so she hung partway off the edge of the counter. Encircling his hips with her legs, she dug her heels into the back of his thighs and pulled him all the way in.
“I’m irresistible, that’s why.” He managed to choke the words out and sound halfway cocky, despite being buried to the hilt inside her.
He leaned forward, placing his hands on the mirror on either side of her, while she leaned back, gripping the edges of the counter.
As he slid out of her, then plunged back in, a warm, slick motion, she closed her eyes and let her head fall back, drowning in the way he made her body feel—loose, disconnected, free, and flooded with bliss.
She held on tight as he picked up the pace and the first hint of her orgasm sparked deep inside. “Come for me, Mindy,” he said.
She licked her lips and barely managed to rub two thoughts together. “So bossy.”
His deep chuckle made her smile. How she’d managed a joke while she rode the edge of climax, she had no idea.
The thought slipped away when he reached between them and pinched her clit and her orgasm erupted in a sudden burst, taking her breath away with the power of it.
“Mmm. That’s it,” he said.
One more thrust and he joined her with his own climax on a long, low growl.
At five a.m. Buck’s alarm blared and shocked Melinda out of sleep with the violence of a slap to the face.
She rolled over, burying her face in the pillow, and groaned.
“Wake up, sunshine,” Buck said.
“Do me a favor,” she said.
“What?”
“Stop being so fucking cheerful this early in the morning.” She lifted her head and squinted through one half-open eye at the dark window. “Oh, sorry, it’s still night.”
Buck slapped her still naked ass, the crack of it echoing against the bare walls of his apartment. She gasped and jerked awake.
“Get up,” he said. “You can sleep on the plane.”
Melinda dragged out of bed and in a half-asleep fog, dressed, put her hair up, and stumbled out to the car where she dozed to the airport.
She woke on the tarmac, though, when she saw the big plane, its ramp open at the back and buzzing with men running in and out. “We’re flying in that?”
A huge grin split Buck’s face. “Welcome to the Navy, Mindy.”
“I’ve been shanghaied against my will,” she grumbled.
They continued to the barracks where they found the rest of the guys suiting up in winter gear. A room full of SEALs in varying states of undress was easy on the eyes, but Wolf walking up and bro-hugging Buck distracted her from the view.
“Good to see you, McCormick,” Wolf said. He turned to her. “You ready for this, Melinda?”
She snort-laughed. “Not even a little bit.”
“Well, you have the hours in the air to get ready. Can’t have any doubt once we jump.” He slapped Buck’s shoulder before walking away. “Catch you on board.”
Melinda’s mind stuck on the obvious problem and forgot all about Matthew. “Did he say jump?”
“Yep. We’ll do a parachute drop into the site,” Buck said.
“You know I don’t know how to parachute, right?”
“You’ll do a tandem drop with me.”
Before she could express her opinion about that idea, Ice approached them with a handful of the same white fatigues all the men wore.
“Good morning, Dr. Emerson. This is your uniform. The rest of your gear is at Buck’s locker.” His eyes were so dark his pupils got lost in the brown, but that didn’t stop him from pinning her with a hard gaze. “Keep in mind, we’re on a tight schedule.”
“Okay. Thanks,” she said, taking the pile from him. Once he’d left, she asked Buck, “His name is Ice?”
“Chief Petty Officer Darius “Ice” Bates. He’s team leader,” Buck said.
“I see why they call him that.”
“He’s a good leader, despite a complete lack of human warmth.”
Buck guided her to his locker space where they found a parka, gloves, and headgear for her. While she hauled the too-big, white snow pants over her jeans, Buck stripped out of his street clothes and dressed for the mission. The process was fascinating. Not only did he not have a whit of modesty, the layers of clothing and gear he wore seemed to never stop. It gave her a new appreciation for what he did.
“Better use the bathroom,” Buck said. “There’s no toilet on board.”
“How long is the flight?”
“Long. Make sure your bladder’s good and empty.”
“What do you do if you need to pee mid-flight?”
“It’s not much of an issue for guys. We can pee in a water bottle if necessary. That might be a challenge for you.”
“Great.”
Once they were dressed and she’d sat on a toilet long enough to be sure her bladder had drained as much as possible, he led her out to the tarmac and into the belly of the plane. Men swarmed inside securing equipment, some of which looked like snowmobiles, in the center of the plane while others harnessed themselves into the seats along the outside walls, holding their packs in their laps.
“We’ll sit here,” Buck said, pointing out a couple of empty seats.
He dropped the seat for her, sort of like a far less comfortable theater seat, and she plopped into it. Buck kneeled in front of her and helped her latch the harness.
The guy in the seat next to her smiled and nodded. “’Mornin’ ma’am.”
“Hi,” she said. “I’m Melinda.”
He offered his hand and she shook it. “Ross McBride. You can call me Groom,” he said.
“Okay, you’re set,” Buck said.
The hard seat and tight harness didn’t bode well for the God-knew-how-long flight. She couldn’t imagine sleeping in that getup, and knowing there wasn’t a toilet on board only served as a psychological trigger for her bladder.
Buck worked at buckling into his seat, and the guy on the other side of him leaned out and said, “I’m Wiley Strickland, ma’am. You can call me Coyote. Welcome aboard.”
“Wiley Coyote. Clever,” she said. “Thank you guys for tolerating me. I know having me along makes your job more difficult, so I appreciate your patience. Or at least pretending to have patience, even if you don’t.”
Wiley grinned and elbowed Buck. “I like her. She’s perceptive.”
“Don’t worry, you’re in good hands,” Groom said. “You’re part of the mission, so we’ll all make sure you’re safe.”
“See?” Buck said. “Nothing to worry about.”
Yet, the ramp door at the back of the plane closed with a clang of doom that made Melinda’s heart stutter. Parachute dropping didn’t scare her. It was the unknown stuff they faced on the ground that had her terrified.
Hours later, Melinda woke with a start when Buck jabbed her in the ribs.
“Time to wake up,” he said.
The flight had been unpleasant at best. She had a renewed respect for the hardiness of military men to be able to sit on those hard seats without complaint and without moving, for so long.
“How’s this going to work?” Melinda asked.
“Are you afraid of heights?” he asked.
“No. I’ve been all over the world climbing in jungle canopies and up sheer rock faces. I’m fine with heights.”
He nodded. “We’ll be doing a tandem jump. You’ll be strapped in front of me. I’ll do all the work. You just enjoy the view.”
“Okay. I can do that.”
Excited energy buzzed in the air as a flurry of activity erupted around her. Everyone did whatever they had to do to prep for the jump, inc
luding donning more winter wear. Coyote helped strap Melinda to Buck, and his gear to her front. It weighed, as near she could tell, half a ton.
All the men lined up on either side of the equipment in the center, and when the ramp opened at the back of the plane a rush of freezing air blasted them in the face. Melinda appreciated the parka and hood, and oxygen mask.
Outside the door a yawning pit of dark nighttime awaited them. The equipment slid out the door on a rail, the chutes opening shortly after dropping. Men followed right after.
Their line moved fast and then it was their turn. Buck didn’t say a word, just plowed her from behind until suddenly the floor fell out from under her and her stomach jumped up into her throat for a few seconds before he pulled the chute and her stomach jerked down to her toes before settling as they floated steadily downward.
“Doing okay?” Buck’s voice echoed from the earpiece in her helmet.
She gave him a thumbs up and settled in for the rest of the drop, wishing she could see anything other than darkness below and stars above. At least a view would make the fall interesting.
6
After a bumpy landing that involved rolling over one another and ending in an undignified pile in the snow, Buck managed to get himself disentangled from Mindy and the chute. Mindy stayed flat on her back while he unhooked his pack from her chest.
“You did great,” he said.
He’d actually been surprised by how well she’d done. He’d expected panic, hyperventilation, hysteria, but she’d been cool as a cucumber. He clearly didn’t know her half as well as he thought.
The rest of the men went about the process of stashing chutes, and prepping and hiding snowmobiles for their exfil. The sparse trees and clearings around them filled a small valley in a larger mountain range, all of it blanketed in snow that glowed in the starlight.
Into his headset, Ice said, “Form up men. I’m taking point on this mission for both teams. The site is a half mile northwest. Wolf, you and your men will approach and circle around the building from the north at the back entrance, clearing enemies as you go. I’ll take the rest of you around the south side front entrance. Teams will breach and secure the site, then search for the target, Alexei Petrov. Each of you has a photo. Once we’ve identified and secured the target, Buck and Coyote will assist Dr. Emerson with her portion of the mission while I interrogate Petrov. Questions?”
A chorus of “no sirs” filled the quiet night.
Buck turned to Mindy. “The lab is a half mile from here. I want you to stay between me and Coyote. If for any reason we’re separated, pick one of the other guys and stick to him like glue until I find you again. Got it?”
“Yes.”
“Let’s go. Follow the guys in front of you. I’ve got your back.”
With his M4 at the ready, he took off at a jog in the middle of the pack, keeping Mindy in view in front of him. Even weighed down with winter gear and a pack of her own—though admittedly far smaller than his—she never faltered or slowed. Her strength and endurance impressed him.
It didn’t take them long to cover the distance. When they reached the edge of the clearing, Ice held up a fist to bring everyone to a halt. Ice and Wolf surveyed the compound.
From what Buck could see using the binocular function on his night vision device, there wasn’t much to it. Built in a clearing, the main building had a round central portion with two wings—one on either side. A couple of outbuildings flanked it, and a rough road trailed off into the distance. The whole facility was out in the middle of fucking nowhere, well hidden in the valley.
There didn’t appear to be anyone standing guard outside, but in the cold temps, he didn’t expect it. There would be guards and security inside, if the number of armed thugs on the cargo ship had been any indication.
“Looks clear from here,” Ice said. “Wolf, take your team and proceed around to the north side of the building. Breach and clear the rear entrance. Secure any personnel. Report back when complete. Buck, you stay here with Dr. Emerson until I give you the all-clear. We don’t need her in the line of fire. The rest of us will take the front entrance. Let’s go.”
Both teams took off in the direction of their mission assignments. Buck didn’t like being left out of the action, but they couldn’t leave Mindy alone, nor would he.
He hunkered down to keep an eye on the teams’ progress.
A few minutes later, the muffled pop of gunfire reached them. A moment after that, a handful of men ran from one of the outbuildings, all of them carrying weapons of some sort.
“Ice, Buck here. You’ve got incoming. Looks like six. I’ll take out what I can from here. Over.”
“Copy that. Out.”
“Stay here,” Buck said to Mindy. “I’ll be right back.”
He left cover, bringing his M4 up as he did, and aimed at the last guy in line. He’d only get one surprise shot.
He took it and the guy dropped in a dead pile in the snow. The next two guys in the line froze and spun. When they saw their dead comrade, they brought their weapons up and shifted their focus to find whoever had shot at them. Buck ran to the left to keep Mindy out of the line of return fire, then threw himself to the ground and took another shot, aiming at the next guy.
He missed, and cursed, wishing he had a sniper rifle. The two guys couldn’t see him, but panicked and shot in his general direction, hoping to hit something.
Buck aimed again and this time took out one, then the next in quick succession before they could advance any closer.
The remaining three had reached the building.
“Ice, Buck here. You have three incoming, front entrance. Over.”
“Copy. Out.”
Buck itched to explore and clear the outbuilding where the security personnel had been housed. There could still be men inside. He stowed the urge long enough to get back to Mindy. He half expected her to have gone off on her own. But he found her exactly where he’d left her, huddled next to a tree.
“You okay?” he asked.
She nodded, her eyes wide and panicky behind her yellow-tinted goggles. Despite having witnessed all kinds of carnage on the cargo ship, she was still a civilian. Taking out the enemy wasn’t in her everyday wheelhouse.
“Don’t think about it,” he said. “But if you can’t help it, remember, those men would have killed ours. Keep your mind on the mission—retrieving your research and the new drug research.”
Her eyes found focus when he mentioned the drugs, and he watched as a steely determination took the place of fear. “Not retrieving, Buck. Destroying. We have to destroy it all, my research, and all the research and samples of the new drug. I won’t abet simply transferring the information to the U.S. government. Nobody should have access to it. It’s unethical and dangerous.”
He’d never gone off mission, and didn’t like the idea of doing it now. But Mindy didn’t understand mission parameters and short of restraining her, he doubted he’d be able to control her. He believed her that the drug was dangerous. The idea of the U.S. military or intelligence community getting hold of something like that and eventually incorporating it into combat or intelligence arsenals made him squeamish. But it wasn’t his call. He followed orders.
One look at Mindy and he knew she didn’t.
“Fine, I’ll do what I can to help, but our first priority is to stay within the scope of the mission. If the opportunity presents itself, we can attempt to destroy the information.”
Mindy nodded, her mouth forming a firm, determined line.
“Now, I need to go clear that building where those men came from. Can you stay here and stay out of trouble?”
“Of course.”
“Okay. I’ll be back shortly.”
He retraced his steps, hurrying across the road. All the windows in the two-story building were dark. At the door, he tried the handle. Unlocked.
He slipped into the foyer like a wraith in the dark, his way clear through his night vision device.
At
the end of the foyer, he crouched against the wall and peeked around the corner. He found the hall itself empty, with three doors on either side.
He stood and crept down the hall, one quiet step at a time. The first room on the left opened into a galley kitchen with a couple of tables.
The first door on the right was closed, and although a sign labeled the room, it was in Cyrillic, which Buck couldn’t read. He turned the handle slowly and pushed the door open, nosing the muzzle of his gun into the space before he peeked inside. It turned out to be a utility room with a washer and dryer, and the boiler.
He repeated the same routine with the next door on the left, which was a pantry and storage.
The second door on the right also had a sign he couldn’t read, but male and female stick figure made it clear the room was a bathroom. He peeked inside anyway and found it empty.
The third room on the left had no door. Instead, it opened into a lounge with couches, a TV, bookshelves, and some board games.
The last door on the right was locked. Maybe the armory? He couldn’t read the sign, and since six well-armed men had poured out of this building, Buck figured they had to keep weapons somewhere. May as well be here. He didn’t have time to pick the lock, but he didn’t like leaving a room uncleared. The problem was, he still had to do upstairs, and if there were personnel still lurking in the building, the longer he dallied, the better chance of them finding and taking him by surprise.
He’d come back after he cleared the upper floor.
Back at the end of the hall where he’d entered, he found the stairs. He crept upward, careful to be quiet and clear as he went. He found no resistance on the stairs. Maybe they thought they need all hands on deck at the main building, and this one really was empty.
On the second floor he found three doors on the right side, and two on the left. All were dark except one on the right.
Forcing himself to move slowly, he cleared the first door on the right—a larger bathroom with toilets, sinks, and showers. He found nobody inside.
Special Forces: Operation Alpha: Buck the System (Kindle Worlds Novella) (Sealed With A Kiss Book 2) Page 5