Hot Extraction

She’ll meet an unlikely ally who will turn her world upside down.Veronica Baker always knew growing up that she wanted to be a scientist just like her daddy. She worked hard to graduate at the top of her class, and was thrilled the day she started work at her father’s lab. When her father leaves on a trip to visit prospective investors, she assumes it will be business as usual, but when she stops hearing from him, Veronica assumes the worst and catches the first flight she can to try and track him down. When Ryker Evans learns that he’s shipping out to Lebanon to complete a solo mission, he’s not pleased. His last mission in Lebanon didn’t end so well, and he’s not eager to head back, but as the SEAL with the best track record in the navy when it comes to search and rescue, his CO doesn’t give him a choice. When he finds out that he’s being sent to extract an American woman who believes her father has been kidnapped, he’s even less pleased. He can’t stand civilians who want to be heroes, and his plan is to pull her out and get home, quickly and quietly. When the two meet, Veronica confirms all of Ryker’s worst fears. She’s insanely gorgeous, but she’s also stubborn, and she refuses to leave the country without her father. And Veronica can’t stand the arrogant and dismissive SEAL who refuses to listen to a word she says, no matter how beautiful the man is, or how much he lights her body on fire. As passion brews between them, Ryker grudgingly agrees to help her find the men who took her father, but when Veronica disappears as well, he’ll have to put it all on the line to save the woman he let slip away. EXCERPT Ryker’s words sent tears to her eyes all over again. She doesn’t know what to think. Twice Ryker has saved her. He had saved her in the parking garage almost a week ago. Today he had jumped off a two-story building to save her from being kidnapped. He was going to run out into the open, to draw the gunman’s attention, so she could live. And die in the process. The only reason he is alive now is in her panic she had delayed him long enough for help to arrive. And even then, when all had seemed lost, he tried to protect her with his own body. Why would he do that? Why would he throw his life away to save hers? To throw it away without even the guarantee that she would live. She has to know. “Why? Why were you going to throw your life away like that?” “What?” Ryker asks, not understanding. “Today. Behind the red car. You were going to run out there and get shot. Why?” Ronnie asks, after a shuddering breath, trying to control her tears. Ryker doesn’t know what to say. It’s a simple question, but he doesn’t have a simple answer. How can he explain the protectiveness he feels for her? He knows exactly why he did it… but can’t articulate it. “Because…you need to live,” he finally says. “But why? Why me instead of you?” “Because I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if I didn’t do everything possible to keep you safe.”