Page 1 (2/2)

Vegas? Irritation and memories chewed his hide "Thanks for the offer, but my bed has a kick-butt pillow that won’t taketo find"

If he could sleep the night through without dreahte siry peasants

Guilt slugged him and not for the first time He’d used those sale an introduction for Monica’s sister with the Rubistanian ao, her tearanted entree into Rubistan

All because he’d wanted to iic told him Sydney Hyatt would have found her way over there with or without hiuilt stayed

"Coot a week in Rubistan and then hell only kno long in Ger out of excuses and not in any hurry to share, even with Rodeo

"Ah, I get it" Rodeo nodded, his hands running over the dis and airspeed "You’ve already got so lined up, maybe soly son of a bitch, you sure score a lot"

He wanted off this subject Now "Not tonight, pal I’ht What’s your secret?"

Jack upped the throttle again, bringing him closer to his pillow and the end of this chat "I start with calling a woht nah "Then I’hter froreat secret His first had been "George," a link to his last naton until word leaked that Rodeo had a reputation for shouting the wrong wo sex Rumor had it one offended babe of the week bucked hiht seconds--rodeo style

Minutes after the tale hit the Officer’s Club, so ceremony and "Rodeo" was born A funny-as-hell moniker if it weren’t for the fact that Jack suspected Rodeo always called out the sa Rodeo had never shared any more than Jack felt compelled to spill about Monica

Sympathy knocked with a re in the same position Bare butt on cold tile

Sweat iced on his back "How about after rap things up overseas and get back ho out No woame if you’re in for a road trip over to Atlanta"

And daaht suit and a French braid

"Sounds like a plan" Rodeo srin "Well, hope you enjoy your date tonight with your pillow"

"I’m sure I will"

When he completed this mission, he could clear the slate and move on Celibacy was a pain in the ass, not to er and he’d be qualified for a call sign change to "Blue"

Probleet his head on straight again, he would alienate everyone around him What the hell happened to his nor it cool?

Cracked desert heaved and rolled with rocky out-croppings leading back to Nellis AFB, the location hosting final mission rehearsal as all the cohts of Vegas stayed well out of sight in their route chosen for NVGs

Vegas That e, too many dark-cloud memories of his last trip here with Monica They’d been so da a joint TDY--Temporary Duty Then the news of her sister’s capture had co spiraled out of control in a flat spin--unrecoverable

Ridiculous to think for a second Monica would hang all over hiratitude once she found out he’d taken on the upco vine wasn’t her gig Fine by hie

Much

Hell, no, he didn’t expect gratitude complete orks and hot, thank-you sex Well, okay, yeah he would give his left nut to have Monica naed in his bed again He was human Male Alive

But he didn’t want her taking hiht thing to do It was his job HisHe would do the sahter--be they from the United States or Timbuktu

Still, he couldn’t stop the bitter surge of satisfaction in knowing that once he finished, he would damn well be imprinted on Monica Hyatt’s memory, if not her life, as she’d been imprinted on his

Only one ht dreams He could erase her name from his brain and off hisfor a call sign change to "Rodeo Two"

In twolady outside Jack Korba’s roo Officer’s Quarters Piece of cake, since she’d changed into her flight suit after flying in on a coain, however, would be tougher andBand-Aids over her niles for the bathing suit coeant

She’d been first runner-up for Miss Texas She wouldn’t accept anything but a win today with the stakes a helluva lot higher than scholarship money for medical school

Monica clicked the door closed behind her The thud of her coainst industrial carpet echoed a lonely tattoo in the eed her throat, her nose, her head She couldn’t afford the luxury She didn’t lose it often, so when she did, all the bottled emotions overflowed

And since her sister’s capture, she’d been containing a flood in a Ziploc bag

Slinging her greento rest on the foot of the bed, she paced off restless energy, tugged the spread shtened a lampshade With each heavy thump of her boots, she reminded herself she was in control, a coht have only taken the Air Force contract as a way to pay her way throughflopped But the minute she’d put on the uniforht surgeon she treated the aviators, specializing in ail way to serve her country while fulfilling her drea a doctor Sometimes she broke into a sweat over how close she’d couidance counselor in Red Branch, Texas, never irls

She’d just never expected to lace those boots in defense of her own family

Monica stacked loose coins on the oak dresser, avoided touching Jack’s wadded-up T-shirt trailing over the edge and ta three and a half months of captivity Her baby sister who splashed in puddles and forgot her lunch box

Unshed tears burned like alcohol on an open wound

Don’t think Her feet carried her to the e where she helped herself to a bottled water beside a half gallon of razed over Jack’s predictable box of Froot Loops on top of the refrigerator A ss, always carting along a quick breakfast to bypass the extra time to find a mess hall or restaurant