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She paused midtwist "What happened to doctor-patient confidentiality?"

"We’re married" For better or worse, they’d vowed Vows that were about to be broken if he didn’t ignore the cheed in a call to hter schedule while you recover"

"JT," she warned, ar her hair "Remember that you left the last time I’m not the only one who said we don’t have a chance"

And that’s what he got for talking All the uard his words, so she couldn’t throw them back in his face later

He plowed ahead "I can’t be away frohts with the feds were too sensitive to pass off to anyone else Since he was already in the loop frohts Bringing another loadmaster up to speed this late would cost valuable days anyway

What a helluva tiht, when Chris is around"

He ignored the burn in his gut that told hi more stress to his wife if she knew the truth about the s he could never share about his job

However, since C-17 night flights were common around Charleston, his ouldn’t question late takeoffs any more than anyone else in Charleston All of which ical choice to cart the DEA’s surveillance equipht in Rubistan

With a little luck--okay, a lot of luck--the high-tech equiph up the crucial link to who the hell in the States had sold them out overseas

And more importantly, how

JT ta it from her After all, he’d had twenty-two years’ practice "I’ll be asleep during the day, so you don’t have to worry aboutunderfoot But I’ll still be on call for whatever you need Sie just fine"

"How do you plan to take care of yourself while Chris is in school? Nikki’s exams start next week, so she can’t help"

JT searched for signs of Rena weakening but she was too preoccupied playing with her hair and driving him crazy Lo tied back into her pillow He’d won "God, JT, you don’t fight back often, but when you do, you sure fight dirty"

"I save it for the battles worth winning" His victory felt hollow as he inventoried the worry, fears, in his proud wife’s gaze

"Fine" Her hands fell back to her lap, a lone curl sneaking free to bob against her chin "Whatever You’re right and you know it Thank you for the help"

Where had her fight gone? Seeing Rena deflated, defeated, worried hi bruise on her forehead But he couldn’t afford to back down, as dangerous as pressing ahead too hard and fast "I’ll take so"

"Why not now?"

"Because I’ here"

Starch inched back up her spine "But Chris--"

"Bo’s staying over" He dropped into the chair beside her bed "I’ on this one"

Fire heated her brown eyes and JT rushed to forestall her argu ut Canting forward, elbows on the edge of her o to sleep and I’ll read my book It’s not like I haven’t watched you sleep before"

Her breath caressed his face

Her face only inches away

The familiar scent of her favorite pepperh his senses along with i a bed And somehow it didn’t matter that they were in a hospital, or that divorce papers had already been drawn up

He wanted her She wanted him With an inevitable intensity that had alo

Tears sheened her brown eyes Fro cracked inside him and he didn’t want to examine the fissure too closely to see what lay beneath But he couldn’t stop the urge to take her in his arms, not for passion, just to hold her--

She flinched away

And he hadn’t even moved yet Apparently she’d read his intent in his eyes and didn’t want his coainst the mattress

She blinked away moist emotions "Just so we’re clear It’s teeks And during that tier" He read her loud and clear Not that he’d expected to park his boots under her bed--yet--but it still s back in the hospital chair, he fished his book froht of her eyes on him a heavy ree to look back up, which would only instigate a conversation he sure as hell didn’t want Strategy Too much was at stake here with only fourteen days to persuade her to give things another try Again He’d soothed her teh before Proble to her eyes et ned with Rena to win her over this tiiven all that was at stake now, she could hold strong against the tes of his lu fourteen days of intih Rena’s h her tree-packed subdivision on her way home from the hospital Brick and wooden tract houses whipped past her passenger , aEven peripheral gli ferns at the mercy of a Charleston tropical stor at his reflection in the passenger