Page 81 of Savage Reckoning

“Right. Enough chit-chat.” She’s on her feet. “I have armed raids to coordinate. Where did that fucking boy get to?”

“Kitchen,” I offer.

“Yeah, right. Laters.” She waves to me over her shoulder as she makes for the door.

Gabe finds me in my clinic. I’m doing a stocktake, making sure I have enough supplies to cope with pretty much anything that may come at me over the next few days. Despite the general air of confidence among the men, I like to be prepared for the worst. If we suffer heavy casualties, my problems will be more around manpower than bandages and equipment. The two agency nurses were dispatched back to the mainland days ago, so it will be only me.

Still, I’ll cope. Ethan has never been one to cut corners where the welfare of his men is concerned. I have state-of-the-art equipment and facilities. I could ask for no more.

Gabe taps on my office door. “Anything I can do to help?”

“Aren’t you busy lining up missile launchers and organising surveillance?”

He enters the room. “It’s all in hand. I have a few minutes to spare.”

“Well, I’m not sure I do. Since the nursing staff left, I have to do my own cleaning and prep.”

“The place looks spotless to me.”

“Looking spotless and being clinically clean are two different things.”

“Come to bed with me.”

“What?”

“You heard. We can go next door. No need to mess up one of your squeaky-clean hospital rooms.”

“But, what if—?”

“What if it all goes wrong? What if it doesn’t work out the way your boss has planned it? What if Sokolov turns out to be not quite so dim as we thought? We could all be dead this time tomorrow.”

“You don’t think—?”

“No, I don’t, actually. But I do think we should seize the opportunity to fuck each other’s brains out. Just in case.”

I pretend to consider his point. “Well, when you put it like that…”

He holds out his hand.

I take it. “Let’s get this over with.”

“Strip. Then lie on the bed. Facedown.”

It’s on the tip of my tongue to ask questions, but there is something in his expression that dissuades me. Gabe wants to be obeyed. He expects to take charge, and I realise I want to let him. I’ll be in safe hands.

I undo the buttons on my shirt and slide that off, followed by my bra. I take my time releasing my breasts, then I stand, naked from the waist up, allowing him plenty of time to peruse my body. I suppose most would describe me as being a bit on the curvy side. It’s not something I’m especially conscious of. Army fatigues have never done anything for my body image, and even though I’m a civilian now, my dress sense hasn’t improved much.

But, today, I want him to see me, to admire me. To want me.

Make it happen, girl.

Casey’s words are ringing in my ears, and so far, my strategy seems to be working.

Gabe lounges against the bedroom door, watching me undress. His slate-grey eyes darken, his jaw flexes. I lower my gaze to take in the bulge at the front of his jeans, then slowly turn my back on him. I unfasten the snap on my canvas work trousers and drop the zip, then I shove them down past my hips. I have to pause to toe off my shoes and socks, but I manage that without too much loss of grace and dignity, and kick everything away. Wearing just my knickers, I’m glad that for once I’m wearing a pretty, fancy pair. Lavender-coloured lace on mint-green satin, they cost me over twenty quid at Ann Summers. I’ve Cristina to thank for talking me into such extravagance. I make a mental note, then lift my gaze to face him once more.

He rakes me with his eyes, appreciation glowing in those stormy irises.

“Christ, I missed you,” he breathes. “I’d forgotten how sexy you are.”

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