Page 50 of D-Day

She found his mouth again, and after a long, satisfying kiss, he reluctantly drew away, gazing down at her as he caressed her bottom lip with his thumb. He stroked her face, tracing her cheekbones, the arch of her eyebrows, then he gave her another quick kiss. “How was that for a reward?” he asked, his tone husky.

“Yeehaw, there would be so many women lined up to save the world with that kind of incentive,” she murmured with a short laugh. Her face went solemn. “I am somewhat of a sham right now.”

“How’s that?” he asked as she snaked her arm around his waist.

“I’m scared, Drew. I don’t want to die, and I don’t want to lose you.” She buried her face in his neck and his chest tightened. Pressing another kiss against her hair, he began slowly stroking his hand up and down her back.

“I’m scared, too, darlin’ for the same reasons, but more about us failing to get these triggers back where they can be neutralized. I will do all that I can to protect you, but don’t hesitate to take matters into your own hands. Shoot to kill. Believe me, they will.” He slid to the soft underbrush with her in his arms. “Get some rest. I’ll wake you when it’s time to go.”

“Is this a good time to say?—”

“No. Not here, not when everything is so ugly.”

“But Drew?—”

“No. We will wait until we are in the right place, and the right time.”

“But what if that never happens?” she said, her voice shaky, on the verge of tears.

“It won’t matter, darlin’. We both know how we feel, and they’re just words after all.” He lied. They weren’t, but he couldn’t bear to say them until everything was settled. They were going to make it out of here alive. He wasn’t going to his maker without settling, once and for all, his past. It was the only way he could be with Helen, the only way that would count. And if he didn’t figure it out, he would be better off dead anyway.

16

In the blind,it was excruciatingly hot, the air still, seeming as thick as water, but frogmen knew all about how to breathe underwater. He turned his head, his eyes resting on Helen’s sweet, damp face. Darkness had fallen, and it was time for them to move. He wasn’t sure where the NPA were or where the government troops might be creeping, but he would have to get through all of that with his tough-as-nails wildcat and six lethal, much-sought-after, nuclear triggers. He was determined that they would get these devices to the CIA, come hell or high water.

He pushed up on his elbow and his attention got snagged by the woman again. She was one beautiful, blonde distraction. He had to wonder where Dragonlady had disappeared to, marveling at how she had taken matters into her own hands as his eyes roved over Helen’s sweet face.

He guessed the petite foreign operative must have been embedded with the twins for some time…for just a purpose such as this? Interesting that the Chinese were keeping tabs on the NPA, as their support had waned over the many decades the NPA had waged war on the Filipino government.

His gaze meandered down over her shoulders, slim but strong enough to carry some heavy burdens, down to her nipped-in waist, over her hip, to the tight curves of her rear.

“Are you done, there, handsome? Taking stock of my…ah…assets, are you?”

His gaze flashed to hers. “I’ll never be done,” he growled.

She gave him a soft, tantalizing grin. “Let’s hope we have time to explore each other's assets soon.”

He couldn’t think about the future right now and ignored the comment. Right now, they needed to be quick and nimble. He looked at his full pack. He reached over and dragged it to him. He hated to leave any essential gear behind, but they needed to move fast and in case of trouble, he wanted Helen to be able to carry the triggers. Which led him to another problem—her hair. It was so blonde that even the dappled moonlight would make it glow in the dark.

“What are you doing?” she asked.

He told her his intention, while he shoved in the essentials, and the small, gray case. He pulled out his boondocks hat, boonie for short, designed to provide protection from the sun, rain, and wind with its wide, moldable brim, thoroughly effective in hot deserts and steaming rainforests, and the camo would cover that gleaming hair and reduce the silhouette of her head.

“Put this on,” he said, “and make sure all your hair is up inside it.”

Without comment, she pulled her flat braid on top of her head and covered her hair completely. He was satisfied with the result. “Am I now a proper SEAL babe?”

He reached out and rubbed his thumb over her soft cheek. “Yeah, darlin’, badass to the bone.” She giggled softly. “So damn adorable,” he murmured. His gaze combed her features, and suddenly, D-Day couldn’t move out, not yet. He cupped the backof her head and kissed her. The contact was always a sizzling shock, and trapped in this hot blind in the jungle, he tasted pure energy, a quick heat cracking down his body as her mouth rolled eagerly over his. His fingers slid into the soft hair at her nape, the intimacy of the touch electric. Her tongue touched his, and D-Day got a little lost. He devoured her with a ravenous assault, and she made a little sound deep in the back of her throat. D-Day absorbed it, knowing it was dangerous, with his senses clouded, a kiss could get them both killed.

He drew back abruptly. “Let’s get going, girl grenade,” he rasped out, and she gave him a wry grin, making her eyes light up and turn her expression from pretty to downright gorgeous.

“Wait here until I get the lay of the land. I’ll be right back.”

She nodded, but she clutched his arm for just a moment, and he gave her a reassuring look before he tucked his head under their cover and did a quick scan.

Nothing moved, not even the trees. There was no wind, no sound, which only meant he and Helen would have to be very quiet.

In moments, he had her and the reduced pack out of the blind, slipping the straps over her shoulders. He turned toward the dense jungle, water dripping somewhere in a steady plopping sound. He didn’t have to tell her what she needed to do. He’d already explained that she was to do exactly as he said. He started moving. When he stopped, she stopped, standing as still as glass. He could feel her warmth on his spine.

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