Page 10 of Lethal Pursuit

Maya raised her gaze to his. “Cam? Devon’s Cam?”

“Yeah, we’re partners. Volunteered for the MEDCAP together.” Cam was one of the best friends Jackson had ever made. “Any word on the medevac?” he asked the other soldier.

“En route. Another twenty minutes.”

That was plenty quick enough, at least for this guy. Jackson leaned over him so the patient could see him better. His eyes were a bit glazed. “You’re good to go to the hospital. We’re just waiting for the helo. Want some meds for the pain while we wait?”

He gritted his teeth and shifted restlessly against the pain. “Howlong?” he managed.

“Twenty minutes.”

He squeezed his eyes shut. “Shit, yeah. Gimme something.”

“You allergic to any meds?”

“Penicillin.”

Jackson administered a syrette of fentanyl. The medication took effect in seconds. With a sigh, the patient relaxed slightly, his breathing slowing.

Then suddenly he reached up to grasp Jackson’s forearm. His eyes were wide, anxious. “My legs. Tell me the truth, man. Am I gonna keep my legs?”

“Your legs are gonna be fine once they heal up,” Jackson assured him.

With a nod of relief, the man closed his eyes and rested quietly, enduring the pain as best he could. Jackson glanced up, wondering where Maya had gone to, and didn’t have to look far. She stood just a few yards away, facing away from him. She’d stripped off the gloves, but her hands were stained with blood as she held her weapon up and at the ready. She was in profile to him, the brim of her helmet shadowing her face. Both her hands and her posture were rock steady, despite everything. Ready for action if anything happened.

“Want to clean your hands?” he called out.

She didn’t glance his way, and her tense posture didn’t change. “Later. After the helo gets here.”

Jackson climbed to his feet. Leaving another soldier to watch his patient, he hefted his ruck and made his way to where Cam worked on the other two. Maya followed, maintaining that same distance and vigilance. Protecting him? Shit, no. He could take care of himself. If anything,heshould be guardingher. “You don’t need to do that. Go on back to the truck and clean up.”

She shook her head, not bothering to look at him. “You can’t treat patients and watch your back at the same time. Until we get the all clear, I’m not taking any chances.”

With his safety. She didn’t say it, but she didn’t have to. His shook his head in exasperation. Though she was half his size, she would stay and guard him, with her life if necessary. The woman was turning him inside out, but her stubbornness rankled him. While heunderstood and respected her training and ability, he didn’t want her putting herself in danger on his behalf. The way he saw it, it was his duty to protect her, not the other way around.

Now wasn’t the time for that fight. Tearing his attention away from her, he strode over and squatted beside Cam. “Need a hand?” One of the patients had an ugly head wound and the other was sitting up talking with his buddies.

Looking up from where he was still bandaging the head wound, Cam’s blue eyes met his. “No, I’m good. Where the hell are those assholes hiding? A hole in the ground?”

“Have to be. Nowhere else to hide around here.” Patting his friend’s shoulder once, Jackson went back to check on his patient, who was resting as comfortably as could be expected in a situation like this. Maya shadowed him, staying close, weapon up and safety off. Did her stubborn insistence about guarding him mean anything other than her simply performing her duty? If he was honest, he wanted it to mean more.

Finally the throb of rotors sounded in the distance. A Black Hawk appeared in the clear blue sky, the red cross on a white background on the door becoming visible as it neared. It touched down close by and a crew rushed out. Squinting against the dust kicked up by the rotor wash, Jackson helped carry his patient to the helo. He moved back and turned to collect his gear to find Maya standing next to it. She was looking at him this time, and the admiration he saw in her eyes made his heart swell.

Crossing to her, he stopped beside his ruck and pulled out some damp towelettes. “Here.”

She safetied and slung her weapon then took them from him to wipe up. “Thanks,” she said softly, seeming almost shy as she avoided his gaze.

“You’re welcome.” He wanted to touch her. Wrap his arms around her and hold her close, just for a minute. They could easily have been hit by the blast. If the IED had detonated a second later, it would have been their Humvee blown to hell. Maya had held it together, stayed tight despite the scare and adrenaline rush, the sight and smell of the blood. Not once had she faltered in her duty.

A fierce wave of pride and protectiveness rose inside him. Shewas brave and strong and professional. He knew in his gut that if the bullets had started flying, she would’ve stayed and defended him, putting herself between him and whatever the insurgents who’d remotely detonated that IED could throw at them.

He’d never met a woman like her. She deserved a man who would appreciate all that she was, cherish the softness locked away beneath the hard exterior. Jackson did. Something had forged her into this steely soldier. He wanted to know what it was.

Her hands shook ever so slightly as she wiped at her forearms, telling him she wasn’t as unaffected as she wanted everyone to think. Without a word, Jackson gently took the wipes from her and held her hands in his. Her eyes flashed up to his, surprise in their depths. Her skin was cold. But there was heated awareness in her gaze too. A kind of buried longing he would love the chance to satisfy.

Damn, he wanted her. In a primal and possessive way he’d never experienced before.

He gently washed away the remaining traces of blood, mindful of the swollen knuckles on her right hand. He stroked his thumb across them lightly, wishing he could heal her with his touch, that he could fight her battles so she wouldn’t have to. Standing this close to her, touching her soft skin and drinking in the unique features that haunted his dreams, he only craved her more. And suddenly he couldn’t hold back the incautious words that flew out of his mouth.

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