Page 37 of Protected By The Green Berets

“It’s not like its shoes,” Alden grumbled. “It’s-”

“Yeah, I know,” Keller interrupted him. “We’re not going over it all again. You,” he said, pointing at me. “You’re riding with us.”

It was an order and it made me frown, but I remained silent. Maybe as we used up the supplies I’d get to ride my own camel. It was always one step forward and two steps back with them. I needed them to take me seriously. I was a CIA operative and I knew how to do my job. I also wanted them, needed them in other ways.

Ignoring Keller, I walked over and smoothed my hands over a of the camel’s necks. “Aren’t you sweet,” I crooned as his eyes fluttered and he let out a cameley noise of appreciation.

I spent time getting to know the animals as the guys tossed our remaining packs onto the trio of camels.

“You’re riding with me first.”

Turning, I smiled at Rush. There was a hopeful look on his face. I wasn’t sure what the expression meant. Was he worried I was mad at him? Or was it something else?

“Good,” I told him. Anyone other than Keller was preferable at this point since I wanted to deck him in the face. Riding with Rush would give me a chance to speak with him.

“Do you need help up?” Rush asked. He pointed to the camel’s saddle.

I grinned at him and set my foot in the stirrup. Easily, I swung my other leg up and over, mounting the animal.

“Looks like you’ve done that a time or two,” Rush said with a laugh.

“I did barrel racing when I was younger.”

He paused in the act of swinging up onto the animal. “Really? I didn’t take you for a horse girl.”

I wouldn’t have been if my mother had gotten her way. It was the first time my dad had put his foot down and I’d gotten to do what I wanted. I was still required to take ballet and piano lessons along with riding—to appease my mother—but I’d been willing to do anything to be around horses. I’d competed up until I graduated high school. After that I’d gotten too busy to continue, but I’d always loved it. The smell of the animals and leather made me feel at home.

“What did you take me for?”

He grimaced and shook his head. I laughed at his obvious refusal to answer that question.

Keller called out to us and took the lead. Our camel lumbered along in the middle of the line, Alden behind us leading the pack camels.

Soldiers came out from various areas to watch us go. I wasn’t military and even I knew this wasn’t the typical way special ops, or anyone, ran missions. This wasn’t a typical mission, though. Colby and her team had gotten closer to Roj than anyone by blending into the countryside. We would do the same.

It would be easy to roll from village to village in Humvees with a literal army at our backs, but we’d never catch our elusive prey that way. Even buying some local trucks would draw attention. This would be easier.

We’d been on the ‘road’ for about thirty minutes when I finally plucked up the courage to speak to Rush again. “Can we talk?” I asked in a low voice. I didn’t want the others listening in.

“Sure.”

I was pressed back against him, his arm wrapped around my waist to keep me steady while we rode. “I-” My face was already heating up, not because of the sun that was beating down on us, but because of the topic of conversation. Talking about this with a man I wasn’t sleeping with, or in a relationship with wasn’t easy for me. “I’m sure you know, but… I slept with Alden.”

He was silent, so I rushed on. “Well… and Torque, sort of.”

“I know.” He was quiet again after he uttered those two words.

“It wasn’t like I chose them over anyone else, I just… Alden was first, and Torque sort of came along… I hope I didn’t hurt your feelings. That wasn’t my intention. Not that I assume you care about me-” I was floundering. It wasn’t easy to apologize without sounding arrogant. It was possible I was wrong in my theory that he was interested in me.

“It did, at first,” he admitted.

His tone wasn’t frigid, so I turned and looked at him over my shoulder. His eyes were soft and understanding and it set me at ease. He had an uncanny ability to do that. I waited for him to finish speaking.

“Then Torque and I talked.”

He didn’t seem inclined to divulge what they’d spoken about, so I prodded. “What did you talk about?”

“Colby.”

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